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 during 2011, 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 Elizabeth Cook, which she submitted to this site on Friday 11 February 2011.

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





Elizabeth Cook
This quote was submitted on Friday 11 February 2011.



'I'm crazy about his voice...the way he sings the word 'jewl-ree' in the first verse of 'Fourteen Carat Mind'.



And I want to console this man when he belts out 'Farewell Party' and scold the foolish, heartless woman that is casting him aside.

A unique gift it is to be able to take a woman and put her sentiment on the man's side of a love affair gone wrong.

To me, Gene's compelling voice is in the crown jewels of country music, right alongside Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 - Saturday 19 July 1975) and Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016)'

Thank you, Elizabeth Cook, for your support of Gene Watson.



About Elizabeth Cook...



Elizabeth Cook was born on Monday 17 July 1972 in Wildwood, Florida and made her debut on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry on Friday 17 March 2000.

Elizabeth Cook was the youngest of eleven children; her mother Joyce played mandolin and guitar and performed on radio and local television in her younger years.

Elizabeth Cook's father, Thomas, also played string instruments and honed his skills playing upright bass in the prison band while serving time for running moonshine.



While also serving time at Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for the crime, Elizabeth Cook's father learned the welding trade to which Elizabeth Cook paid tribute in the title of her 2010 album; 'Welder' (31 Tigers Records, 2010), which was released on Tuesday 11 May 2010.

After her father was released, he and Joyce began playing in local country music bands together.  Elizabeth Cook was on stage with them at the age of four, singing such inappropriate songs as 'I'm Having Daydreams about Night Things'.

When she was nine years old, Elizabeth Cook had her own band.

In 1996, Elizabeth Cook graduated from Georgia Southern University with dual degrees in Accounting and Computer Information Systems.

On Monday 20 November 2000, Elizabeth Cook saw the independent release of 'The Blue Album'.



Elizabeth Cook made her major record label debut in 2002 with the release, on Tuesday 27 August 2002, of 'Hey Y'All' (Warner Bros. Records, 2002), which included the following tracks:

'Stupid Things' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Rainbows At Midnight' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Mama, You Wanted To Be A Singer Too' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Dolly' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'I'm Not Lisa' (written by Jessi Colter)
'Everyday Sunshine' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'You Move Too Fast' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Demon' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Blue Shades' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Don't Bother Me' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'God's Got A Plan' (written by Tim Carroll and Elizabeth Cook)
'Ocala' (written by Elizabeth Cook)



However, following a corporate re-structuring which left the album virtually abandoned and stagnant on sales, Elizabeth Cook fought back with her 2005 independent release 'This Side of The Moon' (Hog Country Records, 2005), which was released on Tuesday 17 May 2005; the album received positive reviews from The New York Times and No Depression, and included the following tracks:

'Cupid', which was written by Elizabeth Cook and Randy Lynn Scruggs (Monday 3 August 1953 - Tuesday 17 April 2018)
'Funny Side of Love' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Before I Go That Far' (written by Elizabeth Cook, Jerry Salley and Jim McBride)
'Here's To You' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'This Side of The Moon' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Kiss Me Again' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Ruthless' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Alone Down Here' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Stephony Smith)
'Hard-Hearted' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Heather, Are You With Me Tonight' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'All We Need Is Love' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Where The Blue Begins' (written by Tim Carroll)
'Somebody's Gotta Do It' (written by Elizabeth Cook)



On Tuesday 1 May 2007, Elizabeth Cook saw the release of 'Balls' (Emergent Records, 2007), which was produced by Rodney Crowell and was her most successful album.

Thanks to glowing press reviews, Elizabeth Cook also achieved significant video play for the song 'Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Melinda Schneider).

Elizabeth Cook's 'Balls' (Emergent Records, 2007) included the following tracks:

'Times Are Tough In Rock 'N' Roll' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Don't Go Borrowing Trouble' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Womana' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Melinda Schneider)
'Rest Your Weary Mind' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Melinda Schneider) / this track featured guest vocals from Bobby Bare Jr.
'He Got No Heart' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Mama's Prayers' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Sunday Morning' (written by John Cale and Lou Reed)
'What Do I Do' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Down Girl' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Gonna Be' (written by Tim Carroll and Elizabeth Cook)
'Always Tomorrow' (written by Tim Carroll)



On Tuesday 9 June 2009, Nanci Caroline Griffith (Monday 6 July 1953 - Friday 13 August 2021) saw the release of 'The Loving Kind' (Rounder Records, 2009); one of the included tracks was 'Not Innocent Enough', which was written by Nanci Caroline Griffith, and featured guest vocals from Elizabeth Cook, Todd Snider and John Prine (Thursday 10 October 1946 - Tuesday 7 April 2020).



On Tuesday 11 May 2010, Elizabeth Cook saw the release of 'Welder' (31 Tigers Records, 2010), which featured appearances by an all-star roster of guests, including Dwight Yoakam, Rodney Crowell and Buddy Miller.

Elizabeth Cook's 'Welder' (31 Tigers Records, 2010) included the following tracks:

'All The Time' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'El Camino' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Not California' (written by Gary Maurer and Dan Messe)
'Heroin Addict Sister' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Yes To Booty' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Blackland Farmer' (written by Frankie Miller)
'Girlfriend Tonight' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Rock 'N' Roll Man' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Mama's Funeral' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'I'm Beginning To Forget' (written by Joyce Cook)
'Snake In The Bed' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Follow You Like Smoke' (written by Tim Carroll)
'I'll Never Know' (written by Elizabeth Cook, Jim McBride and Jerry Salley)
'Til Then' (written by Tim Carroll)

Elizabeth Cook maintained a relentless touring schedule, playing shows in America, as well as South Korea, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Poland, France and the United Kingdom, the last of these including memorable appearances at Cambridge Folk Festival, Maverick Festival and The Borderline in London.

Elizabeth Cook has also continued appearing on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville; she has appeared there on over three hundred different occasions.

Elizabeth Cook also toured the United Kingdom in support of her 'Welder' (31 Tigers Records, 2010) album, performing eighteen dates with her husband, Tim Carroll, and her upright bass player Bones Hillman, formerly of Midnight Oil, who had relocated to Nashville.

Elizabeth Cook's 'Welder' (31 Tigers Records, 2010) was listed at No.23 on Rolling Stone's list of the '30 Best Albums of 2010'.



On Friday 17 June 2016, Elizabeth Cook saw the release of 'Exodus of Venus' (Agent Love Records, 2016), which was produced by guitarist Dexter Green, and included the following tracks:

'Exodus of Venus' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)
'Dyin' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)
'Evacuation' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)
'Dharma Gate' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)
'Slow Pain' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)

'Straitjacket Love' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green) / this track featured guest vocals from Patty Loveless

'Broke Down In London On The M25' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)
'Methadone Blues' (written by Elizabeth Cook)
'Cutting Diamonds' (written by Elizabeth Cook, Dexter Green and Todd Snider)
'Orange Blossom Trail' (written by Elizabeth Cook and Dexter Green)
'Tabitha Tuder's Mama' (written by Elizabeth Cook)

Personnel involved in the recording of Elizabeth Cook's 'Exodus of Venus' (Agent Love Records, 2016) included the following:

Willie Weeks (bass)
Matt Chamberlain (drums)
Ralph Lofton (keyboards)
Jesse Aycock (lap steel guitar)

• Visit Elizabeth Cook's official site at elizabeth-cook.com