On Friday 8 January 2021, Gene Watson mourned the passing, on the morning of Friday 8 January 2021, of fellow country music artist, Ed Bruce.

'So very sorry to hear the great Ed Bruce has passed'

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Gene Watson on Facebook



Ed Bruce was a native of Keiser, Arkansas where he was born William Edwin 'Ed' Bruce Jr. on Friday 29 December 1939, and was brought up in Memphis, Tennessee.



Ed Bruce was a prolific songwriter and had his songs recorded by an impressive array of artists, including the following:

Tommy Roe
Dave Dudley (Thursday 3 May 1928 - Monday 22 December 2003)
Charlie Louvin (Thursday 7 July 1927 - Wednesday 26 January 2011)
Jeannie Seely
Jeannie C. Riley
Billie Jo Spears (Friday 14 January 1938 - Wednesday 14 December 2011)
Tanya Tucker
Crystal Gayle
Chris LeDoux (Saturday 2 October 1948 - Wednesday 9 March 2005)
Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 - Friday 20 March 2020)
Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002) & Willie Nelson
Michael Martin Murphey
Wendel Adkins
Nat Stuckey (Sunday 17 December 1933 - Wednesday 24 August 1988)
Jerry Max Lane
Red Jenkins
Jan Howard (Friday 13 March 1929 - Saturday 28 March 2020)
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998)
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 - Friday 26 April 2013) & Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998)
Don Cox



Ed Bruce also had the honour of achieving a number of hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart, including the following:

'Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys' (written by Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce) (No.15, 1975)

'Littlest Cowboy Rides Again' (written by Glenn Ray) (No.32, 1976)

'For Love's Own Sake' (No.36, 1976)

'Texas (When I Die)' (written by Ed Bruce, Bobby Borchers and Patsy Bruce) (No.52, 1977)

'Star-Studded Nights' (written by Sonny Throckmorton) (No.54, 1977)

'The Man That Turned My Mama On' (written by Ed Bruce) (No.70, 1978)

'Angeline (Would You Like To Dance Again)' (written by Ronnie Rogers) (No.60, 1978)

'Diane' (written by Ronnie Rogers) (No.21, 1980)

'The Last Cowboy Song' (written by Ed Bruce and Ron Peterson) (No.12, 1980) / this track featured guest vocals from Willie Nelson

'Girls, Women & Ladies' (written by Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce and Ron Peterson) (No.14, 1980)

'Evil Angel', which was written by Jesse Winchester (Wednesday 17 May 1944 - Friday 11 April 2014) (No.24, 1981)

'When You Fall In Love (Everything's A Waltz)' (written by Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce and Ron Peterson) (No.14, 1981)

'You're The Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had' (written by Wayland Holyfield and Randy Hatch) (No.1 for one week in March 1982)

'Love's Found You & Me' (written by Ed Bruce and Ronnie Rogers) (No.13, 1982)

'Ever Never Lovin' You' (written by Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce and Glenn Ray) (No.4, 1982)

'My First Taste of Texas' (written by Ed Bruce and Ronnie Rogers) (No.6, 1982)

'You're Not Leaving Here Tonight' (written by Tommy Rocco, Charlie Black and Kerry Chater) (No.21, 1983)

'If It Was Easy' (written by Larry Kingston and Harlan Sanders) (No.19, 1983)

'After All' (written by Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce) (No.4, 1983)

'Tell 'Em I've Gone Crazy' (written by Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce and Ron Peterson) (No.45, 1984)

'You Turn Me On (Like A Radio)' (written by Bob McDill and Jim Weatherly) (No.3, 1984)

'If It Ain't Love' (written by Mark Nesler) (No.20, 1985)

'When Givin' Up Was Easy', which was written by Keith Palmer (Sunday 23 June 1957 - Thursday 13 June 1996) (No.17, 1985)

'Nights' (written by Byron Hill and Tony Hiller) (No.4, 1986)

'Fools For Each Other', which was written by Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 - Tuesday 17 May 2016) (No.49, 1986) / this track featured guest vocals from Lynn Anderson (Friday 26 September 1947 - Thursday 30 July 2015)

'Quietly Crazy', which was written by Steve Cropper and Mentor Williams (Tuesday 11 June 1946 - Wednesday 16 November 2016) (No.36, 1986)



Gene Watson's Peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and rightly so!

On Sunday 10 December 2006, Ed Bruce graciously submitted a 'Peer's Quote' about Gene Watson.



On Friday 8 January 2021, Ed Bruce passed away in Clarksville, Tennessee, of natural causes at the age of eighty-one.



Ed Bruce
(Friday 29 December 1939 - Friday 8 January 2021)