Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s and has been a country music album recording artist since the late 1960s.

Gene Watson's contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable.

It is here where you have an opportunity to read a review of Gene Watson's 'Honky Tonk Crazy' (Epic Records, 1987), as published in the June 1987 issue of Country Music People.

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Covering the latest country music news, the hot new releases, as well as older classics and favourites, Country Music People is the specialist expert on country music - past, present and future.

Country Music People have long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.

CMP has rigorously championed Gene Watson's cause down through the years and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.

All reviews have been reproduced with the kind permission of Country Music People.

'Honky Tonk Crazy' (Epic Records, 1987)
Country Music People, June 1987


This review of 'Honky Tonk Crazy' (Epic Records, 1987) by Bob Powell was published in the June 1987 issue of Country Music People, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the publishers.

Album Review by Bob Powell
(***** out of 5)
'I hope that there is a big hit on this album as Gene's three singles of 1986 only managed a high of No.29, and that is simply not good enough for a major label.

He's pinning his hopes on the title track, 'Honky Tonk Crazy', a new song that Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002) wrote with Ron Peterson.  That to me is one of the highlights of a very good album, as is the final song that Harlan also wrote, but some three decades or so earlier, 'You Took Her Off My Hands' on which Harlan had as the co-writer, the legendary and late Skeets McDonald (Friday 1 October 1915 - Sunday 31 March 1968).

Pretty much the same high quality fare from Gene this, with another highlight being a really beautiful 'broken heart' song 'I Didn't Think of You At All'.

Although Texas based, Gene records in Nashville, and here is joined by the likes of newer pickers, such as Mark O'Connor (fiddle) and Terry McMillan (Monday 12 October 1953 - Friday 2 February 2007) (harmonica), as well as the old pros Weldon Myrick (Monday 10 April 1939 - Monday 2 June 2014) (steel), Kenny Malone (Thursday 4 August 1938 - Thursday 26 August 2021) (drums), Jerry Kennedy (guitar), Henry Strzelecki (Tuesday 8 August 1939 - Monday 29 December 2014) (bass) and Hargus 'Pig' Robbins (Tuesday 18 January 1938 - Sunday 30 January 2022) (piano).

Billy Sherrill (Thursday 5 November 1936 - Tuesday 4 August 2015) did the neat production job, and let's hope that there is a whopper in here, so Gene can release many more fine albums such as this'.

Bob Powell
Country Music People
June 1987