On Tuesday 22 July 2025, Gene Watson reflected on a visit, on Sunday 20 July 2025, with his good friend, Tony Booth, backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
‘I enjoyed a visit backstage, at the Grand Ole Opry, from my good friend, Tony Booth.
Tony‘s No.15 hit single, ‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), was on Capitol Records, which was where I started my major label career also.
Later, Tony joined me as a band member, and sang on several of my recordings’
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Gene Watson on Facebook
Gene Watson recorded Tony Booth‘s ‘One Too Many Times’ and included the track on ‘No One Will Ever Know‘ (MCA Records, 1980); the original version of this track was recorded by Tony Booth, who included it on ‘On The Right Track’ (MGM Records, 1970).
In May 1972, Tony Booth saw the release of ‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’ (Capitol Records, 1972); one of the included tracks was the title track, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and reached No.15 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1972.
On Friday 1 October 1982, Tony Booth joined Gene Watson‘s Farewell Party Band; Tony Booth played bass guitar and sang backup vocals on many of Gene Watson‘s mid-1980s album releases.
Tony Booth remained a member of Gene Watson‘s Farewell Party Band for twelve years, from 1982 until 1994.
Gene Watson recorded Tony Booth‘s ‘One Too Many Times’ and included the track on ‘No One Will Ever Know‘ (MCA Records, 1980).
Tony Booth‘s younger brother, Larry Booth, played bass guitar, on all tracks, on Gene Watson‘s ‘Sometimes I Get Lucky‘ (MCA Records, 1983); this album was the first Gene Watson release to exclusively feature The Farewell Party Band.
Tony Booth played tic-tac bass and his younger brother, Larry Booth, played bass guitar, on all tracks, on Gene Watson‘s ‘Heartaches, Love & Stuff‘ (MCA Records, 1984).
Tony Booth played tic-tac bass, while his younger brother, Larry Booth, played bass guitar, on all tracks, on Gene Watson‘s ‘Little by Little‘ (MCA Records, 1984); the album included ‘My Memories of You’, which was co-written by Daniel ’Danny’ T. Rainwater (who passed away on Friday 28 December 2018) and Larry Booth.
On Tuesday 1 January 2008, Tony Booth saw the release of ‘Is This All There Is To A Honky Tonk’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2008); one of the included tracks was ‘My Memories of You’, which was written by Larry Booth and Daniel ‘Danny’ T. Rainwater (who passed away on Friday 28 December 2018).
Tony Booth played bass guitar, on all tracks, on Gene Watson‘s ‘Memories to Burn‘ (Epic Records, 1985); the album was co-produced and mixed by Gene Watson and Tony Booth‘s younger brother, Larry Booth.
Tony Booth played bass guitar, on all tracks, on Gene Watson‘s ‘Starting New Memories‘ (Epic Records, 1986); the album was co-produced by Gene Watson and Tony Booth‘s younger brother, Larry Booth.
On Monday 9 May 2011, England’s Hux Records released Gene Watson‘s ‘Memories to Burn‘ (Epic Records, 1985), along with Gene Watson‘s ‘Starting New Memories‘ (Epic Records, 1986), in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as a special 2-for-1 CD set; the 2-for-1 CD set was released worldwide on Tuesday 17 May 2011.
