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 2014, 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 Sammy Sadler, which he submitted to this site on Thursday 11 September 2014.

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



Sammy Sadler
This quote was submitted on Thursday 11 September 2014.

'Gene Watson is one of the greatest country music singers of our time, he is truly a singers' singer'.

Thank you, Sammy Sadler, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Sammy Sadler...

Sammy Sadler was born on Wednesday 23 August 1967 in Memphis, Tennessee and was raised in Bonham, Texas; at the time of the acquisition of this Gene Watson 'Peer's Quote', in September 2014, was living in Texas.

In 1988, Sammy Sadler signed to Evergreen Records and reached the country charts in January 1989 with a cover of Aaron Neville's 'Tell It Like It Is'. The track 'You Made It Easy' also charted.

However, before his third chart entry, 'Once In A Lifetime Thing' in January 1990, Sammy Sadler was wounded in a bizarre incident, on the evening of Thursday 9 March 1989 on Nashville’s famed Music Row,when he and a friend, Cash Box Magazine chart director Kevin Hughes, were approached by a masked man who shot them both, killing Kevin Hughes.

The man opened fire, fatally wounding Kevin Hughes and leaving Sammy Sadler for dead. 'I lost my friend, my career was over. One day I was on the Billboard, Cashbox and Indie World Charts. It was all ahead of me and in a minute it was gone. The attack changed my life forever', said Sammy of the infamous night on Nashville's Music Row.

It would take more than a decade before the details were learned of an elaborate chart-fixing scheme at the now defunct magazine, and before the masked gunman, Richard D’Antonio, was identified, tried, convicted and sentenced for the crime, which has famously become known as 'Murder on Music Row'. Kevin Hughes had been the target, and Sammy Sadler happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

On Wednesday 17 September 2014, it was reported that Richard D'Antonio, who was serving a life sentence, had died in prison on Wednesday 10 September 2014; officials with the Tennessee Department of Correction stated that D’Antonio had died of natural causes at Lois DeBerry Special Needs Facility.

Sammy Sadler, who was ever the optimist, picked up the pieces and continued where he left off. Nevertheless, it took him well over a decade to begin re-establishing his career.

On Tuesday 9 March 2004, Sammy Sadler saw the release of 'Hard On A Heart' (Tri Records, 2004), which included the following tracks:

'I Know A Place' (written by Tommy Lee James and Harry Stinson)
'Any Four Walls' (written by John Wesley Ryles)
'Freedom Feels Like Loneliness Today'
'That Ole Gravel Road Was Easy Street' (written by Billy Lawson and Roger Murrah)
'Nobody Knows' (written by Jeff Raymond)
'Hard On A Heart'
'Wild Thing In Me' (written by Jamie Robinson)
'No Place To Land'
'Sweet Distraction' (written by Billy Kirsch and Tom Nichols)
'It's Killing Me To Watch Love Die'

Sammy Sadler signed to E1 Music, which was formerly known as Koch Records, and saw the release of 'Heart Shaped Like Texas' (S Records, 2012), which was his first nationally released album in the United States since the shooting; the album was released on Saturday 29 September 2012.

'Heart Shaped Like Texas' (S Records, 2012), which was produced by Jerry Cupit (), included the following tracks:

'I Wanna Be Loved By You' (written by Bernie Nelson and Shane Teeters)
'I'll Always Have Denver' (written by Bill Anderson and Steve Wariner) / this track featured guest vocals fromSteve Wariner
'Heart Shaped Like Texas' (written by Ted Hewitt and Jerry Kilgore)
'I Know A Place' (written by Tommy Lee James and Harry Stinson)
'John 3:16' (written by Doug Deforest)
'Tryin' To Get The Girl' (written by Keith Follesé, Wade Kirby and Kim Tribble)
'Thinking About Mexico' (written by Bart Butler and Tony Ramey)
'No Place To Land' (written by Tom Paden)
'If This Ain't Heaven' (written by Kevin Fisher and Jeff Silbar)
'That Ole Gravel Road' (written by Billy Lawson and Roger Murrah)
'Thank God', which was written by Jimmy Carr, Jerry Cupit (who passed away on Thursday 11 September 2014) and Sammy Sadler

Connect with Sammy Sadler at sammysadler.com