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 Tim Stafford, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 26 July 2006.

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





Tim Stafford
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 26 July 2006.

'Sure, we'd be glad to provide a quote.

We, The Blue Highway Band, did a gig with Gene and Eddie Lee, his piano player, in Japan a few years back.

I had always admired his singing, which was flawlessly consistent and reminiscent of Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016) and Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 - Saturday 19 July 1975) at their best.

Gene can sell a song better than anybody I know.

But I was actually bowled over by the guy in Japan as a human being.

He's just a super fellow, very funny and personable.

It's great when people you admire end up being nice people!'

Thank you, Tim Stafford, for your support of Gene Watson.



About Tim Stafford...



Tim Stafford, who is from Kingsport, Tennessee began playing guitar seriously at the age of eighteen after starting out on the banjo four years earlier.  Tim Stafford played with various groups in the Tri-Cities area of East Tennessee as a teenager, including Mountain Memories.

In 1980, as a member of Kingsport's Boys In The Band, Tim Stafford was a judge at the National Flat-picking Championship in Winfield, Kansas .  Tim Stafford also helped to found the band Dusty Miller, which was named International Bluegrass Band champions in 1990.

It was also in 1990 when Tim Stafford joined Alison Krauss & Union Station, along with Adam Steffey and Barry Bales.

In 1991, Alison Krauss' Union Station was named IBMA 'Entertainer of The Year'.

In May 1992, Tim Stafford left Union Station in order to spend more time with his son Daniel, who was born in January of that year.



In January 1993, Tim Stafford won a Grammy Award for his work on Alison Krauss & Union Station' 'Every Time You Say Goodbye' (Rounder Records, 1992), which was released on Friday 14 February 1992.

Alison Krauss & Union Station' 'Every Time You Say Goodbye' (Rounder Records, 1992) included the following tracks:

'Every Time You Say Goodbye' (written by John Pennell)
'Another Night' (written by Hobo Jack Adkins)
'Last Love Letter' (written by Sidney Cox)
'Cluck Old Hen' (traditional)
'Who Can Blame You' (written by Ron Block)
'It Won't Work This Time' (written by Aubrey Holt)
'Heartstrings' (written by Marshall Wilborn)
'I Don't Know Why' (written by Shawn Colvin)
'Cloudy Days' (written by Billy Ray Reynolds)
'New Fool' (written by Sidney Cox)
'Shield of Faith' (written by Ron Block)
'Lose Again' (written by Karla Bonoff)
'Another Day, Another Dollar' (written by Dan Tyminski)
'Jesus, Help Me To Stand' (written by Ron Block)

Personnel involved in the recording of Alison Krauss & Union Station' 'Every Time You Say Goodbye' (Rounder Records, 1992) included the following:

Alison Krauss (fiddle, vocals)
Ron Block (banjo, vocals)
Barry Bales (bass, vocals)
Tim Stafford (guitar, vocals)
Adam Steffey (mandolin, vocals)

Alison Krauss & Union Station' 'Every Time You Say Goodbye' (Rounder Records, 1992) reached No.75 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1993 and, at the Grammy Awards of 1993, the album won the Grammy Award for 'Best Bluegrass Album'.



In 1994, Tim Stafford formed The Blue Highway Band.



Blue Highway's first album project, 'It’s A Long, Long Road' (Rebel Records, 1995), spent six months at the top of The Bluegrass Unlimited Chart and went on to win IBMA’s 'Album of The Year' Award in 1996.

In 1996, Blue Highway were also awarded the 'Emerging Artist of The Year' Award, while they were awarded 'Gospel Recording of The Year' in 1997.



Blue Highway's project on Ricky Skaggs' Ceili Music Records, 'Blue Highway' (Ceili Music Records, 1999), spent two months at No.1 on The Bluegrass Now Chart in 1999.



Blue Highway's gospel recording, 'Wondrous Love' (Rounder Records, 2003) was nominated for a Grammy Award in the 'Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album' category, while the album also won a Dove Award in 2004 for 'Best Bluegrass Recording'.

Tim Stafford’s songs have been recorded by Ronnie Bowman, Claire Lynch, Dan Tyminski and Lonesome River Band, in addition to Blue Highway.



Ronnie Bowman recorded Tim Stafford’s 'Midwestern Town' and included the track on 'The Man I'm Trying To Be' (Sugar Hill Records, 1998).



Dan Tyminski recorded Tim Stafford’s 'Think About You Every Day' and included the track on 'Carry Me Across The Mountain' (Doobie Shea Records, 2000).



Claire Lynch recorded Tim Stafford’s 'Savannah' (co-written with Bobby Starnes) and included the track on 'Lovelight' (Rounder Records, 2000).



Mountain Heart recorded Tim Stafford's 'Gambler's Lament' and included the track on 'Mountain Heart' (Doobie Shea Records, 2000).



Mountain Heart recorded Tim Stafford's 'Rambling Heart' and included the track on 'No Other Way' (Skaggs Family Records, 2002).



Mountain Heart recorded Tim Stafford's 'Snapshots & Souvenirs', which was co-written with Steve Gulley (1963 - Tuesday 18 August 2020), and included the track on 'Force of Nature' (Skaggs Family Records, 2004).



Mountain Heart recorded Tim Stafford's 'Town That Isn't There', which was co-written with Steve Gulley (1963 - Tuesday 18 August 2020), and included the track on 'Wide Open' (Skaggs Family Records, 2006).



Mountain Heart recorded Tim Stafford's 'I'm Just Here To Ride The Train', which was co-written with Steve Gulley (1963 - Tuesday 18 August 2020), and included the track on 'Wide Open' (Skaggs Family Records, 2006).



Don Rigsby & Midnight Call recorded Tim Stafford's 'Any Bar In Birmingham', which was co-written with Larry Shell and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 - Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on 'Hillbilly Heartache' (Rebel Records, 2006).



Larry Stephenson recorded Tim Stafford's 'Baby Shoes', which was co-written with Larry Shell and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 - Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on 'Life Stories' (Pinecastle Records, 2006).



Dan Tyminski recorded Tim Stafford’s 'How Long Is This Train' and included the track on 'Wheels' (Rounder Records, 2008).



Jeanette Williams recorded Tim Stafford's 'Break The Chain' (co-written with Larry Shell) and included the track on 'Thank You For Caring' (Blue Circle Records, 2008); Tim Stafford also played guitar on the album.



Jeanette Williams recorded Tim Stafford's 'Either Way I'm Going Home' and included the track on 'Thank You For Caring' (Blue Circle Records, 2008); Tim Stafford also played guitar on the album.



THE ROYS (Lee Roy and Elaine Roy) recorded Tim Stafford's 'Born With A Hammer In My Hand' (co-written with Shawn Lane) and included the track on 'Gypsy Runaway Train' (Rural Rhythm Records, 2013).



Lonesome River Band recorded Tim Stafford’s 'Money In The Bank' (co-written with Dan Tyminski) and included the track on 'Carrying The Tradition' (Rebel Records, 2013); the track featured Dan Tyminski on lead vocals and Alison Krauss on fiddle.



Lonesome River Band, with Russell Moore and Marty Raybon, recorded Tim Stafford's 'I'm Almost Home', which was co-written with Steve Gulley (1963 - Tuesday 18 August 2020), and included the track on 'God Didn't Choose Sides, Volume 1: Civil War True Stories About Real People' (Rural Rhythm Records, 2013); the tracks featured guest vocals from Steve Gulley.

• Visit Tim Stafford's official site at timstaffordguitar.com
• Visit Blue Highway Band's official site at bluehighwayband.com