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 Jenny Yates, which she submitted to this site on Sunday 6 August 2006.

Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Jenny Yates who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.





Jenny Yates
This quote was submitted on Sunday 6 August 2006.

'Sean, what a wonderful thing you've done to honour Gene Watson.

What a testament to how much his music has touched people.

Gene is really something!

I've never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I am a fan of his voice and his work'

Thank you, Jenny Yates, for your support of Gene Watson.



About Jenny Yates...



Jenny Yates has performed in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona since the age of fourteen.  Jenny Yates has been making music all her life, first as a singer of other people’s songs and then as a writer.

Jenny Yates signed with her first music publisher, the legendary Al Gallico, when she was in her mid-20s.

Al Gallico then secured Jenny Yates a recording contract with Mercury / PolyGram Records, which led to critical acclaim and two Billboard country music charting singles.  However, this critical acclaim did not warrant the release of a complete album of material.

In the ensuing years, without the support of a record label or music publisher, Jenny Yates made repeated trips, driving across country from Los Angelus to Nashville for a month at a time.  Once in Nashville, Jenny Yates began working with many of the best writers in the music business.

Since the early 1990s, Jenny Yates has established herself as a successful songwriter, with songs recorded by a number of artists, including Garth Brooks ('Standing Outside The Fire', 'American Dream', 'The Night Will Only Know', 'Ireland', 'When You Come Back To Me Again', 'The Red Strokes' and 'Thicker Than Blood'), Bradley Walker, Pam Tillis ('Over My Head'), Kathy Mattea, Ronnie Milsap, Sammy Kershaw, Dan Seals (Sunday 8 February 1948 - Wednesday 25 March 2009), Andrea Zonn ('Pages'), Eddie Rabbitt (Thursday 27 November 1941 - Thursday 7 May 1998) and Moe Bandy.



Sammy Kershaw recorded Jenny Yates' 'Harbor For A Lonely Heart' (co-written with Kostas) and included the track on 'Don't Go Near The Water' (Mercury Records, 1991).



Dan Seals (Sunday 8 February 1948 - Wednesday 25 March 2009) recorded Jenny Yates' 'A Good Rain' and included the track on 'Walking The Wire' (Warner Bros. Records, 1992).



Ronnie Milsap recorded Jenny Yates' 'Desire' (co-written with Walt Aldridge) and included the track on 'True Believer' (Liberty Records, 1993).



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'Standing Outside The Fire' (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'In Pieces' (Liberty Records, 1993); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 1994.



Kathy Mattea recorded Jenny Yates' 'Streets of Your Town', which was co-written with Andrew Gold (Thursday 2 August 1951 - Friday 3 June 2011), and included the track on 'Walking Away A Winner' (Mercury Records, 1994).



Moe Bandy recorded Jenny Yates' 'When A Heart Will Fall' and included the track on 'Picture In A Frame' (Intersound Records, 1995).



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'Ireland' (co-written with Stephanie Davis and Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Fresh Horses' (Capitol Nashville Records, 1995).



Eddie Rabbitt (Thursday 27 November 1941 - Thursday 7 May 1998) recorded Jenny Yates' 'Great Old American Town' (co-written with Eddie Rabbitt) and included the track on 'Beatin' The Odds' (Intersound Records, 1997).



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'Thicker Than Blood' (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Scarecrow' (Capitol Nashville Records, 2001); the track reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 2002.



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'When You Come Back To Me Again' (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Scarecrow' (Capitol Nashville Records, 2001); the track was also featured on the soundtrack for 'Frequency'.

Garth Brooks' recording of Jenny Yates' 'When You Come Back To Me Again' (co-written with Garth Brooks) was also featured on the soundtrack for 'Frequency', a 2000 American science fiction thriller film, which was co-produced and directed by Gregory Hoblit and written and co-produced by Toby Emmerich; the film starred Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel as father and son, Frank and John Sullivan respectively.



Andrea Zonn recorded Jenny Yates' 'Pages' and included the track on 'Love Goes On' (Compass Records, 2003).

 

Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'American Dream' (co-written with Garth Brooks, with a prelude by Dennis Burnside) and included the track on 'Limited Series' (Box Set) (Pearl Records, 2005) and 'The Lost Sessions' (Pearl Records, 2006).



Bradley Walker recorded Jenny Yates' 'Love's Tombstone' (co-written with Carl Jackson) and included the track on 'Highway of Dreams' (Rounder Records, 2006).



Pam Tillis recorded Jenny Yates' 'Over My Head', which was co-written with Andrew Gold (Thursday 2 August 1951 - Friday 3 June 2011), and included the track on 'Rhinestoned' (Stellar Cat Records, 2007).

  

Between 1993 and 1997, during his time with Step One Records, Gene Watson recorded Jenny Yates' 'Love's Tombstone' (co-written with Carl Jackson); the track was intended to be included on 'Uncharted Mind' (Step One Records, 1993), 'The Good Ole Days' (Step One Records, 1996) or 'A Way to Survive' (Step One Records, 1997).  However, the track was not included on any of these Gene Watson albums.



Jenny Yates' 'Love's Tombstone' (co-written with Carl Jackson) was subsequently included on 'Gene Watson: 22 Country Greats' (Gusto Records / Tee Vee Records, 2009).



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'Man Against Machine' (co-written with Larry Bastian and Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Man Against Machine' (Pearl Records, 2014).



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' '8-teen' (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Gunslinger' (Pearl Records, 2016).



Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood recorded Jenny Yates' 'Merry Christmas Means I Love You' (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Christmas Together' (Pearl Records / Gwendolyn Records, 2016).



Garth Brooks recorded Jenny Yates' 'Message In A Bottle' (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on 'Fun' (Pearl Records, 2020).

• Visit Jenny Yates' official site at jennyyates.com