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 2021, 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 Jordan Mogey, which he submitted to this site on Sunday 8 August 2021.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Jordan Mogey who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Jordan Mogey
This quote was submitted on Sunday 8 August 2021.
‘Gene Watson’s voice is extremely unique and his singing is full of passion and feeling.
It’s obvious that he has a real knack for always picking a great song.
He has never strayed away from traditional country even though it’s tough in these modern times.
I feel that’s why he’s held in such high regard by fans, myself included’
Thank you, Jordan Mogey, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Jordan Mogey…
Jordan Mogey was born and raised in Ballymoney, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland in 1993.
Jordan Mogey began singing when he was five years old, and has been performing as a professional singer since 2014, mostly in Ireland.
Jordan Mogey is also an accomplished guitarist and song composer.
Jordan Mogey is a singer and songwriter, who has toured extensively across Ireland and the United Kingdom as well as Nashville, and Sri Lanka.
Jordan Mogey has worked with a number of top artists in Ireland, including Mary Duff, for whom he wrote the title track of her ‘Changing Lanes’ (ISG Records, 2016) album.
Jordan Mogey has also toured with a number of American country music artists, including Marty Haggard – son of Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016), and Jerry Kilgore.
Jordan Mogey has also held regular songwriting sessions with a number of hit songwriters in Nashville.
In 2015, Jordan Mogey saw the release of ‘Alone With You’ (Jordan Mogey Independent Release / ISG Records, 2015), which included the following tracks:
‘Alone With You’
‘If There’s A God In Heaven’
‘Big River’, which was written by Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 – Friday 12 September 2003) / the original version of this track was recorded by Johnny Cash for Sun Records in 1958, when it reached No.4 on the Billboard country music singles chart
‘Don’t You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me?’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) / this track was also recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘In A Perfect World‘ (Shanachie Records, 2007)
‘Have You Ever Seen The Rain?’ (written by John Fogarty) / the original version of this track was recorded by Credence Clearwater Revival, who included it on ‘Pendulum’ (Fantasy Records, 1970); the track was No.1 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart in March 1971, No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1971, No.3 on the Cash Box pop music singles chart in 1971, and No.36 on the United Kingdom Singles Chart in 1971
‘I Don’t Need A Thing At All’ (written by Joe Allen) / the original version of this track was recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘Beautiful Country‘ (Capitol Records, 1977); Gene Watson‘s version of the track reached No.8 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978, and No.4 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1978
‘It Was Jesus’
‘Still Belong To You’
‘That’s Why I Love Trains’
‘Tender Years’, which was written by George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) and Darrell Edwards / the original version of this track was recorded by George Jones for Mercury Records in 1961, when it spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart; George Jones‘ version of the track, which reached No.76 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1961, was subsequently included on ‘Greatest Hits’ (Mercury Records, 1961)
‘Train of Love’
‘Weekend Cowboys’, which was written by Jim Newcombe and Rayburn Thomas Anthony (1937 – Saturday 21 April 2018)
Mary Duff recorded Jordan Mogey’s ‘Changing Lanes’ and included the track on ‘Changing Lanes’ (ISG Records, 2016).
In 2017, Jordan Mogey saw the release of ‘Cowboys, Drifters & Angels’ (Jordan Mogey Independent Release, 2017), which included the following tracks:
‘Someday When Things Are Brighter’
‘Set ‘Em Up Joe’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010), Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009), Dean Dillon and Buddy Cannon / the original version of this track was recorded by Vern Gosdin, who included it on ‘Chiseled In Stone’ (Columbia Records, 1987); Vern Gosdin‘s version of the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in July 1988
‘Luke The Drifter’ (written by Jordan Mogey and Joe McShane)
‘Life’s Railway To Heaven’, which was written by Charles Davis Tillman (20 March 1861 – Thursday 2 September 1943) / this track was also recorded by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016), who included it on ‘The Land of Many Churches’ (Capitol Records, 1971), a double ‘live’ gospel album, which featured four ‘live’ performances: two were in churches proper, Big Creek Baptist Church and Assembly of God Tabernacle, one was at San Quentin’s Garden Chapel (inside the prison), and one was at Nashville’s Union Rescue Mission.
The music on Merle Haggard‘s ‘The Land of Many Churches’ (Capitol Records, 1971) offered a mix of country gospel and traditional hymns, with preachers introducing some of the songs; Bonnie Owens (Tuesday 1 October 1929 – Monday 24 April 2006) and The Carter Family were also featured.
‘Adequate Lover’
‘If Jesus Was A Country Music Fan’
‘My Darling Angel’
‘Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young’, which was written by Joe Marion Allison (Friday 3 October 1924 – Friday 2 August 2002) / the original version of this track was recorded by Faron Young (Thursday 25 February 1932 – Tuesday 10 December 1996), who included it on ‘This Is Faron Young’ (Capitol Records, 1958); Faron Young’s version of the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for three weeks in 1955
‘Pan American’
‘You Never Were Mine To Lose’
‘Living On Tulsa Time’ (written by Daniel W. ‘Danny’ Flowers) / the original version of this track was recorded by Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 – Friday 8 September 2017), who included it on ‘Expressions’ (ABC Records / Dot Records, 1978); Don Williams‘ version of the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in January 1979
‘Living On Tulsa Time’ (written by Daniel W. ‘Danny’ Flowers) was also recorded by Eric Clapton, who included it on ‘Backless’ (RSO Records, 1978). A ‘live’ version of the track was included on Eric Clapton’s ‘Just One Night’ (RSO Records, 1980), a double album recorded ‘live’ at Budokan Theatre in Tokyo, Japan in December 1979 when Eric Clapton was touring to support ‘Backless’ (RSO Records, 1978), his latest record at that time; Eric Clapton’s ‘live’ version of the track reached No.30 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1980
‘Cowboys, Drifters & Angels’
In 2018, Jordan Mogey saw the release of his highly acclaimed album, ‘Love Lovin’ You’ (Sharpe Music, 2018), which he co-wrote with his friends, and well respected songwriters, Kent Maxson and Gerald Smith; the album included the following tracks:
‘Who Needs You Anyway’
‘Love Loving You’
‘Hold On To That Thought’
‘Learning To Live’
‘Better Things To Drink About’
‘She’s All Over Me’
‘The Worst Hour of My Life’
‘Out of Her Mind’
‘Hankaholic’
‘Rockin’ At The Nursing Home’
‘I Won’t Have To Worry ‘Bout You Leavin’ Anymore’
‘What Was I Drinkin’
Jordan Mogey’s ‘Love Lovin’ You’ (Sharpe Music, 2018) received a 5-star review in the October 2018 of the United Kingdom’s highly influential monthly publication, Country Music People:
‘I saw Jordan Mogey live last year when he was supporting Jerry Kilgore on some UK dates. He was very impressive indeed, but I didn’t feel that either of his previous albums had done him justice. This one does.
‘Love Loving You’ is much more mature, with Mogey not trying to emulate his classic country heroes like Hank quite as much. Mogey seems much happier in his own skin and has a relaxed and easy style. In doing so, he has made one of the best records I’ve heard lately. I don’t have credits, but he’s picked some super songs too, and I suspect he may have written some of them as well. If I didn’t know better, I would swear that ‘I Won’t Have To Worry ‘Bout You Leavin’ Anymore’ was a Jerry Kilgore song. Apparently it isn’t, but it is fabulous, and so is everything else here.
Mogey hails from Co. Antrim, and yes, I do have an understanding of some of the underlying issues between Ireland and Northern Ireland, but for the sake of pigeon-holing this, I am going to call it ‘Irish country’, as Mogey has been previously nominated in Irish country music awards. I might not have traditionally been the biggest fan of Irish country, and I might have tried to avoid it where possible, but crikey, this young man shows them how it should be done.
I guarantee that, no matter how much of a hardcore honky tonker you are, you’re gonna love ‘Hankaholic’. ‘Rockin’ At The Nursing Home’ could’ve been the cheesiest thing ever, but turns out to be quite good fun, even if it might not stand up to repeated plays.
However, it’s when Mogey is in some kind of laidback Strait-type mode, that he really shines. ‘Out of Her Mind’ and ‘She’s All Over Me’ both sounded really familiar, but I can’t think from where, maybe that’s a huge compliment to the writing style. ‘Loving You’ and ‘Learning To Live’ could’ve been lifted from an early Strait album, and Mogey makes it effortless. The production is bang-on, and this kid is a knockout.
‘Love Loving You’ is one of my favourite country albums I’ve heard this year. I’m going to stick my neck out here and say, this is the best Irish country album I’ve ever heard’
Jordan Mogey
‘Love Lovin’ You’ (Sharpe Music, 2018)
5-Star Review, Country Music People, October 2018
In May 2021, Tramyard, a new ‘collective’ band, which featured some of Ireland’s top session musicians, saw the release of their debut single, ‘People Puttin’ People Down’, a tribute to John Prine (Thursday 10 October 1946 – Tuesday 7 April 2020).
The group, which featured some of Ireland’s top session musicians, got together in the summer of 2020 to lay down their version of John Prine’s classic, ‘People Puttin’ People Down’, the original version of which was recorded by John Prine (Thursday 10 October 1946 – Tuesday 7 April 2020), who included it on ‘Aimless Love’ (Oh Boy Records, 1984).
(Thursday 10 October 1946 – Tuesday 7 April 2020)
Initially, the recording was a personal endeavor, which was not intended to be released, but the love of John Prine (Thursday 10 October 1946 – Tuesday 7 April 2020) and the impact that his music left on the world made Tramyard change their minds. ‘People Puttin’ People Down’ was part of ‘The Dusty Diary Sessions’ and was released on Tuesday 7 April 2020, exactly one year to the date of John Prine’s untimely passing.
Tramyard was put together by veteran pianist, musical director/arranger and producer Steve Milne, and featured musicians Steve Milne (piano), Marty McDermott (bass), Mary Duff (vocals), Jordan Mogey (vocals), Aoife Cunningham (bouzouki and vocals), Ciara Cunningham (accordion and vocals), Kevin Logue (guitar and vocals), Stuart Gray (guitars) and Des Lacey (drums); the band was originally intended to be a Monday night band, made up of a group of professional musicians who wanted to explore styles that did not fall within their normal remit.
The track was led by two up and coming Irish singers, Kevin Logue and Jordan Mogey, who both brought their own inimitable vocal styles to the forefront.
At the time of the acquisition of this Gene Watson ‘Peer’s Quote’, in August 2021, Jordan Mogey was writing for his next album project, which will also consist of mainly original material.
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