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 Kent Blazy, which he submitted to this site on Monday 25 July 2011.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Kent Blazy who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Kent Blazy
This quote was submitted on Monday 25 July 2011.
‘Gene Watson is truly one of those amazingly gifted artists who has graced our lives, hearts and ears with his soulful voice and great choice of songs.
His distinctive sound shines through on the radio like a ray of true country music.
God Bless Gene Watson’
Thank you, Kent Blazy, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Kent Blazy…
Kent Blazy, growing up in Lexington, Kentucky became musically inspired when he heard Roger McGuinn playing his Rickenbacker guitar on ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’.
This created a new choice and Kent Blazy traded in his baseball glove for a guitar.
Kent Blazy began his musical journey playing with a series of bands all over the eastern half of the United States.
By the mid-1970s, Kent Blazy was band leader, playing guitar and touring with Canadian legend, Ian Tyson. Sound advice and the timely first place win in a national song-writing contest persuaded him to move to Nashville in 1980.
Kent Blazy’s commitment was now to focus his efforts on the craft of song-writing, which turned out to be a very fine decision.
Gary Morris recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Headed For A Heartache’ (co-written with James Dowell) and included the track on ‘Gary Morris’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1982).
In 1982, sooner than expected, Gary Morris took ‘Headed For A Heartache’ to No.8 on the Billboard country music singles chart. In the years that followed, other country music artists, including The Forrester Sisters, T. Graham Brown, Donna Fargo and Moe Bandy, all recorded Kent Blazy’s tunes.
In an effort to develop more knowledge of the recording side of music and for the benefits of a ‘day job’, Kent Blazy opened a home recording studio.
The studio offered an option for Kent Blazy’s demos, as well as a demo service to other writers.
This studio introduced Kent Blazy to some of the new demo singers and songwriters of Nashville, including Randy Travis, Billy Dean, Trisha Yearwood, Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 – Sunday 29 March 2020) and Martina McBride, who all went on to become well-known country music artists.
In 1987, Kent Blazy was introduced to a new demo singer by Bob Doyle, then with ASCAP, soon to be the manager for this emerging talent, who turned out to be Garth Brooks.
Garth Brooks became Kent Blazy’s most requested demo singer and Bob Doyle also advised, ‘Garth writes a little bit too’.
The first song which Garth Brooks and Kent Blazy penned together was ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’, which became the first Billboard No.1 song for both of them.
The friendship and writing partnership continued as Garth Brooks included eight more of their songs on his albums.
Four more captured the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart No.1 position: ‘Somewhere Other Than The Night’, ‘Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til The Sun Comes Up)’, ‘It’s Midnight Cinderella’ and ‘She’s Gonna Make It’.
Garth Brooks‘ ‘The Lost Sessions’ (Pearl Records, 2005) included another Kent Blazy and Garth Brooks song, ‘For A Minute There’, which was written for their fathers.
Kent Blazy, along with fellow songwriter Pat Alger, co-produced ‘In The Beginning: A Songwriter’s Tribute To Garth Brooks’ (VFR Records, 2001), which was an album project and a collective of six other songwriters who composed songs on Garth Brooks’ first two albums.
The focus was to present the songs in the original acoustic and authentic sound form as Garth Brooks first heard them.
‘In The Beginning: A Songwriter’s Tribute To Garth Brooks’ (VFR Records, 2001) was originally planned as a gift to Garth Brooks during his one-hundred million party in 2000. An independent recording label saw the potential and released the album in 2001, resulting in 50,000+ copies sold to date.
An added benefit of this album included a tour in Ireland for Kent Blazy and three other Garth Brooks writers. While he was in Ireland, Kent Blazy discovered that ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ was released in Europe, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom by Ronan Keating, an Irish artist, whose recording became a successful No.1 song in many countries, and was included on his ‘Destination’ (Polydor Records, 2002) album.
Kent Blazy’s song-writing continued with established writing partnerships, as well as developing partnerships with new writers and artists.
Many of Kent Blazy’s crafted works have been recorded by a number of acclaimed country music artists, including Diamond Rio, Kenny Chesney, Terri Clark, Clay Walker, Patty Loveless, Julie Roberts, Andy Griggs, Blaine Larsen and Chris Young.
Exile recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Werewolf of Love’, which was co-written with Mark Eugene Gray (Friday 24 October 1952 – Friday 2 December 2016) and Sonny Lemaire, and included the track on ‘Heart & Soul’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1981).
Gary Morris recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Headed For A Heartache’ (co-written with James Dowell) and included the track on ‘Gary Morris’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1982); the track reached No.8 on the Billboard country music singles chart in late 1981.
Moe Bandy recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘All American Dream’, which was co-written with Dan Mitchell (who passed away on Wednesday 22 May 2019), and included the track on ‘She’s Not Really Cheating’ (Columbia Records, 1982).
Bandana – Lonnie Wilson (lead vocals), Jerry Fox (bass guitar), Tim Menzies (guitar), Joe Van Dyke (keyboards) and Jerry Ray Johnston (drums) – recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Good Groove’ (co-written with Bobbi Meyer and Toni Dae), and included the track on ‘Bandana’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1985).
In 1986, Leon Everette saw the release, on Orlando Records, of ‘Sad State of Affairs’, which was written by Pam Belford (1951 – Thursday 22 April 2021), Kent Blazy and Jim Dowell, a non-album single, which reached No.59 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986.
The Forester Sisters – Kathy, June, Kim and Christy Forester – recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Down The Road’ (co-written with J.R. Roper and Joy Henley) and included the track on ‘You Again’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1987).
Tom Wopat recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Mr. Right’ (co-written with Phil Barnhart) and included the track on ‘A Little Bit Closer’ (EMI America Records, 1987).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘Garth Brooks’ (Capitol Records, 1989); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in December 1989.
Rob Crosby recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘When Hearts Agree’ (co-written with Rob Crosby and Billy Dean) and included the track on ‘Another Time & Place’ (Arista Records, 1992).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Cold Shoulder’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘Ropin’ The Wind’ (Liberty Records, 1992).
Diamond Rio recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Calling All Hearts (Come Back Home)’ (co-written with Monty Powell and Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Close to The Edge’ (Arista Records, 1992).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Somewhere Other Than The Night’ (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘The Chase’ (Liberty Records, 1992); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in January 1993.
Clinton Gregory recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Surrender’, which was co-written with Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 – Sunday 29 March 2020) and Lonnie Wilson, and included the track on ‘Master of Illusion’ (Step One Records, 1993).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til The Sun Comes Up)’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘In Pieces’ (Liberty Records, 1993); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in September 1993.
Clay Walker recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Heartache Highway’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Clay Walker, and included the track on ‘If I Could Make A Living’ (Giant Records, 1994).
Clay Walker recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Money Ain’t Everything’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Clay Walker, and included the track on ‘If I Could Make A Living’ (Giant Records, 1994).
Clay Walker recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Down By The Riverside’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Clay Walker, and included the track on ‘If I Could Make A Living’ (Giant Records, 1994).
Jesse Hunter recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘I Whisper Your Name’ (co-written with Jesse Hunter) and included the track on ‘A Man Like Me’ (BNA Records, 1994).
Chris LeDoux (Saturday 2 October 1948 – Wednesday 9 March 2005) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Slow Down’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘Haywire’ (Liberty Records, 1994).
Don Cox recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Honey, Don’t Pay The Ransom’ (co-written with Rob Crosby and Jim Dowell) and included the track on ‘All Over Town’ (Step One Records, 1994); this track was released as a single in 1995, but it did not chart.
Clay Walker recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘I Won’t Have The Heart’, which was co-written with Clay Walker and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Hypnotize The Moon’ (Giant Records, 1995).
Clay Walker recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Let Me Take The Heartache (Off Your Hands)’, which was co-written with Clay Walker and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Hypnotize The Moon’ (Giant Records, 1995).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Cowboys & Angels’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘Fresh Horses’ (Liberty Records, 1995).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘It’s Midnight Cinderella’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘Fresh Horses’ (Liberty Records, 1995); the track reached No.5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in mid-1996.
Chely Wright recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Heart Shaped World’, which was co-written with Bob DiPiero and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Right In The Middle’ (Polydor Records, 1996).
Diamond Rio recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘That’s What I Get For Loving You’ (co-written with Neil Thrasher) and included the track on ‘IV’ (Arista Records, 1996).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Leave My Mama Out of This’ (co-written with Monty Holmes and Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996); the track topped out in the 40s of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1996.
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Courage of Daniel’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes and Monty Powell) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Has Anybody in Here Seen My Wife’ (co-written with Shelby Kennedy and Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘A Lie’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Wal-Mart Special’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Stay Tuned’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes and David Wills) and included the track on ‘Another Man’s Sky’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Ty Herndon recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Her Heart Is Only Human’, which was co-written with Steve Dorff and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Living In A Moment’ (Epic Records, 1996).
Thrasher Shiver (Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Closer’, which was co-written with Neil Thrasher and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Thrasher Shiver’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Thrasher Shiver (Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Tragedy’ (co-written with Neil Thrasher) and included the track on ‘Thrasher Shiver’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Thrasher Shiver (Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘That’s My Girl’ (co-written with Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver) and included the track on ‘Thrasher Shiver’ (Asylum Records, 1996).
Brent Lamb recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Real Life Love’ (co-written with Kelly Shiver and Neil Thrasher) and included the track on ‘No Excuses, No Regrets’ (Word Records, 1997).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘How You Ever Gonna Know’ (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘Sevens’ (Liberty Records, 1997).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘She’s Gonna Make It’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘Sevens’ (Liberty Records, 1997); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in early 1998.
Ty Herndon recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Tears In God’s Eyes’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Skip Ewing, and included the track on ‘Big Hopes’ (Epic Records, 1998).
Rhett Akins recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘The Rest of Forever’ (co-written with Skip Ewing) and included the track on ‘What Living’s All About’ (Decca Records, 1998).
Kevin Sharp (Thursday 10 December 1970 – Saturday 19 April 2014) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Her Heart Is Only Human’, which was co-written with Steve Dorff and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Love Is’ (Asylum Records, 1998).
Patty Loveless recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Can’t Get Enough’ (co-written with Blair Day and Will Rambreaux) and included the track on ‘Classics’ (Epic Records, 1999); the track reached No.21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in April 1999.
Paul Brandt recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘There’s A World Out There’ (co-written with Skip Ewing) and included the track on ‘That’s The Truth’ (Reprise Records, 1999).
Kenny Chesney recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘I Might Get Over You’ (co-written with Skip Ewing) and included the track on ‘Everywhere We Go’ (BNA Records, 1999).
Susan Ashton recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Closer’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Neil Thrasher, and included the track on ‘Closer’ (Capitol Records, 1999).
Susan Ashton recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Breathless’ (co-written with Neil Thrasher) and included the track on ‘Closer’ (Capitol Records, 1999).
Beverly Ellis recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘One of The Boys’ (co-written with Phil Barnhart) and included the track on ‘A Diamond Won’t Cut It’ (Slipdisc Records, 1999).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Why Ain’t I Running’ (co-written with Tony Arata and Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘Scarecrow’ (Liberty Records, 2001).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Beer Run’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), Amanda Williams, Keith Anderson and George Ducas, and included the track on ‘Scarecrow’ (Liberty Records, 2001); the track was a duet with George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘The Storm’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Garth Brooks, and included the track on ‘Scarecrow’ (Liberty Records, 2001).
Clay Walker recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘She’s Easy To Hold’, which was co-written with Clay Walker and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Say No More’ (Giant Records, 2001).
Chad Brock recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Population Minus One’ (co-written with Neil Thrasher and Wendell Mobley) and included the track on ‘III’ (Warner Bros. Records, 2001).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘A Dyin’ Breed’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘A Dyin’ Breed’ (Wonderment Records, 2002).
Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 – Friday 20 March 2020) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Tears In God’s Eyes’, which was co-written with Skip Ewing and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Back To The Well’ (Dreamcatcher Records, 2003).
Engelbert Humperdink recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘Definition of Love’ (Hip-O Records, 2003).
Julie Roberts recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘If You Had Called Yesterday’ (co-written with Cory Batten and Wendell Mobley) and included the track on ‘Julie Roberts’ (Mercury Records, 2004).
Johnny Bush (Sunday 17 February 1935 – Friday 16 October 2020) recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Leave My Mama Out of This’ (co-written with Monty Holmes and Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘Honky Tonic’ (BGM Records, 2004).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘For a Minute There’ (co-written with Garth Brooks) and included the track on ‘The Lost Sessions’ (Pearl Records, 2005).
Terri Clark recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Cowboy Days’ (co-written with Leslie Satcher) and included the track on ‘Life Goes On’ (Mercury Records, 2005).
Terri Clark recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Honky Tonk Song’ (co-written with Leslie Satcher) and included the track on ‘Life Goes On’ (Mercury Records, 2005).
Andy Griggs recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘If You Had Called Yesterday’ (co-written with Cory Batten and Wendell Mobley) and included the track on ‘The Good Life’ (Montage Music Group, 2008).
Jo Hikk – Kelly Sitter (lead vocals, bass guitar), Kenny Sitter (guitar, ganjo, vocals), Al Doell (drums, vocals) and Don Jorgensen (keyboards, mandolin) – recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Closer’, which was co-written with Neil Thrasher and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Ride’ (Landis Productions, 2009).
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Desperate Men’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘White Light’ (Wonderment Records, 2009).
Chris Young recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘That Makes Me’ (co-written with Cory Batten and Chris Young) and included the track on ‘The Man I Want To Be’ (RCA Records, 2009).
Chris Young recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)’ (co-written with Cory Batten and Chris Young) and included the track on ‘The Man I Want to Be’ (RCA Records, 2009); the track was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for one week in October 2009.
On Friday 28 January 2011, Julie Roberts was a special guest of Kent Blazy & The For Peace Band at Douglas Corner in Nashville; one of the songs performed was ‘Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On’ (written by Bob McDill), which was recorded by Mel McDaniel (Sunday 6 September 1942 – Thursday 31 March 2011) in 1984.
Mel McDaniel (Sunday 6 September 1942 – Thursday 31 March 2011) recorded ‘Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On’ (written by Bob McDill) and included the track on ‘Let It Roll’ (Capitol Records, 1984); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in February / March 1985.
Danny Gokey recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘My Best Days Are Ahead of Me’ (co-written with Marv Green) and included the track on ‘My Best Days’ (RCA Nashville Records, 2010); the track reached No.24 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in May 2010.
Royal Wade Kimes recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Ride The Wagon, Johnny’ (co-written with Royal Wade Kimes) and included the track on ‘A Proud Land’ (Wonderment Records, 2012).
Todd Fritsch recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Texas Girl’ (co-written with Nate Barrett and Matt Caldwell) and included the track on ‘Up Here In The Saddle’ (Saddle Up Records, 2012).
Jon Pardi recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Empty Beer Cans’ (co-written with Jon Pardi and Tia Sillers) and included the track on ‘Write You A Song’ (Capitol Nashville Records, 2014).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Honky Tonk Somewhere’, which was co-written with Garth Brooks, Bryan Kennedy and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘Gunslinger’ (Pearl Records, 2016).
Garth Brooks recorded Kent Blazy’s ‘Baby, Let’s Lay Down & Dance’, which was co-written with Garth Brooks, Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), Steve Dorff and Victoria Shaw, and included the track on ‘Gunslinger’ (Pearl Records, 2016); the track reached No.29 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2016.
On Monday 2 November 2020, it was announced by Sarah Cates, chair of the organisation’s board of directors, that Steve Earle, Bobbie Gentry, Kent Blazy, Brett James and Spooner Oldham had been elected to The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The five new inductees elect were officially inducted during the ’50 – 51′ edition of The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday 1 November 2021, at Music City Center. The Class of 2020 joined the Class of 2021 to celebrate the 50th and 51st anniversaries of the event, which were postponed in 2020 because of the Covid-19 health crisis.
• Visit Kent Blazy’s official site at kentblazy.com