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 Jim Vest, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 15 June 2011.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Jim Vest who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Jim Vest
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 15 June 2011.
‘I remember the night Gene stopped by; it was at The Stockyards.
He had just cut ‘From Cotton To Satin‘; what an honour for a man with his kind of talent would cut my song!
Thank you, Gene Watson!’
Thank you, Jim Vest, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Jim Vest…
Jim Vest is known as a musician, producer, actor, songwriter, publisher, singer and leader of the world famous ‘Nashville Cats’.
After leaving Louisville, Kentucky in 1969, Jim Vest moved to Nashville and became the leader of the band at the Western Room in Printer’s Alley. It was there that Jim Vest formed ‘The Nashville Cats’, which has remained one of the top country music groups for over eighteen years.
Jim Vest’s talent on the steel guitar has made him one of the top ‘A Team’ recording musicians in the world. He was the recipient of the ‘Super Picker Award’, which is awarded to musicians who have played on million selling records.
Some of the artists Jim Vest has recorded with include the following legendary figures within the genre of country music:
• Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 – Wednesday 13 February 2002)
• Ronnie McDowell
• David Allan Coe
• T.G. Sheppard
• Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998)
• Charlie Louvin (Thursday 7 July 1927 – Wednesday 26 January 2011)
• Pee Wee King (Wednesday 18 February 1914 – Tuesday 7 March 2000)
• John Anderson
• Janie Fricke
• Shelby Lynne
• Grandpa Jones (Monday 20 October 1913 – Thursday 19 February 1998)
• Joe Stampley
• Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009)
• Freddy Weller
• Linda Davis
• Tim Menzies
• George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013)
• Roy Acuff (Tuesday 15 September 1903 – Monday 23 November 1992)
• Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995)
• Moe Bandy
• Willie Nelson
• Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010)
• Boxcar Willie (Tuesday 1 September 1931 – Monday 12 April 1999)
• The Statler Brothers
• Lorrie Morgan
• Ray Price (Tuesday 12 January 1926 – Monday 16 December 2013)
Jim Vest played on a number of Billboard Top 10 country music hit singles.
Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003) recorded ‘Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets’, which was written by Wayne Carson (Monday 31 May 1943 – Monday 20 July 2015) and Donn Tankersley, and included the track on ‘Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets’ (Epic Records, 1977); the track reached No.7 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1976.
Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 – Monday 14 August 2006) recorded ‘Stranger’ and included the track on ‘The Best of Johnny Duncan’ (Columbia Records, 1976); the track reached No.4 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1976.
Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003) recorded ‘I’m The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised’, which was written by Wayne Kemp (Sunday 1 June 1941 – Monday 9 March 2015), Mack Vickery (Wednesday 8 June 1938 – Tuesday 21 December 2004) and Bobby Borchers, and included the track on ‘Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets’ (Epic Records, 1977); the track reached No.8 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1977.
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) recorded ‘Old King Kong’ (written by Sammy Lyons) and included the track on ‘I Wanta Sing’ (Epic Records, 1977); the track reached No.34 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1977.
Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 – Tuesday 25 July 1995) recorded ‘Rolling With The Flow’ (written by Jerry Hayes) and included the track on ‘Rollin’ with The Flow’ (Epic Records, 1977); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for two weeks in August 1977.
Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003) recorded ‘Take This Job & Shove It’ (written by David Allan Coe) and included the track on ‘Take This Job & Shove It’ (Epic Records, 1977); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for two weeks in January 1978.
Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 – Monday 14 August 2006) recorded ‘She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed Anytime’ (written by Aaron Schroader and Bob Halley) and included the track on ‘The Best is Yet to Come’ (Columbia records, 1978); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in May 1978.
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) recorded ‘I’ll Just Take It Out In Love’ (written by Bob McDill) and included the track on ‘Bartender’s Blues’ (Epic Records, 1978); the track reached No.11 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978.
Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded ‘Do You Believe Me Now’, which was written by Vern Gosdin and Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004), and included the track on ‘Chiseled In Stone’ (Columbia Records, 1988); the track reached No.4 on the Billboard country music singles chart in late 1987.
Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded ‘Set ‘Em Up Joe’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010), Vern Gosdin, Dean Dillon and Buddy Cannon, and included the track on ‘Chiseled In Stone’ (Columbia Records, 1988); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in July 1988.
Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded ‘Chiseled In Stone’, which was written by Vern Gosdin and Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004), and included the track on ‘Chiseled In Stone’ (Columbia Records, 1988); the track reached No.6 on the Billboard country music singles chart in November 1988, and was awarded ‘Song of the Year’ in 1989.
Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded ‘That Just About Does It’, which was written by Vern Gosdin and Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004), and included the track on ‘Alone’ (Columbia Records, 1989); the track reached No.4 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1989.
Lorrie Morgan recorded ‘What Part of No (Don’t You Understand)’ (written by Wayne Perry and Gerald Smith) and included the track on ‘Watch Me’ (BNA Records, 1992); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for two weeks in February / March 1993.
As a songwriter, Jim Vest has written or co-written many songs, which have been recorded by some of the top entertainers in country music. Some of Jim Vest’s co-writers included Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and David Chamberlain.
Billie Jo Spears (Thursday 14 January 1937 – Wednesday 14 December 2011) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘I’m Not Easy’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘I’m Not Easy’ (United Artists Records, 1976); the track reached No.11 on the Billboard country music singles chart in early 1977.
Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Hank, You Tried To Tell Me About The Mansion on The Hill’ and included the track on ‘Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets’ (Epic Records, 1977).
Sammi Smith (Thursday 5 August 1943 – Saturday 12 February 2005) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘It Just Won’t Feel Like Cheating (With You)’ and included the track on ‘New Winds, All Quadrants’ (Elektra Records, 1977).
Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘From Cotton To Satin’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Take This Job & Shove It’ (Epic Records, 1977).
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Your Sweet Lies (Just Turned Down My Sheets Again)’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Let’s Get Together’ (Epic Records, 1977).
In 1978, Sue Richards recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Someone Loves Him’ (co-written with David Chamberlain); the track, which was released as a non-album single on Epic Records in March 1978, reached No.94 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978.
Billie Jo Spears (Thursday 14 January 1937 – Wednesday 14 December 2011) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘His Little Something On The Side’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Lonely Hearts Club’ (United Artists Records, 1978).
Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 – Monday 14 August 2006) recorded Jim Vest’s’ ‘Warm Up The Night With You’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘See You When The Sun Goes Down’ (Columbia Records, 1979).
Gene Watson recorded Jim Vest’s ‘From Cotton To Satin’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘This Dream’s on Me‘ (MCA Records, 1982).
Dottie West (Tuesday 11 October 1932 – Wednesday 4 September 1991) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Your Sweet Lies’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Full Circle’ (Liberty Records, 1982).
Johnny Paycheck (Tuesday 31 May 1938 – Wednesday 19 February 2003) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Loser of The Year’ and included the track on ‘Lovers & Losers’ (Epic Records, 1982).
Charlie Louvin (Thursday 7 July 1927 – Wednesday 26 January 2011) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Buried Alive’ and included the track on ‘Now, Then & Forever’ (Hal-Kat Country Records, 1989).
Charlie Louvin (Thursday 7 July 1927 – Wednesday 26 January 2011) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Underneath It All’ and included the track on ‘Now, Then & Forever’ (Hal-Kat Country Records, 1989).
Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Tanqueray’ and included the track on ‘Alone’ (Columbia Records, 1989); the track reached No.75 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1989.
David Parmley recorded Jim Vest’s ‘From Cotton To Satin’ (co-written with David Chamerlain) and included the track on ‘I Know A Good Thing’ (Sugar Hill Records, 1989).
Billie Jo Spears (Thursday 14 January 1937 – Wednesday 14 December 2011) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘Outlaw Woman’ (co-written with Joyce Shoaf) and included the track on ‘Outlaw Woman’ (Carlton Records, 1996).
Ron Sweet (passed away on Saturday 25 June 2005) recorded Jim Vest’s ‘From Cotton To Satin’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Ten In Tennessee’ (Ricca Records, 1996).
Finbarr Harte recorded Jim Vest’s ‘From Cotton To Satin’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Ireland Calling’ (Harfinn Records, 2015).
Wyatt Massingille recorded Jim Vest’s ‘From Cotton To Satin’ (co-written with David Chamberlain) and included the track on ‘Wyatt Massingille’ (Wyatt Massingille Independent Release, 2022).
Jim Vest produced albums, and singles, for a number of well-known artists, including Box Car Willie (Tuesday 1 September 1931 – Monday 12 April 1999), Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010), James Monroe, Ronnie McDowell, Willie Nelson, Susie Nelson (Willie Nelson’s daughter) and The Heart of Dixie.
• Visit Jim Vest’s official site at vestmusicgroup.com