Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s and has been a country music album recording artist since the late 1960s.
Gene Watson’s contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable.
It is here where you have an opportunity to read a review of Gene Watson’s ‘Little by Little‘ (MCA Records, 1984), as published in the March 1984 issue of Country Music People.
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Country Music People have long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.
CMP has rigorously championed Gene Watson’s cause down through the years and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.
All reviews have been reproduced with the kind permission of Country Music People.
‘Little by Little‘ (MCA Records, 1984)
Country Music People, December 1981
This review of ‘Little by Little’ (MCA Records, 1984) by Bob Powell was published in the March 1984 issue of Country Music People, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the publishers.
Album Review by Bob Powell
(**** out of 5)
‘When Gene Watson hit the country charts way back in 1975, he was singing honky tonk songs, and now nearly nine years later, he is doing exactly the same thing, and achieving great success with it.
He once told me that if he couldn’t perform the sort of music he liked, he would go back to repairing cars, and I believe him.
At time of writing, Gene’s only single from this LP, ‘Drinking My Way Back Home‘, is a Top 10 hit, and a real raunchy tune it is too, the unusual thing about it though, in these days of four minute hits, it is barely two minutes long.
There are plenty of potential hits here, but my favourite is the title track, a great tune, but a sad song, about a family breaking up, ‘Little By Little’. It is composed by Danny Morrison (Sunday 22 April 1945 – Tuesday 14 February 2012) and Larry Keith.
The better known pair of Warren D. Robb and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004) (both formerly on major labels as singers) have a fine treatment done on their song ‘Forever Again’, while another of my favourites is Ronny Scafe (1947 – Wednesday 3 November 2010) and Jerry Hays’ ‘The Chesapeake Bay’.
The straight down the line production is by Watson, and the man who has been with him throughout, Russ Reeder, and the basic backing is by Gene’s own Farewell Party Band that now includes former hit-parade singer Tony Booth and his brother Larry Booth. A good, if unexciting, honky tonk album this’.
Bob Powell
Country Music People
March 1984