‘Memories To Burn & Starting New Memories’
Hux Records HUX124 (2011)
Gene Watson’s ‘Memories To Burn & Starting New Memories’ (Hux Records, 2011) (2-for-1) was released by Hux Records (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) on Monday 9 May 2011; the 2-for-1 CD set was released worldwide on Tuesday 17 May 2011.
This special CD brings together two pivotal albums from Gene Watson’s brief, but extraordinary time, with Epic Records; ‘Memories to Burn‘ (Epic Records, 1985) and ‘Starting New Memories‘ (Epic Records, 1986).
Gene Watson’s ‘Memories To Burn & Starting New Memories’ (Hux Records, 2011) (2-on-1) discography information is presented on the Gene Watson Fan Site for educational purposes only and no infringement of copyright is intended.
‘Memories To Burn & Starting New Memories’
Hux Records HUX124 (2011)
Sleeve Notes
Alan Cackett (Editor: 2002 – 2013) of the United Kingdom’s Maverick Country Magazine
‘Gene Watson is one of country music’s all-time finest singers and performers, right up there with George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013), Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 – Tuesday 28 April 2009), Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016), Charley Pride (Friday 18 March 1934 – Saturday 12 December 2020), Alan Jackson and George Strait as a classic interpreter of traditional country music.
There was a time, some twenty-five years ago, when Gene was the lone torch carrier for solid traditional Texas honky-tonk music. While other artists were drowning the music in lavish strings and getting all dressed up like Urban Cowboys, he was quietly going about his business of performing the real thing.
Born in Palestine, Texas, on October 11, 1943, Gene is one of seven children of a sawmill worker and crop picker.
He was raised in Paris, Texas in a musical family and played his first professional gig at the age of 13. He quit school in the 9th grade to help support his family and married his wife, Mattie Louise, at age 17.
In 1963, he moved to Houston where he found daytime employment in car engine and bodywork repairs. During the evenings, his vocal style, with its slight nasal sound in the best country tradition, made him a very popular honky-tonk singer around the local clubs.
He recorded for several small independent labels including Reeder (whose owner Russ Reeder went on to become his manager and producer), Wide World and Stoneway, before joining the Resco label in 1974. This resulted in his first bona fide country hit with the steamy, ‘Love in The Hot Afternoon‘, the following year.
When Capitol Records picked him up in 1975, he gained more nationwide attention with ‘Where Love Begins’ and ‘You Could Know As Much About A Stranger’. But those Top 10 singles didn’t fill the four hours per night he performed in clubs. He used a host of songs others made popular and put his own twist on them.
The strength and indeed the justification of an interpretative performer is twofold; firstly, can he impress upon or draw out a new range of meaning and possibilities from any given song; secondly, does he have a personality as an artist that runs through and transcends the chosen material. On both counts, Gene Watson has always succeeded supremely well, redefining the songs he selects. It’s not something all singers are able to do.
‘My singing comes from reaching down and doing it my way’, Gene says. ‘I sing a song because I love the song. I love the song so much I feel I need to let the audience enjoy it, but I still put the Gene Watson stamp on it’.
One of the most pleasing developments in country music in the mid-1970s was the appearance of traditional-sounding country singers who didn’t feel bound to prove themselves by writing their own material. Three singers that emerged in this guise that always spring to mind for the care with which they chose their material and the individuality which they brought to it and the success of their achievements were Moe Bandy, Mel McDaniel (Sunday 6 September 1942 – Thursday 31 March 2011), and Gene Watson.
Once Gene had joined the major label merry-go-round, the honky-tonk inspired traditionalist proved to be a quiet, but consistent hit-maker. He scored top ten hits with such classics as ‘Paper Rosie’, ‘I Don’t Need A Thing At All’, ‘One Sided Conversation’, ‘Pick The Wildwood Flower’ (a song he says is as biographical as any of his tunes gets), ‘Nothing Sure Looked Good On You’, ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’ (his 1982 chart topper) and a revival of ‘Farewell Party’ (his signature tune and the name of his road band).
It would be easy to take the man and his music for granted, but that is the kind of injustice this Texas balladeer has suffered throughout his career.
Every single he released in his heyday should have been a top ten hit, but in reality, such bona fide classics as ‘Maybe I Should Have Been Listening’, ‘Bedroom Ballad’, ‘One Hell of A Heartache’, ‘Carmen’, ‘Honky Tonk Crazy’ and ‘You Can’t Take It With You When You Go’, were shunned by country radio and were quite lowly chart entries.
Throughout his career, his album sales have been steady, rather than spectacular. There are no gold or platinum discs sitting on the Watson mantelpiece, but plenty of glowing endorsements from press and fans alike.
Over the years, Gene Watson has released the kind of classic country albums that put today’s greats such as Alan Jackson and George Strait in the shade, and are easily the equal of anything George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) and Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016) have released. What he has always lacked has been the kind of aggressive management team to shake things up, along with his own laidback, quiet approach that hardly makes headline news.
But Gene has survived enough fads to know not to follow them. ‘Oh, man, I’ve come through everything – the pop-country thing, the rhinestone cowboys, the Outlaw movement’, he declares. ‘But I never altered my style. I just sing good country music and try to give fans their money’s worth’.
There are people who sing songs…and then there are singers’ singers. Gene Watson is in that elite class. He not only possesses a potent set of pipes, but an unerring song sense. Songs that he originally recorded many years ago as album tracks have since resurfaced as hits for others, songs such as ‘Cold Day In July’ (1980), ‘The Note’ (1985) and ‘The Great Divide’ (1989).
In 1981, after moving from Capitol to MCA Records, his recording of ‘Fourteen Carat Mind’ gave him his first US country No.1. This was his most consistent period with a run of eight consecutive top ten hits, including such classic traditional country numbers as ‘Speak Softly (You’re Talking To My Heart)’, ‘You’re Out Doing What I’m Here Doing Without’ and ‘What She Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Her’.
When his contract with MCA Records ran its course in 1985, Gene Watson moved over to Epic Records and with his second single, ‘Memories To Burn’, he was back in the top ten.
Now the first two albums he recorded for Epic, ‘Memories to Burn‘ (1985) and ‘Starting New Memories‘ (1986) have been made available on CD.
Both albums were co-produced by Gene Watson and Larry Booth and feature his then current Farewell Party Band members augmented by top Nashville session players and backing vocalists.
Both albums are well within the mainstream of Nashville’s music. But Watson has the ability to transcend that cloying sentimentality which so often seems to be endemic to country music.
The best known song to British country music fans on ‘Memories to Burn‘ is without doubt ‘Carmen’, a hauntingly beautiful Mexican-flavoured tune with a sweeping, waltz-like rhythm and agile Spanish guitar strumming. Over the years, this song has become a staple for many of the country bands that tread the boards of the British country music clubs, but none of those versions come close to matching the Watson original.
At the last count, I had eight different versions of ‘The Note’, but the definitive one remains this one by Gene Watson. Hearing it again after all these years, it’s an instant reminder of the depth, strength and power of his timeless voice – a stone country voice that does justice to the lyric as pain turns to resignation.
Canadian Dallas Harms (Thursday 18 July 1935 – Saturday 12 October 2019), who provided Gene with ‘Paper Rosie’, ‘The Old Man & His Horn’ and ‘Mama Sold Roses’, contributed ‘Get Along Little Doggie’, a more light-hearted song, but it’s the sad ballads of heartache, rejection and regret that are Gene Watson’s forte and this collection is full of them.
Gene had long been a big fan of Marty Robbins (Saturday 26 September 1925 – Wednesday 8 December 1982). Early in his career, he recorded a superb version of Marty’s ‘You Gave Me A Mountain’ and the opening song of ‘Starting New Memories‘ is ‘Completely Out of Love’, a more recent Robbins song. The fact Gene was able to bring a new depth of meaning to this song speaks volumes about his talent.
Marty Robbins (Saturday 26 September 1925 – Wednesday 8 December 1982) recorded ‘You Gave Me A Mountain’ and included the track on ‘It’s A Sin’ (Columbia Records, 1969).
Marty Robbins (Saturday 26 September 1925 – Wednesday 8 December 1982) recorded ‘Completely Out of Love’ (written by Marty Robbins) and included the track on ‘Everything I’ve Always Wanted’ (Columbia Records, 1981).
Even more impressive is ‘Bottle of Tears’, possibly the most soulful and emotional performance I’ve ever heard by him. He effects a personal influence on the Joe Allen composition as he has done on previous albums.
In addition to the tunes mentioned, I could not pass by his lyrical and lilting interpretation of Keith Stegall and Charlie Craig‘s ‘Atlanta Anymore’, his gently moody version of ‘Take It From Me’ or the sensitive ‘Everything I Used To Do’.
Gene Watson’s sexy tenor remains one of country music’s finest voices. Today’s country music needs to embrace this. Why? Because – unlike Strait, McGraw, Jackson and Chesney – this is music of the soul, not the wallet. A true musician does not care about how much money they make, they want a gig and a guitar.
He compares himself to an old-fashioned doctor, who was always on call. He and his Farewell Party Band pack up and go without much notice. ‘We work the year round, whenever people want us. We try to be there, unless I get too tired or too beat up’, he says.
A somewhat quietly spoken Texan, he is not one to roll off a list of his achievements. He’s never had ambitions to be a big superstar and he gets quite embarrassed when his fans or peers pay him compliments.
He is genuinely humbled that singers like Vince Gill, Mark Chesnutt, Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack all cite him as a major influence. ‘It’s a huge thing in my music career and to have someone touched so strongly by my music makes me feel awfully good’, he says.
‘I’m thrilled and flattered for all the compliments I get from everybody but I don’t do compliments that well. But actually it’s fun for me to sing and it’s really not that much effort. I sing from my heart and what I do is invariably sing songs the way I feel them and hopefully the way they turn out is good and I’m grateful for all the accolades’.
‘Memories To Burn & Starting New Memories’
Hux Records HUX124 (2011)
Sleeve Notes
Alan Cackett (Editor: 2002 – 2013) of the United Kingdom’s Maverick Country Magazine
Hux Records thanks: Gene Watson, Sean Brady, Grant McLennan, Alan Cackett and Dave Barnes
This compilation © 2011 Hux Records Ltd
All tracks licensed courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
Overview
‘The albums are presented as a special 2-for-1 single CD set, complete with comprehensive liner notes, the original artwork from the vinyl releases and full track details.
The original ‘Memories to Burn‘ album (Epic Records BFE 40076, 1985) was produced and mixed by Gene Watson & Larry Booth in 1985 at the Hilltop Studio in Nashville and the Recording Engineer was Randy Best.
The original ‘Starting New Memories‘ album (Epic Records FE-40306, 1986) was produced and mixed by Gene Watson & Larry Booth in 1986 at the Hilltop Studio in Nashville and the Recording Engineer was Randy Best.
‘Memories To Burn & Starting New Memories’
Hux Records HUX124 (2011)
1 ‘Memories To Burn’
Writers: Warren D. Robb and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004)
Publishers: BMI / ASCAP
Leona Williams recorded ‘Memories To Burn’, which was written by Warren D. Robb and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004), and included the track on ‘Honorary Texan’ (Heart of Texas Records, 2003).
Gene Watson re-recorded ‘Memories To Burn’, which was written by Warren D. Robb and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004) and included the track on ‘Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).
Teea Goans recorded ‘Memories To Burn’, which was written by Warren D. Robb and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004), and included the track on ‘Memories To Burn’ (Crosswind Corporation, 2015).
2 ‘The Note’
Writers: Buck Moore (Wednesday 3 January 1934 – Tuesday 10 September 2013) and Michelle Ray
Publishers: Sixteen Stars Music / BMI
Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded ‘The Note’, which was written by Buck Moore (Wednesday 3 January 1934 – Tuesday 10 September 2013) and Michelle Ray, and included the track on ‘Don’t Call Him A Cowboy’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1985).
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998) recorded ‘The Note’, which was written by Buck Moore (Wednesday 3 January 1934 – Tuesday 10 September 2013) and Michelle Ray, and included the track on ‘Next to You’ (Epic Records, 1989).
Doug Supernaw (Monday 26 September 1960 – Friday 13 November 2020) recorded ‘The Note’, which was written by Buck Moore (Wednesday 3 January 1934 – Tuesday 10 September 2013) and Michelle Ray, and included the track on ‘You Still Got Me’ (Giant Records, 1995).
Daryle Singletary (Wednesday 10 March 1971 – Monday 12 February 2018) recorded ‘The Note’, which was written by Buck Moore (Wednesday 3 January 1934 – Tuesday 10 September 2013) and Michelle Ray, and included the track on ‘Ain’t It the Truth’ (Giant Records, 1998).
Daryle Singletary (Wednesday 10 March 1971 – Monday 12 February 2018) recorded ‘The Note’, which was written by Buck Moore (Wednesday 3 January 1934 – Tuesday 10 September 2013) and Michelle Ray, and included the track on ‘Now & Again’ (Audium Records / Koch Records, 2000).
3 ‘Cold Summer Day In Georgia’
Writers: Dennis Knutson (Tuesday 3 November 1942 – Monday 27 August 2018) and Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999)
Publishers: BMI / ASCAP
‘Cold Summer Day In Georgia’, which was written by Dennis Knutson (Tuesday 3 November 1942 – Monday 27 August 2018) and Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999), was included, for the first time on CD, on Gene Watson’s ‘Ultimate Collection‘ (Universal / Hip-O Records, 2001).
‘Cold Summer Day In Georgia’, which was written by Dennis Knutson (Tuesday 3 November 1942 – Monday 27 August 2018) and Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999), featured backing vocals from Leona Williams, who became the third wife of Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 – Wednesday 6 April 2016) on Saturday 7 October 1978, along with exquisite guitar work from Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004).
Dave Kirby passed away on Saturday 17 April 2004 – he was 63 years old.
Dave Kirby, who was a native of Brady in Texas, where he was born on Sunday 10 July 1938, was a masterful songwriter and had the privilege of having twenty-three of his compositions recorded by Gene Watson.
• Enjoy a celebration of Dave Kirby‘s life and country music achievements
(thanks to Tracy Pitcox, Heart of Texas Records, Brady, Texas)
IIIrd Tyme Out recorded ‘Cold Summer Day In Georgia’, which was written by Dennis Knutson (Tuesday 3 November 1942 – Monday 27 August 2018) and Arthur Leo ‘Doodle’ Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 – Monday 4 October 1999), and included the track on ‘John & Mary’ (Rounder Records, 1999).
4 ‘If I Painted A Picture’
Writers: L. Williams and C. Browder
Publishers: BMI / ASCAP
5 ‘I Want My Rib Back’
Writers: Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Fred Koller
Publishers: BMI
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded ‘I Want My Rib Back’, which was co-written by Keith Whitley and Fred Koller, in the early 1980s.
However, ‘I Want My Rib Back’ did not see the light of day until after Keith Whitley’s death, on Tuesday 9 May 1989, when it was included on Keith Whitley’s ‘Kentucky Bluebird’ (RCA Records, 1991).
Kenny Chesney recorded ‘I Want My Rib Back’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Fred Koller, and included the track on ‘In My Wildest Dreams’ (Capricorn Records, 1994).
Charlie Sizemore recorded ‘I Want My Rib Back’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Fred Koller, and included the track on ‘In My View’ (Rebel Records, 1996).
On the album notes for ‘In My View’ (Rebel Records, 1996), Charlie Sizemore stated that he learned ‘I Want My Rib Back’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Fred Koller, from Gene Watson’s version, which was included on ‘Memories to Burn‘ (Epic Records, 1985).
Odd Jarle Hanssen recorded ‘I Want My Rib Back’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Fred Koller, and included the track on ‘On Fire’ (Odd Jarle Hanssen Music, 2014).
6 ‘Carmen’
Writer: Steve Spurgin
Publishers: BMI
Gene Watson re-recorded ‘Carmen’ (written by Steve Spurgin) and included the track on ‘Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits‘ (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).
7 ‘Stranger In Our House Tonight’
Writer: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004)
Publishers: ASCAP
8 ‘The New York Times’
Writer: Obie Burnett McClinton (Thursday 25 April 1940 – Wednesday 25 September 1987)
Publishers: ASCAP
Obie Burnett McClinton (Thursday 25 April 1940 – Wednesday 25 September 1987) recorded ‘The New York Times’ (unsure of date of recording); the track was subsequently included on ‘Just For You’ (CBS Special Products, 1988).
• Enjoy a Celebration of Obie Burnett McClinton‘s life and contribution to country music
9 ‘Speak of The Devil’
Writer: J. Ewtah
Publishers: ASCAP
10 ‘Get Along Little Doggie’
Writers: Mark La Forme and Dallas Harms (Thursday 18 July 1935 – Saturday 12 October 2019)
Publishers: CAPAC/PRO-CAN
11 ‘Completely Out of Love’
Writer: Marty Robbins (Saturday 26 September 1925 – Wednesday 8 December 1982)
Publishers: BMI
Marty Robbins (Saturday 26 September 1925 – Wednesday 8 December 1982) recorded ‘Completely Out of Love’ (written by Marty Robbins) and included the track on ‘Everything I’ve Always Wanted’ (Columbia Records, 1981).
12 ‘Almost Like Having You Here’
Writers: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004) and Warren D. Robb
Publishers: ASCAP / BMI
13 ‘Take It From Me’
Writer: ‘Doc James’ Shapiro
Publishers: BMI
14 ‘Sittin’ On A Gold Mine’
Writer: B. Moore
Publishers: BMI
15 ‘Bottle of Tears’
Writers: Joe Allen, Jimmy Pasquale and D. Lay
Publishers: BMI / ASCAP
16 ‘Atlanta Anymore’
Writers: Charlie Craig (1938 – Friday 1 July 2011) and Keith Stegall
Publishers: BMI
17 ‘Starting New Memories Today’
Writers: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004) and Warren D. Robb
Publishers: ASCAP / BMI
18 ‘Everything I Used To Do’
Writer: Ernie Rowell
Publishers: ASCAP
‘Everything I Used To Do’ (written by Ernie Rowell) was also included on Gene Watson’s ‘Ultimate Collection‘ (Universal / Hip-O Records, 2001); this was the first time that the track was released on CD.
19 ‘I Saved Your Place’
Writer: Steve Spurgin
Publishers: BMI
20 ‘Rollin’ Home’
Writers: Keith Stegall and Brent Mason
Publishers: BMI / ASCAP
• Read a Country Music People review of ‘Memories to Burn & Starting New Memories‘ (Hux Records, 2011)
The review, which was written by Duncan Warwick, was published in the June 2011 issue of the United Kingdom monthly publication Country Music People.
‘Memories to Burn & Starting New Memories’
Hux Records HUX124 (2011)
Musician Credits on the original ‘Memories to Burn‘ (Epic Records, BFE 40076, 1985)
Gene Watson’s Farewell Party Band
Bass: Tony Booth
Steel Guitar: Chris ‘Tiny’ Olson
Lead Guitar: Daniel (Danny) T. Rainwater (passed away on Friday 28 December 2018)
Lead and Rhythm Guitar: Norman Richard ‘Norm’ Kastner (‘Cass’) (Sunday 2 September 1945 – Wednesday 18 July 2012)
Rhythm Guitar: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 – Saturday 17 April 2004)
Piano: Joe Eddie Gough (Friday 27 January 1939 – Friday 14 August 2009)
Drums: Doug Boggs
Fiddle: Hoot Hester (Monday 13 August 1931 – Tuesday 30 August 2016)
Background Vocals: Beckie Foster, Joy Gardner and Leona Williams
Musician Credits on the original ‘Starting New Memories‘ (Epic Records, FE-40306, 1986)
Gene Watson’s Farewell Party Band
Bass: Tony Booth
Steel Guitar: Chris ‘Tiny’ Olson
Lead Guitar: Daniel (Danny) T. Rainwater (passed away on Friday 28 December 2018)
Lead and Rhythm Guitar: Norman Richard ‘Norm’ Kastner (‘Cass’) (Sunday 2 September 1945 – Wednesday 18 July 2012)
Piano: Joe Eddie Gough (Friday 27 January 1939 – Friday 14 August 2009)
Drums: Doug Boggs
Fiddle: Hoot Hester (Monday 13 August 1931 – Tuesday 30 August 2016)
Background Vocals: Beckie Foster, Joy Gardner, Ron Drake and Al Henson
On Tuesday 3 December 2002, England’s Hux Records released Gene Watson’s ‘Love in The Hot Afternoon‘ (Capitol Records, 1975), along with Gene Watson’s ‘Paper Rosie‘ (Capitol Records, 1977), as a special 2-for-1 CD set.
On Monday 26 September 2005, England’s Hux Records released Gene Watson’s ‘Because You Believed in Me‘ (Capitol Records, 1976), along with Gene Watson’s ‘Beautiful Country‘ (Capitol Records, 1978), as a special 2-for-1 CD set.
On Monday 27 January 2009, England’s Hux Records released Gene Watson’s ‘Reflections‘ (Capitol Records, 1978), along with Gene Watson’s ‘Should I Come Home‘ (Capitol Records, 1979), as a special 2-for-1 CD set.