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 Irene Kelley, which she submitted to this site on Monday 31 July 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Irene Kelley who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Irene Kelley
This quote was submitted on Monday 31 July 2006.
‘I would be glad to provide a quote.
Gene Watson’s voice rang through my AM radio like a bell in my hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania before I decided to be a part of the Nashville music community.
He was such an inspiration to me and his records set a high standard’
Thank you, Irene Kelley, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Irene Kelley…
Irene Kelley, who hails from Latrobe, Pennsylvania cites Dolly Parton as one of her influences. Irene Kelley began to pick guitar when she was nineteen years old and also began to focus on her own song-writing ability.
Irene Kelley sent some of her songs to music publishers in Nashville, one of which which generated a reply from Gordon Payne at CBS Records.
It was Gordon Payne who asked her to come to Nashville to cut some demos; musicians on her first recording session included Marty Stuart, Sonny Curtis and Jody Maphis.
In 1983, after signing with the publishing company, Irene Kelley and her husband moved to Nashville; Irene Kelley promptly scored cuts by Carl Jackson, and Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White.
In 1986, Carl Jackson recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘You Are A Rock & I Am A Rolling Stone’; the track, which was a non-album single, reached No.85 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986.
Ricky Skaggs recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Love Can’t Ever Get Better Than This’ (co-written with Nancy Montgomery) and included the track on ‘Love’s Gonna Get Ya’ (Epic Records, 1986); the track, which featured guest vocals from Sharon White, reached No.10 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1987.
Not long after moving to Nashville, Irene Kelley recorded an album for MCA Records, which yielded two singles: ‘Love Is A Hard Road’ (written by Nancy Montgomery and Marshall Morgan) and her own charting version of ‘You Are A Rock (& I Am A Rolling Stone)’ (written by Irene Kelley).
The full version of the album, however, was never released by MCA Records.
Undaunted, Irene Kelley discovered that, in Nashville, song-writing could be a career. Irene Kelley’s songs soon found a home on recordings by Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022), Trisha Yearwood, Brother Phelps, Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch, The Osborne Brothers – Sonny Osborne (Friday 29 October 1937 – Sunday 24 October 2021) and Bobby Osborne (Monday 7 December 1931 – Tuesday 27 June 2023) – The Whites, Ricky Skaggs and Carl Jackson.
In 1999, Irene Kelley wrote, recorded and co-produced, with Scott Neubert, her own album, ‘Simple Path’, which was initially released on her own label, in 1999, and was later made available, in 2001, on Madacy Entertainment’s Relentless Nashville Records, the latter label was headed by David James Roy (Tuesday 11 November 1947 – Sunday 7 March 2021).
Irene Kelley’s collaborators on ‘Simple Path’ (Relentless Nashville Records, 2001) included Darrell Scott, Kim Richey, Claire Lynch, Kim Patton-Johnson, Mark Irwin and Michael Joyce.
Irene Kelley’s ‘Simple Path’, which was initially released on her own label, and was later made available on Madacy Entertainment’s Relentless Nashville Records in 2001, included the following tracks:
‘A Little Bluer Than That’ (written by Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley)
It was while Irene Kelley was performing ‘I’m A Little Bluer Than That’ (written by Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley) from ‘Simple Path’ (Relentless Nashville Records, 2001), on the hallowed stage of the venerable Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, when fellow country star, Alan Jackson, caught the performance on Nashville’s country legend, 650AM WSM, while he was driving home.
‘O, Mexico’ (written by Michael G. Joyce and Irene Kelley)
‘Not So Different After All’ (written by Jeff Hughes and Irene Kelley)
‘Scorns of Time’ (written by Irene Kelley and Claire Lynch)
‘It Wasn’t Me’ (written by Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley)
‘Dancin’ Shoes’ (written by Dave Gillon and Irene Kelley)
‘Pilgrim In The Rain’ (written by Irene Kelley and Kim Richey)
‘Constant State of Grace’ (written by Irene Kelley and Darrell Scott)
‘Jealousy’ (written by Irene Kelley and Claire Lynch)
‘One Fine Day’ (written by Irene Kelley and Kim Patton-Johnston)
‘Never Lookin’ Back’ (written by Irene Kelley)
Personnel involved in the recording of Irene Kelley’s ‘Simple Path’ (Irene Kelley Independent Release, 1999 / Madacy Entertainment’s Relentless Nashville Records, 2001), included the following:
Irene Kelley (vocals, guitar)
Daniel Nadasdi and Peter Hyrka (accordion)
Scott Neubert (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar)
Claire Lynch, Craig Fuller, Kim Patton Johnston, Mel Besher, Scott Neubert and Tim Hensley (Monday 8 October 1962 – Tuesday 30 April 2013) (backing vocals)
Joey Click (bass)
Viktor Krauss (upright bass)
Bob Mummert (passed away on Saturday 26 August 2023) (drums)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Brent Truitt and Scott Neubert (mandolin)
Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022)
It was while Irene Kelley was performing ‘I’m A Little Bluer Than That’ (written by Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley) from ‘Simple Path’ (Relentless Nashville Records, 2001) on the hallowed stage of the venerable Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, when fellow country star Alan Jackson caught the performance on 650AM WSM while he was driving home.
Alan Jackson called their mutual publisher and asked for a copy of the song. Alan Jackson duly recorded ‘I’m A Little Bluer Than That’ (written by Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley) and included the track on ‘Drive’ (Arista Records, 2002), his quintuple-platinum Country Music Association (CMA) album of the year; Alan Jackson also asked Irene Kelley to add her lilting harmonies to his version of the song.
Irene Kelley’s compositions have been recorded by a number of her country music peers, including Trisha Yearwood, Little Big Town, Brother Phelps, Carl Jackson, Stevens Sisters, The Whites, Claire Lynch, Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022), Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White, Pat Green and Bill Anderson.
The Whites recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Jesus, Rock My Baby’ and included the track on ‘Ain’t No Binds’ (MCA Records, 1986).
Rhonda Vincent recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Moving On’ (co-written with Nancy Montgomery) and included the track on ‘Timeless & True Love’ (Rebel Records, 1991); Carl Jackson, along with Russell Moore, Alison Krauss, David Parmley and Johnny Vincent provided harmony vocals on the album.
Brother Phelps recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Not So Different After All’ (co-written with Jeff Hughes) and included the track on ‘Any Way The Wind Blows’ (Asylum Records, 1995); the track reached No.65 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1995.
Trisha Yearwood recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘O, Mexico’ (co-written with Michael G. Joyce) and included the track on ‘Thinkin’ About You’ (MCA Records, 1995).
Claire Lynch recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Silver & Gold’ (co-written with Claire Lynch) and included the track on ‘Silver & Gold’ (Rounder Records, 1997).
Dale Ann Bradley recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Will You Think of Me’ (co-written with Billy Smith) and included the track on ‘East Kentucky Morning’ (Pinecastle Records, 1997).
Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022) recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Hold Her’ (co-written with Don Wayne) and included the track on ‘Still Country’ (Audium Records, 2000).
Claire Lynch recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Keep My Love There While I’m Gone’ (co-written with Claire Lynch) and included the track on ‘Lovelight’ (Rounder Records, 2000).
Claire Lynch recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Jealousy’ (co-written with Claire Lynch) and included the track on ‘Lovelight’ (Rounder Records, 2000).
Trisha Yearwood recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Second Chance’ (co-written with Clay Mills and Tony Ramey) and included the track on ‘Inside Out’ (MCA Records, 2001).
Alan Jackson recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘I’m A Little Bluer Than That’ (co-written with Mark Irwin) and included the track on ‘Drive’ (Arista Records, 2002).
Little Big Town recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Don’t Waste My Time’ (co-written with Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Roads, Phillip Sweet, Jimi Westbrook and Clayton Bernard ‘Clay’ Mills) and included the track on ‘Little Big Town’ (Monument Records, 2002); the track reached No.33 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 2002.
The Stevens Sisters (April Stevens and Beth Stevens) recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Run To The Well’ (co-written with Kim Richey) and included the track on ‘Little By Little’ (Rounder Records, 2002).
On Monday 25 October 2004, Irene Kelley saw the release of ‘Thunderbird’ (Me & My Records, 2004), which was produced by Irene Kelly and Scott Neubert, and included the following tracks:
‘Highway’ (written by Irene Kelley and Claire Lynch)
‘If I Had Any Strength At All’ (written by Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley) / this track featured guest vocals from Rodney Crowell
‘Cold All The Time’ (written by Irene Kelley)
‘Somebody Let The Water In’ (written by Irene Kelley)
‘Thunderbird’ (written by Irene Kelley)
‘My Sun & Moon’ (written by Lisa Aschmann and Irene Kelley)
‘Big Girl Now’ (written by Irene Kelley and Bernie Nelson)
‘Burn Down The House’ (written by Rand Bishop and Irene Kelley)
‘Might Unbreak My Heart’ (written by Irene Kelley and Trent Summar)
‘Comin’ Back From The Moon’ (written by Irene Kelley)
‘I Pray’ (written by Irene Kelley and Billy Yates)
Personnel involved in the recording of Irene Kelley’s ‘Thunderbird’ (Me & My Records, 2004) included the following:
Mark Fain (acoustic bass)
Scott Neubert (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, resonator guitar, Dobro, lap steel guitar, mandolin)
Bob Mummert (passed away on Saturday 26 August 2023) (drums)
Mike Chapman (1953 – Monday 13 June 2016) (electric bass)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Claire Lynch, Irene Kelly, Jon Randall Stewart, Rodney Crowell and Scott Neubert (harmony vocals)
Irene Kelly (lead vocals, harmony vocals)
Brent Truitt (mandolin)
Pat Green recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Somewhere Between Texas & Mexico’ (co-written with Trent Summar) and included the track on ‘Lucky Ones’ (Universal / Mercury Records / Republic Records, 2004).
Bill Anderson recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Cold All The Time’ and included the track on ‘The Way I Feel’ (Varese Records, 2005).
Karen Lynne recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘It Wasn’t Me’ and included the track on ‘Changes’ (Shoestring Records Australia, 2006).
Claire Lynch recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Highway’ (co-written with Claire Lynch) and included the track on ‘Whatcha Gonna Do’ (Rounder Records, 2009).
Katrina Elam recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Second Chance’ (co-written with Clay Mills and Tony Ramey) and included the track on ‘Pure Country 2: The Gift’ (WaterTower Music, 2011).
Claire Lynch recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Need Someone’ (co-written with Claire Lynch) and included the track on ‘Dear Sister’ (Compass Records, 2013).
Peter Cooper (1970 – Tuesday 6 December 2022) recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘Feels Like Home’ (co-written with Peter Cooper) and included the track on ‘Opening Day’ (Red Beet Records, 2013).
On Tuesday 11 February 2014, Irene Kelley saw the release of ‘Pennsylvania Coal’ (Patio Records, 2014), which included the following tracks:
‘You Don’t Run Across My Mind’
‘Feels Like Home’
‘Pennsylvania Coal’
‘Breakin’ Even’
‘My Flower’
‘Rattlesnake Rattler’
‘Sister’s Heart’
‘Things We Never Did’, which was written by Irene Kelley, John Hadley and David Charles Olney (Tuesday 23 March 1948 – Saturday 18 January 2020)
‘Angels Around Her’
‘Better With Time’
‘Garden of Dreams’
‘You Are Mine’
On Friday 17 June 2016, Irene Kelley saw the release, on Mountain Fever Records, of her debut album for the label, ‘These Hills’ (Mountain Fever Records, 2016), which included the following tracks:
‘Carolina Wind’ (written by Irene Kelley, Thomm Jutz and Milan Miller)
‘Coal Train’ (written by Irene Kelley, Thomm Jutz and Milan Miller)
‘These Hills’ (written by Irene Kelley and Jon Weisberger)
‘Johnson’s Hardware Store’ (written by Irene Kelley and Ronnie Bowman)
‘Up In Those Blue Ridge Mountains’ (written by Irene Kelley and Peter Cooper)
‘Fallin’ Anyway’ (written by Irene Kelley, Thomm Jutz and Milan Miller)
‘Lester’s Song (These Are The Eyes)’ (written by Irene Kelley and Sara Jean Kelley)
‘Leanin’ On The Good Times’ (written by Irene Kelley and Jon Weisberger)
‘Moonlight Is Falling’ (written by Irene Kelley and Justyna Kelly)
‘Do You Think of Me’ (written by Irene Kelley and Billy Smith)
‘Before You Call Me Home’ (written by Irene Kelley and Carlton Moody)
Personnel involved in the recording of Irene Kelley’s debut album for Mountain Fever Records, ‘These Hills’ (Mountain Fever Records, 2016), included the following:
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Brian Sutton (guitar)
Scott Vestal (banjo)
Mark Fain (bass)
Claire Lynch, Ronnie Bowman, Sharon White Skaggs, Cheryl White, Dale Ann Bradley, Steve Gulley, Justyna Kelley and Sara Jean Kelley (harmony vocals)
Erin Enderlin recorded Irene Kelley’s ‘His Memory Walks On Water’ (co-written with Erin Enderlin) and included the track on ‘Whiskeytown Crier’ (Erin Enderlin Music, 2017); the track featured background vocals from Chris Stapleton.
On Friday 10 May 2019, Irene Kelley saw the release of ‘Benny’s TV Repair’ (Mountain Fever Records, 2019), which was produced by Irene Kelley, and included the following tracks:
‘Something About A Train Sound’ (written by Irene Kelley, Billy Droze and Terry Herd)
‘Bluegrass Radio’ (written by Irene Kelley and Jerry Salley)
‘Cabbage Head’ (written by Irene Kelley and Bobby Taylor)
‘Thunderbird’ (written by Irene Kelley and Billy Smith)
‘Out of Arkansas’ (written by Irene Kelley and Justyna Kelley)
‘Benny’s TV Repair’ (written by Irene Kelley and Bob Rea)
‘Highway Back To You’ (written by Irene Kelley and David Starr)
‘Anything To Help You Say Goodbye’ (written by Irene Kelley, Steve Cropper and Justyna Kelley)
‘Hills of Home’ (written by Irene Kelley and Ronnie Bowman)
‘Faster Than Angels Can Fly’ (written by Irene Kelley and Bill Whyte)
‘Walk With Me Today’ (written by Irene Kelley and Bill Whyte)
Personnel involved in the recording of Irene Kelley’s ‘Benny’s TV Repair’ (Mountain Fever Records, 2019) included the following:
Irene Kelley (lead vocals)
Bryan Sutton (guitar)
Adam Steffey (mandolin)
Stuart Duncan (fiddle)
Matt Menefee (banjo)
Mark Fain (bass)
Irene Kelley’s ‘Benny’s TV Repair’ (Mountain Fever Records, 2019) also featured the talents of Steve Cropper, Jimmy Fortune, Carl Jackson, Dale Ann Bradley, Ronnie Bowman, Wayne Southards, Justyna Kelley, Jerry Salley, and Darin & Brooke Aldridge.
• Visit Irene Kelley’s official site at irenekelley.com
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