On Monday 27 March 2023, Gene Watson reflected (again) on a special evening, on Friday 24 March 2023, at 34th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival in Brady, Texas.
‘We had lots of fun, Friday 24 March 2023, in Brady, Texas at The Heart of Texas Country Music Festival.
Gene Watson and Tracy Pitcox at The 34th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival, Ed Davenport Civic Center, 816 San Angelo Highway in Brady, Texas on Friday 24 March 2023
It’s a huge real country music event put together by our friend, Tracy Pitcox. Tracy runs the Heart of Texas Records label, a studio, plus he has a real country music show on KNEL Radio, and puts together this huge music festival every year. He has worked hard to preserve real country music!
Jeannie C. Riley and Gene Watson at The 34th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival, Ed Davenport Civic Center, 816 San Angelo Highway in Brady, Texas on Friday 24 March 2023
After our show, we had a nice time visiting with some country legends also there for this big festival, including Jeannie C. Riley (I’m sure everyone knows her monster hit, ‘Harper Valley PTA’, which was written by Tom T. Hall (Monday 25 May 1936 – Friday 20 August 2021), and was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for three weeks in September / October 1968, and No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1968).
Tony Booth and Gene Watson at The 34th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival, Ed Davenport Civic Center, 816 San Angelo Highway in Brady, Texas on Friday 24 March 2023
Also, my great friend and incredible singer / musician, Tony Booth, was there. Tony was having hits on Capitol Records before I ever got signed. Tony helped me out in my band for awhile too!
If you listen to Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM, I know you’ll hear one of his biggest hits, ‘The Key’s In The Mailbox’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002) (No.15, 1972), which is in regular rotation there.
Darrell McCall and Gene Watson at The 34th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival, Ed Davenport Civic Center, 816 San Angelo Highway in Brady, Texas on Friday 24 March 2023
My buddy, Darrell McCall, has also had a long, successful career as a singer and songwriter, with too many hits to list here. Don’t miss him if he’s performing anywhere near you!
Thank you, Tracy Pitcox, for putting together this wonderful festival, and for helping to keep real country music alive and well’
Source
• Gene Watson on Facebook
Darrell McCall and Gene Watson
Musical Connections
In 1968, Darrell McCall joined the roster of Wayside Records, an independent record label and, between 1968 and 1970, he achieved four Billboard country music hit singles, one of which was ‘I’d Love To Live With You Again’, which was written by Dicky Overbey (Monday 11 May 1942 – Saturday 4 October 2014), reaching No.67 in 1968; the track was subsequently included on Darrell McCall‘s ‘Meet Darrell McCall’ (Wayside Records, 1969).
Gene Watson recorded ‘I’d Love To Live With You Again’, which was written by Dicky Overbey (Monday 11 May 1942 – Saturday 4 October 2014), and included the track on ‘Beautiful Country‘ (Capitol Records, 1977).
On Monday 26 September 2005, England’s Hux Records released Gene Watson‘s ‘Beautiful Country‘ (Capitol Records, 1977), along with Gene Watson‘s ‘Because You Believed in Me‘ (Capitol Records, 1976), as a special 2-for-1 CD set (HUX 072).
In 1977, Darrell McCall saw the release of ‘Lily Dale’ (Columbia Records, 1977); three of the included tracks were as follows:
‘Lily Dale’ (written by T. Moore and Billy Jack Wills) (No.32, 1977) / this track, which was a duet with Willie Nelson, was named ‘Best Duet of 1977’ by Cash Box Magazine / Gene Watson recorded this track in 2005, and saw it included on ‘Bob Wills: Tribute To Bob’s 100th Birthday’ (Common Ground Records, 2005), a various artists compilation album
‘Dreams of A Dreamer’, which was written by David Hugh ‘Jug’ Brown (Tuesday 28 July 1936 – Tuesday 7 May 2013) (No.35, 1977) / this track was also recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘Back in the Fire‘ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988)
‘Sad Songs & Waltzes’ (written by Willie Nelson) / Gene Watson recorded this track in 1979, when it was intended to be included on Ernest Tubb’s ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979), but the track was not included. Gene Watson‘s recording of the track did not see the light of day until Step One Records released their version of this Ernest Tubb set in 1989 as ‘Ernest Tubb Collection’ (Step One Records, 1989).
In 2008, Darrell McCall’s ‘Lily Dale’ (Columbia Records, 1977) was subsequently re-issued, on CD, by Brady, Texas-based Heart of Texas Records.
On Friday 11 November 2016, Morello Records released Gene Watson‘s ‘Back in the Fire‘ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988), along with Gene Watson‘s ‘At Last‘ (Warner Bros. Records, 1991), as a special ‘2-for-1‘ CD set (WMRLL 66).
In 1986, Darrell McCall saw the release of the highly acclaimed, ‘Reunion’ (BGM Records, 1986), which was recorded at UAR in San Antonio, Texas in 1984, with Darrell McCall‘s old backing group, The Tennessee Volunteers; one of the included tracks was ‘Dreams of A Dreamer’, which was written by David Hugh ‘Jug’ Brown (Tuesday 28 July 1936 – Tuesday 7 May 2013), which was also recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘Back in the Fire‘ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988).
In 1995, Darrell McCall saw the release of ‘A Way To Survive’ (Artap Records, 1995), which included ‘A Way To Survive’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Moneen Carpenter; this track was also recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘A Way To Survive‘ (Step One Records, 1997).
In 2009, Darrell McCall saw the release of ‘Keeping With Tradition’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2009); one of the included tracks was ‘Speak Well of Me’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010), and which was also recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘Sometimes I Get Lucky‘ (MCA Records, 1983).