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 2005, 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 Ken Mellons, which he submitted to this site on Tuesday 10 May 2005.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Ken Mellons who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Ken Mellons
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 10 May 2005.
‘Gene Watson, in my opinion, is just one of the many great country singers of our time that is so under rated.
Gene’s voice and songs have been a big influence on me and I’m proud to call him my friend’
Thank you, Ken Mellons, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Ken Mellons…
Ken Mellons was born Kenneth Edward Mellons in Kingsport, Tennessee on Saturday 10 July 1965.
Ken Mellons’ parents, Rita and Charles, unknowingly groomed their son to have an appreciation for soulful harmonies and raw acoustic sounds.
From the age of three, Ken Mellons was raised in the country music heartland of Nashville, where he grew up on the standard honky-tonk heroes of Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016), George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) and Lefty Frizzell (Saturday 31 March 1928 – Saturday 19 July 1975).
Ken Mellons played guitar and sang at school talent shows and moved on to the clubs after high school graduation. Impressed by one of his performances, the general manager of The Grand Ole Opry invited Ken Mellons to make a guest appearance. Ken Mellons was invited back several times; in fact, Ken Mellons’ Opry residence lasted from 1989 until 1992.
While most kids his age were studying in college, Ken Mellons was honing his craft alongside future country stars, including Chely Wright and Lonestar’s Dean Sams.
Jack Robertson recorded Ken Mellons’ ‘Bootie, Bumpin’, Dancin’ Fool’, which was co-written with Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Jack Robertson, and included the track on ‘Honky Tonk Daze’ (Step One Records, 1992).
As a result of his appearances on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Ken Mellons secured a recording contract with Sony / Epic Records in 1993.
On Tuesday 23 August 1994, Ken Mellons saw the release of his self-titled debut album, ‘Ken Mellons’ (Epic Records, 1994), which was produced by Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014).
Ken Mellons’ debut single, ‘Jukebox Junkie’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Janice Honeycutt), was a hit, reaching No.8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1994, and continued to receive airplay for the rest of the decade; the song also received ASCAP and BMI Awards for surpassing one million plays on country music radio stations in the United States.
Ken Mellons’ self-titled debut album, ‘Ken Mellons’ (Epic Records, 1994), included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Lookin’ In The Same Direction’ (written by Ken Mellons, Dale Dodson and Jimmy Melton) (No.55, 1994)
‘Jukebox Junkie’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Janice Honeycutt (No.8, 1994)
‘I Can Bring Her Back’ (written by Ken Mellons, Dale Dodson and Gene Simmons) (No.42, 1994)
‘Workin’ For The Weekend’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Janice Honeycutt (No.40, 1995)
Ken Mellons’ self-titled debut album, ‘Ken Mellons’ (Epic Records, 1994), also included the following tracks:
‘The Pleasure’s All Mine’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Janice Honeycutt
‘Seven Lonely Days (Makes One Weak)’ (written by Ken Mellons, Dale Dodson and Jimmy Melton)
‘Keepin’ It Country’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Janice Honeycutt
‘Learnin’ To Live without You’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Gene Simmons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Dale Dodson
‘Honky Tonk Teachers’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Dale Dodson and Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014)
‘Doctor Jesus’ (written by Tony Stampley and Justin Bolin)
Personnel involved in the recording of ‘Ken Mellons’ (Epic Records, 1994) included the following:
Curtis Young, John Wesley Ryles, Carl Jackson and Doug Clements (vocal backing)
Bobby All (passed away on Thursday 19 March 2009), Mike Elliott and Billy Joe Walker Jr. (Friday 29 February 1952 – Tuesday 25 July 2017) (rhythm guitar, lead guitar)
Brent Mason (lead guitar)
John Hughey (Wednesday 27 December 1933 – Sunday 18 November 2007) (steel guitar)
Hank Singer (fiddle)
Steve Nathan (keyboards)
Glenn Worf (bass)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Ken Mellons’ self-titled debut album, ‘Ken Mellons’ (Epic Records, 1994), reached No.42 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1994.
On Tuesday 14 November 1995, Ken Mellons saw the release of ‘Where Forever Begins’ (Epic Records, 1995), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Rub-A-Dubbin’ (written by Becky Hobbs, Don Goodman and Stan Paul Davis) (No.39, 1995)
‘Stranger In Your Eyes’, which was written by Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004), Larry Jenkins and Joe Chambers (passed away on Wednesday 28 September 2022) (No.55, 1995)
Ken Mellons’ ‘Where Forever Begins’ (Epic Records, 1995) also included the following tracks:
‘Don’t Make Me Have To Come In There’, which was written by Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014)
‘I Went Crazy For Awhile’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989)
‘Where Forever Begins’ (written by Ken Mellons, Carson Chamberlain and Jim McBride)
‘He’ll Never Be A Lawyer’, which was written by Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014), Tracy Lea Reynolds, Sharon Corbitt and Lee Thomas Miller / this track featured guest vocals from George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) and John Anderson
‘Memory Remover’ (written by Ken Mellons, Dale Dodson and Jimmy Melton)
‘He Ain’t Even Cold Yet’ (written by Cyril Rawson and Billy Lawson)
‘Ever Ready’, which was written by Ken Mellons and Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014)
‘With His Hands’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014), Tracy Lea Reynolds and Lee Thomas Miller
Personnel involved in the recording of Ken Mellons’ ‘Where Forever Begins’ (Epic Records, 1995) included the following:
Bobby All (passed away on Thursday 19 March 2009) and Joe Khoury (acoustic guitar)
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) and John Anderson (vocals on ‘He’ll Never Be A Lawyer’)
Allen Frizzell, Carl Jackson, John Wesley Ryles, Billy Smith, Terry Smith and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (piano)
Richard Hughes (jews harp)
John Hughey (Wednesday 27 December 1933 – Sunday 18 November 2007) (steel guitar, Dobro)
Paul Leim and Milton Sledge (drums)
Ken Mellons (lead vocals)
Al Perkins (Dobro)
Tom Robb (bass guitar)
Brent Rowan and Reggie Young (Saturday 12 December 1936 – Thursday 17 January 2019) (electric guitar)
Hank Singer (fiddle, mandolin)
Jamie Whiting (piano)
Following the release of the singles, ‘Rub-A-Dubbin’ (written by Becky Hobbs, Don Goodman and Stan Paul Davis) (No.39, 1995) and ‘Stranger In Your Eyes’, which was written by Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004), Larry Jenkins and Joe Chambers (passed away on Wednesday 28 September 2022) (No.55, 1995), Ken Mellons parted company with Epic Records.
In 1997, shortly after leaving Epic Records, Ken Mellons signed with Curb Records. Although he spent six years on the label, between 1997 and 2003, Ken Mellons saw the release of only two non-charting singles, ‘Mr. DJ’ in 1997 and ‘Ladies Night’ in 1998, along with one album, ‘The Best of Ken Mellons’ (Curb Records, 2001).
On Tuesday 13 January 1998, Ruby Lovett saw the release of her self-titled debut album, ‘Ruby Lovett’ (Curb Records, 1998); one of the included tracks was ‘One of Them’s Yours’, which was written by Shawn Camp and Herb McCullough (Thursday 18 May 1944 – Tuesday 5 May 2015), and was a duet with Ken Mellons.
On Tuesday 3 April 2001, Ken Mellons saw the release of ‘The Best of Ken Mellons’ (Curb Records, 2001) and, despite its title, it was not a compilation album, but rather a studio album composed of nine new tracks and a dance mix of Ken Mellins’ 1994 hit single, ‘Jukebox Junkie’.
Ken Mellons’ ‘The Best of Ken Mellons’ (Curb Records, 2001) included the following tracks:
‘Jukebox Junkie’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Janice Honeycutt / this track was a Dance Mix / the original version of this track reached No.8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1994
‘Shame On Me’ (written by Ken Mellons and Buddy Brock)
‘Home Team’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Lee Thomas Miller
‘Farmer’s Daughter’, which was written by Ken Mellons and Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014)
‘Ladies Night’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Randy Roberts
‘Can You Feel It’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Jobe Memarie
‘Down To A Crawl’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014), David Brewer and Faye Brewer
‘Bundle of Nerves’, which was written by Ken Mellons, Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014) and Lea Thomas Miller
‘Was It Good For You’, which was written by Ken Mellons and Jerry Dean Cupit (1954 – Wednesday 10 September 2014)
‘Cool As You’ (written by Larry Boone and Billy Lawson)
In 2003, Ken Mellons became frustrated with Curb Records and asked that he be released from the record deal with them.
Ken Mellons’ song-writing credits include cuts recorded by George Strait, Hank Williams Jr., Dierks Bentley and Mark Chesnutt.
George Strait recorded Ken Mellons’ ‘Honk If You Honky Tonk’ (co-written with Dean Dillon and John Northrup) and included the track on ‘Honkytonkville’ (MCA Records, 2003).
Dierks Bentley recorded Ken Mellons’ ‘I Bought The Shoes That Just Walked Out On Me’ (co-written with Jimmy Melton and Dale Dodson) and included the track on ‘Dierks Bentley’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 2003).
Mark Chesnutt recorded Ken Mellons’ ‘Since You Ain’t Home’ (co-written with Shawn Camp and Dale Dodson) and included the track on ‘Savin’ The Honky Tonks’ (Vivaton Records, 2004).
On Tuesday 27 July 2004, Ken Mellons saw the release of ‘Sweet’ (Home Records, 2004) on Home Records, a small independent record label, with guest contributions from fellow music artists, George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), Vince Gill, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Earl Scruggs (Sunday 6 January 1924 – Wednesday 28 March 2012).
Ken Mellons’ ‘Sweet’ (Home Records, 2004) included two tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Paint Me A Birmingham’ (written by Buck Moore and Gary Duffy) (No.54, 2004) / this track was also recorded by Tracy Lawrence, who included it on ‘Strong’ (DreamWorks Records, 2004); Tracy Lawrence’s version of the track reached No.4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 2004
‘Climb My Tree’ (written by John Northrup, Billy Lawson and Dean Dillon) / this track was released as a single in 2004, but it did not chart
Ken Mellons’ ‘Sweet’ (Home Records, 2004) also included the following tracks:
‘Smack Dab’ (written by Kerry Kurt Phillips and T.W. Hale) / the original version of this track was recorded by George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), who included it on ‘It Don’t Get Any Better Than This’ (MCA Records, 1998)
‘Just What I’m Wantin’ To Do’ (written by Ken Mellons and John Northrup)
‘Interstate Gypsy’ (written by Ken Mellons, John Northrup and David Vowell)
‘You Can’t Make My Heart Believe’ (written by Ken Mellons, Dean Dillon and John Northrup)
‘Sweet’ (written by Walt Aldridge, Gary Baker and Greg Barnhill)
‘All I Need Is A Bridge’ (written by Ken Mellons and John Northrup)
‘Single Again’ (written by Billy Davis, David Rivers and Doug Graham)
‘Any Time, Any Place’ (written by M.C. Potts and John Northrup)
‘Institute of Honky Tonks’ (written by Ken Mellons, John Northrup and Larry Alderman) / this track featured guest vocals from George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013)
‘If I’ve Learned Anything At All’ (written by Ken Mellons, John Northrup and Dale Dodson)
Personnel involved in the recording of Ken Mellons’ ‘Sweet’ (Home Records, 2004) included the following:
Mike Chapman (1953 – Monday 13 June 2016) (bass guitar)
Larry Cordle, Terry Eldredge, Vince Gill, Wes Hightower, Rebecca Lynn Howard, George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), Liana Manis and John Wesley Ryles (background vocals)
Glen Duncan and Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Owen Hale and Steve Turner (drums)
Bill Hullett (acoustic guitar)
Carl Jackson and Earl Scruggs (Sunday 6 January 1924 – Wednesday 28 March 2012) (banjo)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Ken Mellons (lead vocals)
Gordon Mote (keyboards)
Scotty Sanders (steel guitar)
In late 2006, Ken Mellons began recording a bluegrass album, ‘Rural Route’ (Jukebox Junky Inc. Records, 2010), which featured an amazing bluegrass line-up of musicians, including the talents of, amongst others, Sonya Isaacs, Rhonda Vincent, Larry Cordle, Darrin Vincent and Don Rigsby.
On Tuesday 12 October 2010, Ken Mellons saw the release of ‘Rural Route’ (Jukebox Junkie Inc. Records, 2010), which was produced by Joe Caverlee and Ken Mellons, and included the following tracks:
‘Rural Route’ (written by Luke Bryan and Billy Lawson)
‘Blue Wind’ (written by Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton)
‘Memory Remover’ (written by Dale Dodson, Ken Mellons and Jimmy Melton)
‘I’m Just A House’ (written by Billy Lawsonand Ken Mellons)
‘Tennessee Ridge Runner’ (written by Larry Alderman, Ken Mellons and Chris Myers)
‘Still They Call Me Love’, which was written by Harley Allen (Monday 23 January 1956 – Wednesday 30 March 2011) and John Wiggins / this track was also recorded by Gene Watson, who included it on ‘A Taste of the Truth‘ (Shanachie Records, 2009)
‘Take It Like A Man’, which was written by Kenny Beard (Thursday 26 February 1959 – Sunday 1 October 2017), Joe Caverlee and Wendell Mobley
‘A Cold One Can’t Cure’ (written by Billy Lawson, Ken Mellons and John Northrup)
‘Tennessee’, which was written by Jimmy Martin (Wednesday 10 August 1927 – Saturday 14 May 2005) and Doyle Neikirk
‘Don’t Neglect The Rose’ (written by Emma Smith)
‘Still Brand New’, which was written by Steve Gulley (1963 – Tuesday 18 August 2020), Ken Mellons and Kristy Jo Mellons
‘King of All Kings’ (written by Larry Alderman, Ken Mellons and John Northrup)
On Tuesday 12 June 2012, Ken Mellons saw the release of ‘Just What I’m Wantin’ To Do’ (Dirt Road Records, 2012), which was produced by Ken Mellons and John Northrup, and included the following tracks:
‘One’s A Couple’
‘Just What I’m Wantin’ To Do’ (written by Ken Mellons and John Northrup)
‘Sweet’ (written by Walt Aldridge, Gary Baker and Greg Barnhill)
‘Paint Me A Birmingham’ (written by Buck Moore and Gary Duffy) / this track, which reached No.54 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2004, featured guest vocals from Vince Gill
‘Smack Dab’ (written by Kerry Kurt Phillips and T.W. Hale) / the original version of this track was recorded by George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), who included it on ‘It Don’t Get Any Better Than This’ (MCA Records, 1998)
‘You Can’t Make My Heart Believe’ (written by Ken Mellons, Dean Dillon and John Northrup)
‘Climb My Tree’ (written by John Northrup, Billy Lawson and Dean Dillon) / this track was released as a single in 2004, but it did not chart
‘Interstate Gypsy’ (written by Ken Mellons, John Northrup and David Vowell)
‘All I Need Is A Bridge’ (written by Ken Mellons and John Northrup)
‘Single Again’ (written by Billy Davis, David Rivers and Doug Graham)
‘Any Time, Any Place’ (written by M.C. Potts and John Northrup)
‘Institute of Honky Tonks’ (written by Ken Mellons, John Northrup and Larry Alderman) / this track was a duet with George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013)
‘If I’ve Learned Anything At All’ (written by Ken Mellons, John Northrup and Dale Dodson)
• Visit Ken Mellons’ official site at kenmellons.net