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 2020, 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 Lisa & Teresa McCarter, which they submitted to this site on Saturday 5 September 2020.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Lisa & Teresa McCarter who have made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Lisa & Teresa McCarter
This quote was submitted on Saturday 5 September 2020.
‘Hey! thanks for reaching out to us.
We think Gene is one of the truest, purest, traditional voices in country music.
We’ll also add, we’ve always been a huge fan!’
Thank you, Lisa & Teresa McCarter, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Lisa & Teresa McCarter…
Lisa & Teresa McCarter grew up in the Smoky Mountains, surrounded by mountain music, in Sevierville, Tennessee, where they were born on Monday 21 November 1966.
The McCarters (Jennifer, Lisa and Teresa)
Photo Credit: Robin Hood
The McCarters were an American country music trio, which included Jennifer McCarter (born Jennifer Lorene ‘Jenny’ McCarter in Baptist Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday 7 March 1964), and her sisters Lisa and Teresa (born on Monday 21 November 1966), who are twins.
Continuing the tradition of her musical heritage, at the age of seven, Jennifer McCarter taught herself how to clog and, by the time she was thirteen years old, Jennifer and her sisters, Lisa and Teresa, performed nightly at a nearby theatre.
Following her heart’s desire to sing, at the age of fourteen, Jennifer McCarter taught herself to play guitar and her sisters, Lisa and Teresa, joined in on harmony vocals.
While other kids her age were listening to pop music, Jennifer McCarter was in the basement of her mountain home, with a portable record player, singing along to a number of country music and Bluegrass music legends, including Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Bill Monroe (Wednesday 13 September 1911 – Monday 9 September 1996).
It was this musical environment which shaped Jennifer McCarter‘s voice and ear for music and she grew into the unique artist that she is today.
Jennifer McCarter‘s passion for country music led her to Nashville. Jennifer McCarter‘s tenacity and persistence paid off in August 1986, when Jennifer and her sisters, Lisa and Teresa, were granted a live audition for Nashville record producer, Kyle Lenning.
The audition with Nashville record producer, Kyle Lenning, led to a telephone call from Warner Bros. Records and, by March 1987, Jennifer McCarter and her sisters, Lisa and Teresa, were signed to the record label.
On Tuesday 21 June 1988, Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters (Lisa and Teresa) saw the release of their debut album, ‘The Gift’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988), which was produced by Ed Seay, Paul Worley and Sharon Eaves (1961 – Friday 25 September 2015), and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:
‘Timeless & True Love’, which was written by Buzz Cason, Charlie Black (Wednesday 23 November 1949 – Friday 23 April 2021) and Austin Roberts (No.5, 1987) / this track also reached No.6 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1987
‘The Gift’ (written by Nancy Montgomery) (No.4, 1988) / this track also reached No.2 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1988
‘I Give You Music’ (written by Dennis Adkins) (No.28, 1988) / this track also reached No.16 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1988
Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters’ debut album, ‘The Gift’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988), also included the following tracks:
‘My Songbird’, which was written by Jesse Winchester (Wednesday 17 May 1944 – Friday 11 April 2014)
‘Flower In The Desert’ (written by Bill C. Graham, Carl Jackson and Buddy Landon)
‘I Know Love’ (written by Lisa Silver, Mark D. Sanders and Randy Albright)
‘Letter From Home’ (written by Carl Jackson and Jennifer McCarter)
‘A Quiet Desperation’, which was written by Austin Roberts, Buzz Cason and Charlie Black (Wednesday 23 November 1949 – Friday 23 April 2021)
‘Loving You’ (written by Hugh Moffatt)
‘Where Would That Leave Me’, which was written by L.E. White (1930 – Tuesday 7 September 2004) and Lola Jean Dillon
Personnel involved in the recording of Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters’ ‘The Gift’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988) included the following:
Carl Jackson, John Jorgenson, Larry Byrom and Paul Worley (acoustic guitar)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass)
Eddie Bayers (drums)
Mark O’Connor (fiddle, mandola, viola)
John Jorgenson (mandocello)
John Jorgenson and Mark O’Connor (mandolin)
Dennis Burnside (piano)
Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters’ debut album, ‘The Gift’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988), reached No.36 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1988.
Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters (Lisa and Teresa) supported the release of their debut album, ‘The Gift’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1988), with a worldwide tour opening for Randy Travis, along with an appearance on Dolly Parton’s ‘Dolly’ variety show (like Dolly Parton, The McCarters hailed from Sevierville in Tennessee).
Many major country music artists took note of The McCarters from East Tennessee, including Randy Travis and Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 – Friday 20 March 2020), who invited them on tour with them.
The McCarters were featured often on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, along with many television shows, including ‘The American Music Awards’, ‘The Dolly Show’, ‘Hee-Haw’, and multiple appearances on ‘Nashville Now’ on The Nashville Network (TNN).
On Friday 2 February 1990, Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters (Lisa and Teresa) saw the release of ‘Better Be Home Soon’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990), which was produced by Ed Seay and Paul Worley, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Up & Gone’, which was written by Verlon Thompson and Bill Caswell (passed away on Friday 17 February 2023) (No.9, 1989) / this track also reached No.5 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1989
‘Quit While I’m Behind’, which was written by Verlon Thompson and Bill Caswell (passed away on Friday 17 February 2023) (No.26, 1989) / this track also reached No.28 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1989
‘Better Be Home Soon’ (written by Neil Finn) (No.73, 1990) / this track also reached No.65 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1990 / this track was originally recorded by Crowded House, who included it on ‘Temple of Low Men’ (Capitol Records, 1988)
‘Shot Full of Love’ (No.73, 1990) / this track also reached No.48 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1990
Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters’ ‘Better Be Home Soon’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990) also included the following tracks:
‘I Haven’t Got A Prayer’
‘Mountain Memories’
‘Papa Sita’ (written by Hugh Moffatt)
‘Betcha Gonna Love Me’, which was written by Bill Caswell (passed away on Friday 17 February 2023) and Don Singleton
‘Slow Country Dance’
‘I Don’t Want To Cry Anymore’
After charting several country music hit singles with Warner Bros. Records, Jennifer McCarter became known for her superb song choices and authentically country voice.
Following the release of ‘Better Be Home Soon’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990), Jennifer McCarter & The McCarters (Lisa and Teresa) were released from their recording contract with Warner Bros. Records in the early 1990s.
Sweet Nothin’s Trio is a vocal trio consisting of Lisa and Teresa McCarter (The McCarter Twins) and Chip Winter. The McCarters were a sister trio, who recorded for Warner Bros. Records between 1987 and 1992.
After a hiatus from music for two decades, The McCarters decided it was time to make more music and, in so doing, included Lisa’s husband, Chip.
Harmony is all they had ever known so, with a giant step of faith for each of them, they share lead vocal responsibilities, leading to a whole new experience in three-part harmonies.
A number of years ago, Lisa & Teresa McCarter were persuaded by a friend of theirs to record their own CD, just for themselves, because they love to sing, and to see if they could do it all on their own.
Initially, Chip Winter was all for it, but only in the capacity of helping out. Lisa and Teresa insisted, however, that he sing with them.
Lisa, Teresa and Chip started thinking about songs from childhood memories, songs they grew up with, songs that inspired them and influenced their lives. They gathered roughly twenty songs, and started rehearsing them. They found the experince quite interesting due to the fact that they had never sang lead vocals.
The name, Sweet Nothin’s, came about one morning when Lisa was humming and singing the Brenda Lee song, ‘Sweet Nothing’s’, which was written by Ronnie Self (Tuesday 5 July 1938 – Friday 28 August 1981); Brenda Lee included the track on ‘Brenda Lee’ (Decca Records, 1960).
During the initial recording process at their home with musician friends, Lisa, Teresa and Chip were contacted on Facebook by a photographer / videographer from East Tennessee about doing a DVD/CD project for the Smoky Mountains.
After a few meetings with him, Lisa, Teresa and Chip put some of their songs on hold, and started on new ones. The photographer / videographer from East Tennessee wanted songs which could represent the Smoky Mountains, in terms of history, scenery and tourism; these songs would include Bluegrass, gospel, traditional country and folk influences.
On Monday 12 March 2018, Sweet Nothin’s Trio (Lisa & Teresa McCarter with Chip Winter) saw the release of ‘Sweet Memories’ (Lisa & Teresa McCarter Independent Release, 2018), which included the following tracks:
‘Smokey Mountain Memories’, which was written by Earl Thomas Conley (Friday 17 October 1941 – Wednesday 10 April 2019) and Dick Heard (1937 – Tuesday 8 September 1998) / the original version of this track was recorded by Mel Street (Saturday 21 October 1933 – Saturday 21 October 1978), who included it on ‘Smokey Mountain Memories’ (GRT Records, 1975); the track, which reached No.13 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1975, and No.43 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1975, was subsequently included on ‘Mel Street’s Greatest Hits’ (GRT Records, 1976)
‘Dance With Me (Just One More Time)’ (written by Johnny Rodriguez) / the original version of this track was recorded by Johnny Rodriguez, who included it on ‘My Third Album’ (Mercury Records, 1974); the track, which reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1974, was subsequently included on Johnny Rodriguez‘s ‘The Greatest Hits’ (Mercury Records, 1976)
‘When The River Meets The Sea’ (written by Paul Williams) / the original version of this track was recorded by John Denver (Friday 31 December 1943 – Sunday 12 October 1997), who included it on ‘A Christmas Together With The Muppets’ (RCA Victor Records, 1979); the track featured Kevin The Frog, John Denver and The Muppets
‘No Other Fountain’ / the original version of this track was recorded by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, who included it on ‘Treasures Money Can’t Buy’ (Music Mill Entertainment, 2003)
‘There Is A Time’ / the original version of this track was recorded by The Dillards, who recorded it for Elektra Records between 1963 and 1970; the track was subsequently included on ‘There Is A Time: 1963 – 1970’ (Vanguard Records, 1991)
‘Rye Whiskey’ / the original version of this track was recorded by David ‘Stringbean’ Akeman (17 June 1915 – Saturday 10 November 1973), who included it on ‘Way Back In The Hills of Old Kentucky’ (Gusto Records, 1964)
‘The Signs By The Side of The Road’ / the original version of this track was recorded by The Chuck Wagon Gang in 1949, and was subsequently included on ‘Secular & Sacred Songs: Recorded 1936 – 1954’ (BACM, 2009)
‘It’s In Every One of Us’ (written by David Pomeranz) / the original version of this track was recorded by John Denver (Friday 31 December 1943 – Sunday 12 October 1997), who included it on ‘A Christmas Together With The Muppets’ (RCA Victor Records, 1979); the track featured John Denver and The Muppets
• Visit Lisa & Teresa McCart’s official site at sweetnothinstrio.com
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