On Friday 27 July 2024, Gene Watson recalled his deep admiration for Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984), a fellow country music artist, and a legendary figure within the genre of country music.
‘This really is some good news.
When everything else is being torn down around Nashville, I’m thankful they’re keeping this iconic spot.
I’ll never forget when I was about 21, getting to meet one of the biggest stars at that time, Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984) himself, at his record shop for the ‘Midnight Jamboree’.
To say I was starstruck would be an understatement.
He was extremely nice to me, but I could barely speak, I was that in awe of being in his presence.
Many years later, getting to record with him, was a highlight of my life’
Source
Gene Watson on Facebook
In 1979, Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984) saw the release of ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979), the initial release of which was issued on LP as ‘The Legend & The Legacy, Volume 1’.
Ernest Tubb’s ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979) was released on First Generation Records, but due to legal issues, was withdrawn and released on Cachet Records, a record label based in Canada.
In 1977 and 1978, producer and pedal steel guitarist, Pete Drake (Saturday 8 October 1932 – Friday 29 July 1988) brought Ernest Tubb, and his then current line-up of The Texas Troubadours, into his recording studio, Pete’s Place in Nashville, to record basic tracks.
Unknown to Ernest Tubb, Pete Drake later secretly brought in other famous country music singers and musicians to overdub vocals and instruments to the already recorded tracks.
Special guests on Ernest Tubb’s ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979) included the following artists:
• Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 – Saturday 30 June 2001)
• Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 – Friday 12 September 2003)
• Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016)
• Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022)
• Willie Nelson
• Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003)
• Ferlin Husky (Thursday 3 December 1925 – Thursday 17 March 2011)
• Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 – Wednesday 13 February 2002)
• George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013)
• Marty Robbins (Saturday 26 September 1925 – Wednesday 8 December 1982)
• Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993)
• Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995)
Pete Drake (Saturday 8 October 1932 – Friday 29 July 1988) intended to release two editions of Ernest Tubb’s ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979), hence the ‘Volume 1’ title but, as a result of poor distribution and sales, the album quickly went out of print.
Subsequent re-issues of Ernest Tubb’s ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979) on CD included additional tracks.
In 1989, Ernest Tubb’s ‘The Legend & The Legacy’ (First Generation Records, 1979) was re-issued, by Step One Records, as ‘The Ernest Tubb Collection’ (Step One Records, 1987); two of the included tracks, ‘Sad Songs & Waltzes’ (written by Willie Nelson) and ‘Yesterday’s Winner Is A Loser Today’, which was written by Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984), featured guest vocals from Gene Watson.
Ernest Tubb (Monday 9 February 1914 – Thursday 6 September 1984) recorded ‘Yesterday’s Winner Is A Loser Today’ (written by Ernest Tubb) and included the track on ‘Another Story’ (Decca Records, 1967).