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 2013, 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 Kimberly Murray Manning, which she submitted to this site on Tuesday 26 November 2013.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Kimberly Murray Manning who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Kimberly Murray Manning
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 26 November 2013.
‘I grew up listening to the sounds of Ray Price (Tuesday 12 January 1926 – Monday 16 December 2013), Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006) and Connie Smith, and I adore their music. They were my heroes.
But I remember, in the mid 1970’s (while I was still a child, mind you!), I was introduced to the sounds of Gene Watson and I thought it was ground breaking!
He had such an original sound while remaining true to real country music.
He achieved what no one in Nashville is capable of doing today.
He is an original!
I loved him and his music from the very first note!
I consider myself one of the lucky ones who got to grow up listening to such a remarkable voice.
I was in awe of him again when I got to do some shows with him in the mid 2000s and witnessed his never failing ability to hold a crowd in the palm of his hand.
Thank you Gene for exposing me to class and individuality!’
Thank you, Kimberly Murray Manning, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Kimberly Murray Manning…
Kimberly Murray Manning was, from the beginning, destined to be on stage and ‘keepin’ it country’. She comes by it honestly; even before Kimberly’s birth, she was headed down the road to performing traditional honky tonk music, as her Momma was performing with a three-girl singing act in the 1950s. The three sisters concentrated on the styles of Buck Owens (Monday 12 August 1929 – Saturday 25 March 2006), Connie Smith, The Louvin Brothers – Charlie Louvin (Thursday 7 July 1927 – Wednesday 26 January 2011) & Ira Louvin (Monday 21 April 1924 – Sunday 20 June 1965), Ray Price (Tuesday 12 January 1926 – Monday 16 December 2013), and The Rambos.
Kimberly Murray has become an accomplished singer/songwriter who really knows how to put on a show.
Kimberly Murray has had the opportunity to work with many distinguished members of the country music community, including Gene Watson, Johnny Rodriquez, Johnny Bush (Sunday 17 February 1935 – Friday 16 October 2020), Curtis Potter (Thursday 18 April 1940 – Saturday 23 January 2016), Tony Booth and Leona Williams, on the Texas music circuit.
The thing you’ll notice when you see Kimberly Murray’s show, is the artful combination of great traditional country music, with an amazing youth and vitality that makes the style almost new again. To hear those great songs from Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998), Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022), Jeannie Pruett and Connie Smith with a renewed energy and vitality, intertwined with her soulful originals, is quite the treat.
Kimberly Murray travels throughout the great state of Texas performing at dancehalls, Opry shows, community events and rodeos, but she is also a member of The Honky Tonk Roadshow in the Great Northwest, where she’s making quite a name for herself. Kimberly Murray joined this widely popular band after marrying and moving to Oregon. She shares this stage with husband Bob Manning and a wonderfully talented band performing all over the Northwest, including Oregon, California, Idaho and Washington.
In January 2007, Kimberly Murray saw the release of her debut album, ‘Once Upon A Time In A Honky Tonk’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2007), on the highly acclaimed Heart of Texas Records, which is based in Brady, Texas; the album received critical acclaim as far away as England, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe, as well as the United States, where it could be heard regularly on Sirius/XM Radio, as well as commercial radio around Texas.
Kimberly Murray’s debut album, ‘Once Upon A Time In A Honky Tonk’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2008), included the following tracks:
‘Lonely Ever After’
‘No One To Hear My Song’
‘We’re Both Lying To Me’
‘I Never Once Stopped Loving You’
‘The Steel Guitar Song’
‘I Can’t Remember’
‘The Only Thing That’s Real’
‘Living & Learning’ / this track was a duet with Jake Hooker, for which Kimberly Murray was honoured, in 2009, with The Will Rogers Award from the Academy of Western Artists for ‘Pure Country Song of The Year’
‘The Home You’re Tearing Down’
‘The Box It Came In’
‘Don’t Believe Me, I’m Lying’ / this track was a duet with Justin Trevino
‘When the Angels Sing’
On Monday 27 June 2011, Bob Manning & The Honky Tonk Road Show saw the release of ‘Just What I Wanted’ (Bourbon Haze Records, 2011), which included the following tracks:
‘1000 Words’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Just What I Wanted’ (written by Bob Manning) / this track featured guest vocals from Kimberly Murray
‘Shame On Me’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Honky Tonk Masquerade’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘It’s Always Christmas’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘I’ve Already Been’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘I’d Rather Live Lonely’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Look Away My Darlin’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Linger Longer Lounge’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Sally’s Antique Store’ (written by Kimberly Murray and Bob Manning)
‘Song of Truth’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘The Least You Could Do’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘These Neon Lights’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘When I Fall’ (written by Bob Manning)
In September 2011, Kimberly Murray saw the release of ‘Another Day of Lonely’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2011), which was nicely received by national and international fans alike, and included the following tracks:
‘Let Me Go’
‘Out of My Mind’
‘If Practice Makes Perfect’
‘She Did This To Me’
‘What My Thoughts Do All the Time’ / this track was a duet with Tony Booth
‘Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad’
‘Just A Memory’
‘Wall To Wall Heartaches’
‘I’ll Be Your Honky Tonk Angel Tonight’ / this track was a duet with Bob Manning
‘Another Day of Lonely’
‘One Step Away’
‘Honky Tonks And Slow Sad Music’
‘Jesus Hold My Hand’ / this track featured guest vocals from Mona McCall and Amber Digby
Kimberly Murray worked for seventeen years at Erath County Sheriff’s Department, spending her last twelve years there as Sergeant in the jail division. After marrying Bob Manning, in May 2011, she finally turned in her badge and began concentrating solely on music.
On Friday 7 September 2012, Bob Manning & Kimberly Murray saw the release of ‘One Night Only’ (Bourbon Haze Records, 2012), which included the following tracks:
‘Good Mornin’ Darlin’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Blame This Mess On You’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘From Where I Came’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Same Battle Fought Yesterday’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Last First Date’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Lovin’ In Three Quarter Time’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Cheatin’ Side of Life’ (written by Bob Manning, Kimberly Murray and Justin Trevino)
‘Three Chords Away’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘When I’m Drunk’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Loves Me Right’ (written by Kimberly Murray and Bob Manning)
‘I Can’t Imagine’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Bunkhouse Breakdown’ (written by Bob Manning and J. Denno)
‘Devil Makes No Change’ (written by Bob Manning and J. Denno) / this track was listed as a bonus track
On Monday 25 February 2013, Bob Manning & The Honky Tonk Road Show saw the release of ‘All Night Radio’ (Bourbon Haze Records, 2013), which included the following tracks:
‘Radio Introduction’ from Cactus Pete
‘Honky Tonk Trail’ (written by Bob Manning and B. Padilla)
‘Anthem’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘The King & His Crown’ (written by Kimberly Murray and Justin Trevino)
‘On My Side’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Heart, You’re In Trouble Again’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Newest Fool’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Station Identification’ from Cactus Pete
‘Makin’ Up With Her’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray) / this track featured guest vocals from Tony Booth
‘Rosita’ (written by Kimberly Murray)
‘Clownin’ Around’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Take It From Me’ (written by Bob Manning)
‘Friends’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Whisky On Ice’ (written by Bob Manning and B. Padilla)
‘The Devil’s In The Details’ (written by Bob Manning and Kimberly Murray)
‘Sign-Off’ from Cactus Pete
From Friday 29 March 2013 until Sunday 31 March 2013, Kimberly Murray and Bob Manning performed at the Northern Nashville Country Music Festival in Halkirk, in Caithness, in northern Scotland, along with Connie Smith, Will Banister, Bobby Flores (Sunday 18 June 1961 – Thursday 23 June 2022) and Rance Norton.
In 2014, Kimberly Murray saw the release of ‘A World Away’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2014), which included the following tracks:
‘Crazy Dreams’
‘Second Time Around’
‘Hi-Lo Bar’n Grill’
‘Keep Our Mind Outta This’
‘Feelin’ Kind of Haggard’
‘Audrey’
‘Keepin’ The Fires Burnin’
‘Lost On Broadway Blues’
‘Shade of Blue’
‘Someone To Finish What You Started’
‘On This Side of The Bed’
‘South of Montgomery’
‘South of Montgomery’ (reprise)
In May 2015, Bob Manning & Kimberly Murray saw the release of ‘Misery Rich’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2015), which included the following tracks:
‘Misery Rich, Whisky Pour’
‘I’d Just Love To Lay You Down’
‘I Heard Momma Talkin’ To Jesus’
‘Paying For My Memories’
‘Between China & Nome (Texas)’
‘Cowboy Rode Away’
‘I Trust You’
‘Longing To Be’
‘Figment of My Own Imagination’
‘I Hear Her Crying’
‘Four Fingers of Whiskey’
‘Your Bottle Called Me’
‘No One To Blame (Ode To Gary Stewart)’ / this track was dedicated to Gary Stewart (Sunday 28 May 1944 – Tuesday 16 December 2003)
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