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!
All of Gene Watson's Peers, who were contacted by The Gene Watson Fan Site, during 2006, were most gracious with their time and words.
It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Barbara Fairchild, which she submitted to this site on Friday 13 January 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Barbara Fairchild who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Barbara Fairchild
This quote was submitted on Friday 13 January 2006.
'Gene is a good friend and one of the best country singers to ever sing a note.
When we did the special with our friend, Ralph Emery (Friday 10 March 1933 - Saturday 15 January 2022), it was a blessing to sing harmony with Gene in the sing-a-longs we did'
Thank you, Barbara Fairchild, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Barbara Fairchild...
Barbara Fairchild was born in Knobel, Arkansas on Sunday 12 November 1950 and started her career at a very young age singing country music.
Barbara Fairchild cut her very first single when she was fifteen years old.
In 1963, Barbara Fairchild moved to St. Louis, Missouri and by 1965 was a regular on a local television show. Barbara Fairchild also recorded for a local record label, Norman Records; one of her singles, 'A Brand New Bed of Roses', was released but was only a regional hit.
In 1967, after her high school graduation, Barbara Fairchild decided to follow her dream and moved to Nashville.
Barbara Fairchild met producer Jerry Crutchfield and briefly signed with Kapp Records when she was seventeen years old.
In 1969, Barbara Fairchild signed with Columbia Records and enjoyed her greatest success four years later.
Liz Anderson (Monday 13 January 1930 - Monday 31 October 2011) recorded Barbara Fairchild's 'This Stranger (My Little Girl)' (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on 'Country Style' (RCA Records, 1969).
Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 - Tuesday 4 October 2022) recorded Barbara Fairchild's 'This Stranger (My Little Girl)' (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on 'Wings Upon Your Horns' (Decca Records, 1970).
In September 1970, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of her debut album, 'Someone Special' (Columbia Records, 1970), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Love Is A Gentle Thing' (written by Rafe Van Hoy and Barbara Fairchild) (No.69, 1969)
'Woman's Hand' (No.66, 1969)
'Girl Who'll Satisfy Her Man' (No.26, 1969)
Barbara Fairchild's debut album, 'Someone Special' (Columbia Records, 1970), also included the following tracks:
'(When You Close Your Eyes) I'll Make You See'
'Kiss Away'
'Fancy Satin Pillows'
'Find Out What's Happening'
'My Love'
'You Can't Stop My Heart From Breaking'
'Have A Little Faith'
'Chains of Love (Around My Neck)'
In November 1971, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Love's Old Song' (Columbia Records, 1971), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'(Loving You Is) Sunshine' (No.33, 1970)
'Love's Old Song' (No.28, 1971)
'Color My World' (written by James Carter 'Jimmy' Pankow) (No.38, 1971)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Love's Old Song' (Columbia Records, 1971) also included the following tracks:
'Back Then'
'Tell Me Again'
'My Chance For Happiness'
'Another Lonely Night'
'Tiny Drops of Water'
'Let Me Be Your Queen'
'Whatever Happened To Happiness'
In November 1972, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'A Sweeter Love' (Columbia Records, 1972), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Thanks For The Mem'ries' (No.29, 1972)
'A Sweeter Love (I'll Never Know)' (No.53, 1972)
'Teddy Bear Song' (written by Don Earl and Nick Nixon) (No.1 for two weeks in March 1973) / the track, which also reached No.32 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in June 1973, featured The Jordanaires on backing vocals
Jim Clemens, a disc jockey at WPLO in Atlanta, Georgia began playing 'Teddy Bear Song' off the album and, upon reporting its local success to producer Jerry Crutchfield, it was decided that the track would be released as a single, which it was in December 1972.
'Teddy Bear Song' became Barbara Fairchild's first and only No.1 hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart (No.1 for two weeks in March 1973) and brought Barbara a nomination for the Academy of Country Music's 'Top Female Vocalist of The Year' Award.
Barbara Fairchild's 'A Sweeter Love' (Columbia Records, 1972) also included the following tracks:
'After Tonight'
'Smile'
'You Make Me Feel Like Singing A Song'
'Make No Mistakes'
'That's Loving You'
'Old Fashioned Ever Lasting Foot Stomping Love'
'One of Those Songs'
'Vincent'
In October 1973, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Kid Stuff' (Columbia Records, 1973), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Kid Stuff' (written by Jerry Crutchfield and Don Earl) (No.2, 1973)
'Baby Doll' (No.6, 1974)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Kid Stuff' (Columbia Records, 1973) also included the following tracks:
'Painting Pretty Pictures'
'Color Them With Love'
'Try Me'
'Satin Sheets'
'And I Love You So'
'Behind Closed Doors'
'Sometime'
'You Hear Me Boy'
'You Always Come Back To Hurting Me'
In June 1974, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Love Is A Gentle Thing' (Columbia Records, 1974), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Girl Who'll Satisfy Her Man' (No.26, 1974)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Love Is A Gentle Thing' (Columbia Records, 1974) also included the following tracks:
'Color Them With Love'
'(When You Close Your Eyes) I'll Make You See'
'Find Out What's Happening'
'Love Is A Gentle Thing'
'Tell Me Again'
'What Do You Do'
'Have A Little Faith'
'You Can't Stop My Heart From Breaking'
In September 1974, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Standing In Your Line' (Columbia Records, 1974), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Standing In Your Line' (No.17, 1974)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Standing In Your Line' (Columbia Records, 1974) also included the following tracks:
'His Green Eyes'
'Love For A While'
'Kansas City'
'Lonely Old Man'
'I Know'
'You're The One I'm Living For'
'I'm Not Weak, I'm A Woman'
'I Really Don't Want To Know'
'Somewhere To Come When It Rains'
'This Stranger (My Little Girl)'
Dottie West (Tuesday 11 October 1932 - Wednesday 4 September 1991) recorded Barbara Fairchild's 'This Stranger, My Little Girl' (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on 'Carolina Cousins' (RCA Records, 1975).
In September 1975, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Barbara Fairchild' (Columbia Records, 1975), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Little Girl Feeling' (No.31, 1974)
'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (written by Phil Spector, Barry Mann and Cynthia Well) (No.41, 1975)
'Let's Love While We Can' (No.52, 1975)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Barbara Fairchild' (Columbia Records, 1975) also included the following tracks:
'Over The Rainbow'
'You're There Between Us'
'Too Far Gone'
'I Just Love Being A Woman'
'Tara'
'When He's Got Me (Where He Wants Me)'
'Singing Your Way Out of My Life'
'Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad'
In September 1976, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1976), which included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Mississippi' (No.31, 1976)
'Under Your Spell Again' (No.65, 1976)
'Let Me Love You Once Before You Go' (No.22, 1976)
'Cheatin' Is' (No.15, 1976)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1976) also included the following tracks:
'You Are Always There'
'Touch My Heart'
'The Music of Love', which was written by Harlan Sanders (Tuesday 18 April 1939 - Friday 29 August 2003)
'Did It Rain'
'What You Left My Memory'
'Let Jesse Rob This Train'
In September 1977, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Free & Easy' (Columbia Records, 1977), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'For All The Right Reasons' (No.49, 1977)
'The Other Side of The Morning' (written by Pam Tillis) (No.72, 1978)
Barbara Fairchild's 'Free & Easy' (Columbia Records, 1977) also included the following tracks:
'She Can't Give It Away'
'Sing The Blues Bluebirds'
'When The Morning Comes', which was written by Patricia Karen Bunch (Thursday 22 June 1939 - Monday 30 January 2023)
'Someone Loves Him'
'Love Me Like You Never Will Again'
'This Haunted House'
'Good Side of Tomorrow'
'Painted Faces'
In March 1978, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'Greatest Hits' (Columbia Records, 1978), which included the following tracks:
'Teddy Bear Song' (written by Don Earl and Nick Nixon) (No.1 for two weeks in March 1973) / the track, which also reached No.32 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in June 1973, featured The Jordanaires on backing vocals
'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (written by Phil Spector, Barry Mann and Cynthia Well) (No.41, 1975)
'Cheatin' Is' (No.15, 1976)
'Kid Stuff' (written by Jerry Crutchfield and Don Earl) (No.2, 1973)
'Love Is A Gentle Thing' (No.69, 1969)
'Mississippi' (No.31, 1976)
'Let Me Love You Once Before You Go' (No.22, 1976)
'Standing In Your Line' (No.17, 1974)
'Let's Love While We Can' (No.52, 1975)
'Too Far Gone'
In November 1978, Barbara Fairfield saw the release of 'This Is Me' (Columbia Records, 1978), which included the following tracks:
'This Is Me'
'Good Time Days'
'It's Just A Matter of Time'
'It's Sad To Go To The Funeral'
'Life's Queen'
'You'
'Midnight Man'
'Our Love's Dead'
'Be A Friend of Mine'
'People of The World'
In October 1980, Barbara Fairchild & Billy Walker (Monday 14 January 1929 - Sunday 21 May 2006) saw the release of 'Bye Bye Love' (Paid Records, 1980), which was produced by Billy Walker, and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
'Let Me Be The One' (No.74, 1980)
'Bye Bye Love', which was written by Felice Bryant (Friday 7 August 1925 - Tuesday 22 April 2003) and Boudleaux Bryant (Friday 13 February 1920 - Thursday 25 June 1987) (No.70, 1980)
'Love's Slipping Through Our Fingers (Leaving Time On Our Hands)' (No.79, 1980)
Barbara Fairchild & Billy Walker's 'Bye Bye Love' (Paid Records, 1980) also included the following tracks:
'If We Take Our Time'
'Somewhere Between Leaving & Gone'
'Answer Game'
'You've Still Got It Baby'
'Deep Purple'
'Broken Trust'
'Over My Head In Love With You'
One of the musicians who played on Barbara Fairchild & Billy Walker's 'Bye Bye Love' (Paid Records, 1980) was Michael Douchette (Saturday 7 May 1955 - Friday 4 December 2020).
In 1980, Barbara Fairchild moved to Texas.
In 1982, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'The Biggest Hurt' (Audiograph Records, 1982), which included the following tracks:
'Biggest Hurt'
'Color My World'
'There Ain't No Way'
'Teddy Bear Song'
'Every Flower Has To Have A Seed'
'So Close'
'Kid Stuff'
'You Can't Put The City'
'Baby Doll'
'Cheatin' Is'
In 1986, Barbara Fairchild signed with Capitol Records in an attempt at a comeback, but the single which was released, 'Just Out Ridin' Around', which was produced by Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 - Friday 8 September 2017) and Allen Reynolds, only reached No.84 on the Billboard country music singles chart and would represent Barbara Fairchild's last single to chart.
From 1991, Barbara Fairchild was recognised in the Southern Gospel music field with songs such as 'Could You Walk A Mile', 'Turn Right & Go Straight', 'Apples of Gold' and 'Uncommon Love'.
Barbara Fairchild was also a member of the gospel group, 'Heirloom', along with Candy Hemphill Christmas, Sherri Easter and Tonya Goodman Sykes.
Since 1992, Barbara Fairchild has been an important member of the Branson community when she moved there to perform in the Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) Show.
In 1993, Barbara Fairchild started producing and performing in her own show. Barbara Fairchild and her husband Roy Morris tour throughout the year performing at churches, concerts and other venues throughout the United States.
For several years, Barbara Fairchild was a spokesperson for 'Feed The Children', a sponsor for The Foster Grandparents Organisation and was also a member of 'Concerned Women of America'.
During her first year in Branson, Barbara Fairchild started doing a Sunday Worship Service which she continued for nine years.
The special 'Tribute to Veterans' service held during the Veterans' Homecoming Week in November always had the largest attendance of the year. Barbara Fairchild, affectionately known as 'The Veteran's Sweetheart', and her husband Roy Morris share the stage together as they work tirelessly for veterans causes.
In 1993, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of 'The Son In My Eyes' (Benson Records, 1993), which included the following tracks:
'Home Away From Home'
'Don't It Feel Good'
'Never Will'
'Son In My Eyes'
'Devil On The Run'
'From Down On My Knees'
'Family Ties'
'I Was There'
'Cross Road'
'Love Everybody In The World'
In 2003, Barbara Fairchild realised a long-time dream to record a gospel album with her best friends in country music, Connie Smith and Sharon White.
Barbara Fairchild, Connie Smith and Sharon White's 'Love Never Fails' (Daywind Records, 2003), which was produced by Ricky Skaggs and Dorothy Leonard Miller, included the following tracks:
'Secret Place' (written by Ann Downing and Jeff Silvey)
'Where Angels Fear To Tread' (written by Ron Hendrix, Bobby Price and Jerry Salley)
'Closer To Home' (written by Dave Clark, Wayne Haun and Tony Wood)
'Fight On' (written by Cindi Ballard and Gina Vera)
'Ever Near' (written by Mary Funderburk and Dee Gaskin)
'Reach For The Stars' (written by Jerry Salley and Jeff Silvey)
'Trouble Me No More' (written by Mary Funderburk and Daryl Williams)
'In Gethsemane' (written by Sue Smith and Gina Vera)
'He's Alive' (written by Ann Ballard)
'Love Never Fails' (written by Dave Clark, Wayne Haun and Jerry Salley)
'Walkin' Through The Fire' (written by Marty Stuart and Jerry Sullivan)
Personnel involved in the recording of Barbara Fairchild, Connie Smith & Sharon White's 'Love Never Fails' (Daywind Records, 2003) included the following:
Jim 'Moose' Brown (piano)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Juraj Durovic (orchestra director)
Mark Fain (bass, session leader)
Barbara Fairchild (lead vocals, harmony vocals)
Paul Franklin (pedal steel guitar, string guitar)
Wayne Haun (conductor)
David Huntsinger (keyboards, piano, hammond organ)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Ricky Skaggs (electric guitar)
Connie Smith (lead vocals, harmony vocals)
Marty Stuart (mandolin)
Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, banjo)
Sharon White (lead vocals, harmony vocals)
In January 2006, Barbara Fairchild saw the release of her album of Hymns with Daywind Music, 'He Kept On Loving Me' (Daywind Music, 2006).
On Saturday 14 November 2009. Barbara Fairchild was inducted into The Christian Music Hall of Fame.
In 2011, Joe Paul Nichols saw the release of 'Friends In High Places' (Heart of Texas Records, 2011); one of the included tracks was 'Let's Fall In Love Again', which was written by Donnie Clark and Vickey Clark, and was a duet with Barbara Fairchild.
• Visit Barbara Fairchild's official site at barbarafairchild.com
