'Gene Watson'
Wide World Records WWS-2002 (1969)
Stoneway Records STY-2002 (1973)

Gene Watson's self-titled debut album, 'Gene Watson' (Wide World Records, 1969), was released on the Houston, Texas based Wide World Records label in 1969.

'Gene Watson' (Wide World Records, 1969) was subsequently re-released on Stoneway Records in 1973.  Of the two versions of 'Gene Watson' released, the Wide World Records edition is considered to be the more collectable of the two.

'Gene Watson' (Wide World Records, 1969 / Stoneway Records, 1973) discography information is presented on the Gene Watson Fan Site for educational purposes only and no infringement of copyright is intended.

About 'Gene Watson'...

Album Sleeve Notes
'Here is Gene Watson's first album and I'm sure it will not be his last because he is certain to became a tremendous success in the very near future.

Having heard Gene Watson compared to so many singers by so many people, I found myself following the 'comparison' route, but concluding that he really shouldn't be compared to anyone because Gene's greatest asset is that he is just great being Gene Watson.

He is 'original'.  Gene's performances are professional, relaxed and confident.

He sings well under any circumstances, but he can really turn on the feeling and 'put it on the tape' when he is in the recording studio.

I have never heard Gene sing any song of any kind, poorly.  This album was recorded in the best studios in the nation with the finest musicians from Nashville and Houston and you will find Roy Stone's arrangements and production as versatile and refreshing as Gene's singing.

If you try it, you'll like it'.

Sincerely yours,
Russ Reeder
Record Service Company

'Gene Watson' (Wide World Records, 1969 / Stoneway Records, 1973) was produced by Roy M Stone.

'Gene Watson'
Wide World Records WWS2002 (1969)
Stoneway Records STY2002 (1973)

1 'If I'm A Fool For Leaving'
Writers: Skip Graves and Little Jimmy Dickens (Sunday 19 December 1920 - Friday 2 January 2015)
Publishers: Cedarwood / BMI



'If I'm A Fool For Leaving', which was written by Skip Graves and Little Jimmy Dickens (Sunday 19 December 1920 - Friday 2 January 2015), was also included on Gene Watson's 'Because You Believed in Me' (Capitol Records, 1976).



On Monday 26 September 2005, England's Hux Records released 'Because You Believed in Me' (Capitol Records, 1976), along with 'Beautiful Country' (Capitol Records, 1977), as a special '2-for-1' CD set.



Gene Watson re-recorded 'If I'm A Fool For Leaving', which was written by Skip Graves and Little Jimmy Dickens (Sunday 19 December 1920 - Friday 2 January 2015), and included the track on 'Gene Watson...Then & Now' (Koch Records Nashville, 2005).

2 'It's Just A Matter of Time'
Writers: Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977)
Publishers: Eden Music / BMI



Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'It's Just A Matter of Time' (Mercury Records, 1959); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1959, sold over one million copies and was awarded a 'Gold' disc by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Brook Benton's recording of 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), also reached No.2 on the Cashbox Magazine Chart in 1959, and No.1 on the Hot R&B Chart in 1959.



Tom Jones recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'Along Came Jones' (Decca Records, 1965).



Sonny James (Wednesday 1 May 1929 - Monday 22 February 2016) recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'It's Just A Matter of Time' (Capitol Records, 1970); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for four weeks in February / March 1970.



Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'Tammy's Touch' (Epic Records, 1970).



David Rogers (Friday 27 March 1936 - Tuesday 10 August 1993) recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'A World Called You' (Columbia Records, 1970).



David Rogers (Friday 27 March 1936 - Tuesday 10 August 1993) recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'Need You' (Columbia Records, 1972).



Glen Campbell (Wednesday 22 April 1936 - Tuesday 8 August 2017) recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'It's Just A Matter of Time' (Atlantic Records, 1985); the track reached No.7 on the Billboard country music singles chart in October 1985.



Randy Travis recorded 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977), and included the track on 'No Holdin' Back' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in December 1989.

3 'I'll Feel Fine'
Writers: Gene Davenport and Arthur Moore
Publishers: Stoneway / BMI

4 'Walking Back To Birmingham'
Writers: Margie Singleton and Leon Ashley (Monday 18 May 1936 - Sunday 20 October 2013)
Publishers: Gallico / BMI



Leon Ashley (Monday 18 May 1936 - Sunday 20 October 2013) recorded 'Walking Back To Birmingham' (written by Margie Singleton and Leon Ashley) and included the track on 'The Best of Leon Ashley' (Ashley Records, 1970).

5 'I Feel A Sin Coming On'
Writers: Eddie McDuff (Thursday 20 June 1935 - Friday 3 May 1968) and Orville Couch (Thursday 21 February 1935 - Sunday 26 May 2002)
Publishers: Painted Desert / BMI



In a year unknown, Glen Harold Garrison recorded 'I Feel A Sin Coming On', which was written by Eddie McDuff (Thursday 20 June 1935 - Friday 3 May 1968) and Orville Couch (Thursday 21 February 1935 - Sunday 26 May 2002); the track was released as a non-album single on Kapp Records, with the track 'Burn Me Down' included as the 'b' side.

In 1969, Gene Watson saw the release, on Wide World Records, of 'Lie To Me', a non-album single, which was written by Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Margie Singleton, the 'b' side of which was 'I Feel A Sin Coming On', which was written by Eddie McDuff (Thursday 20 June 1935 - Friday 3 May 1968) and Orville Couch (Thursday 21 February 1935 - Sunday 26 May 2002).



Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) recorded 'Lie To Me' (written by Brook Benton and Margie Singleton) and included the track on 'Singing The Blues' (Mercury Records, 1962); the track reached No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1962, No.10 on the Cash Box pop music singles chart in 1962, and No.3 on the Billboard R&B singles chart in 1962.

Gene Watson re-recorded 'Lie To Me', which was written by Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Margie Singleton, and included the track on 'Outside The Box' (Fourteen Carat Music, 2022).



6 'Listen, They're Playing My Song'
Writers: Glen Harold Garrison and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 - Thursday 15 October 1992)
Publishers: Central Songs / BMI



Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002) recorded 'Listen, They're Playing My Song', which was written by Glen Harold Garrison and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 - Thursday 15 October 1992), and included the track on 'The One & Only' (RCA Camden Records, 1967).



Glen Harold Garrison recorded 'Listen, They're Playing My Song', which was written by Glen Harold Garrison and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 - Thursday 15 October 1992), and included the track on 'Country, Country' (Imperial Records, 1967).



Jerry Lee Lewis recorded 'Listen, They're Playing My Song', which was written by Glen Harold Garrison and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 - Thursday 15 October 1992), and included the track on'She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left of Me)' (Smash Records, 1968).



Courtney Granger recorded 'Listen, They're Playing My Song', which was written by Glen Harold Garrison and Charlie Williams (Friday 20 December 1929 - Thursday 15 October 1992), and included the track on 'Beneath Still Waters' (Valcour Records, 2016).

7 'This Song Is Just For You'
Writers: Cecil R. 'Butterball' Harris and Perk Williams (Friday 19 November 1926 - Monday 3 January 1994)
Publishers: Central Songs / BMI



Hank Locklin (Friday 15 February 1918 - Sunday 8 March 2009) recorded 'This Song Is Just For You', which was written by Cecil R. 'Butterball' Harris and Perk Williams (Friday 19 November 1926 - Monday 3 January 1994), and included the track on 'This Song Is Just For You' (RCA Camden Records, 1963).

 

Sydney Devine (Thursday 11 January 1940 - Saturday 13 February 2021) recorded 'This Song Is Just For You', which was written by Cecil R. 'Butterball' Harris and Perk Williams (Friday 19 November 1926 - Monday 3 January 1994), and included the track on 'Sydney Devine Sings Your Favourite Country Songs' (Emerald Gem Records, 1970); the track was subsequently included on Sydney Devine's 'This Song Is Just For You' (Sunset Records, 1976).



Paul Schlesinger & His Knights of Texas Swing recorded 'This Song Is Just For You', which was written by Cecil R. 'Butterball' Harris and Perk Williams (Friday 19 November 1926 - Monday 3 January 1994), and included the track on 'Paul Schlesinger & His Knights of Texas Swing' (Paul Schlesinger & His Knights of Texas Swing Independent Release, 2016).

8 'When My Daddy Danced'
Writer: Eddie Noack (Tuesday 29 April 1930 - Sunday 5 February 1978)
Publishers: Raydee / SESAC



Jimmy Buckley recorded 'When My Daddy Danced', which was written by Eddie Noack (Tuesday 29 April 1930 - Sunday 5 February 1978), and included the track on 'Jimmy Buckley: Live In Concert' (DPTV Media, 2007).

9 'I'm Not Strong Enough'
Writer: John Pickering (Wednesday 8 March 1933 - Monday 28 February 2011)
Publishers: Stoneway / BMI



• Learn more about John Pickering (Wednesday 8 March 1933 - Monday 28 February 2011) at pickrecords.com

10 'Two Right People'
Writer: David Ingles
Publishers: David Ingles Music / SESAC

11 'My Eyes Are Jealous'
Writer: Jimmy Day (Tuesday 9 January 1934 - Friday 22 January 1999)
Publishers: Window Music / BMI



Little Jimmy Dickens (Sunday 19 December 1920 - Friday 2 January 2015) recorded 'My Eyes Are Jealous', which was written by Jimmy Day (Tuesday 9 January 1934 - Friday 22 January 1999), and included the track on 'May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose' (Columbia Records, 1965).

12 'Eli Funkelby'
Writers: Robert 'Bozo' Darnell (1927 - 1997) and Johnny Harlan
Publishers: Glad Music / BMI

• On Tuesday 13 March 2007, Robert 'Bozo' Darnell's son, Reuben Darnell, submitted a 'Peer's Quote' about Gene Watson.



On Wednesday 17 January 2018, Nick Chandler & Delivered saw the release of a single, 'Eli Funkelby' ('Groceries, Gas & Used Cars'), which was written by Robert 'Bozo' Darnell (1927 - 1997) and Johnny Harlan.

Known primarily as a Bluegrass / Gospel artist, 'Groceries, Gas & Used Cars' (Poor Mountain Records, 2018), was Nick Chandler's first secular release, and kicked off with a reworking of Gene Watson’s 'Eli Funkelby'; the album also included a version of Gene Watson's 'Paper Rosie', which was written by Dallas Harms (Thursday 18 July 1935 - Saturday 12 October 2019).

In March 2018, Poor Mountain Records released Nick Chandler & Delivered's 'Groceries, Gas & Used Cars' (Poor Mountain Records), as a full album project.

 

'Gene Watson'
Wide World Records WWS2002 (1969)
Stoneway Records STY2002 (1973)

Personnel involved in the recording of Gene Watson's 'Gene Watson' (Wide World Records, 1969 / Stoneway Records, 1973) included the following:

Jim Blackstock and Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins (Tuesday 18 January 1938 - Sunday 30 January 2022) (piano)
Fred Heine (steel guitar)
Danny Ross (acoustic guitar)
Buck Henson (bass)
Lee Harrison (drums)