Gene Watson

Hi Friends-   Tomorrow is December 1st and it seems like this year has flown by.  We’ve been busy on the road and in the studio and having a great time with it all.  This week I’ve been in Nashville for meetings about my upcoming album which will come out in February.  Last night’s Opry show was particularly fun.   It was a real honor to be on the last hour with the great songwriter, Jimmy Webb (who wrote so many of the Glen Campbell classics) and also with the amazing Norah Jones and her band , Little Willies . Norah’s 2002 album “Come Away With Me” sold over 20 million copies and she won five Grammys the year it released including Album of the Year.  I had never heard her in concert but hearing her last night I get why she has received so many awards.  She has a beautiful voice and  I appreciated that she came on the stage of the Ryman and did seriously old country songs. They may have been updated in her unique style but those songs were probably 40 years old.   For my part, I performed the only Christmas song I’ve ever recorded, “Pretty Paper”.  You know I think the only time I’ve performed that song might have been in Canada a year ago .  Hope it came over okay but I’ve always liked that song. Willie Nelson wrote it and his version is killer.  I’ve also heard it by Roy Orbison and of course anything Roy sang was phenomenal.  That song is on a multi-artist album we all did a few years back called Still Believing In Christmas.      In other news, Rhonda and I are doing a show December 9th in Wickenburg, AZ  and I’ll be in Ft. Smith, Arkansas at the Breeden Dodge dealership on December 17th from 11AM – 1PM. I’ll  be there to take photos, sign autographs and have some fun with the fans.  The dealership will have tickets for sale for the  January 27th, Greenwood, AR show. Finally the Farewell Party Band and I will be at Coupland Dance Hall in Coupland,TX for New Year’s Eve. That’s going to be a good time.  Hope you can come out  and ring in the New Year with some real country music.      Take care and check back soon for more updates.  All the best to you, Gene

Hi Friends-  I’m rolling along in the bus headed towards NC  for our show tomorrow night in Taylorsville.  Lots of sunshine today and the hills of TN are in sight.  Just wanted to say thank you to all of you who’ve emailed and called about the song  I did recently on Country Family Reunion, “Climb Higher.”  As I mentioned on the show, that song was written by my cousin Bobbie Bost who has since passed away and I had two of my sisters , Virginia and Mary Lois, sing on it with me.  Mary Lois has since passed so that song is just really special to me. I guess it touched you too as I’ve heard many compliments and they are all appreciated.  That song is on my Gospel album, Jesus Is All I Need, and you can find it in our store on this site.  You’ve inspired me to consider doing another Gospel album next year so I’ll let you know if  that works out.  Right now I’m still finishing up the bits and pieces on my Greatest Hits and you know I’ll give you lots more information when that is ready to come out.  I’m super proud of this one and can’t wait for you to hear it.  The management team is saying it might be out in February .     We just took a New Year’s Eve show at Coupland Dance Hall in Texas. Haven’t done a New Year’s Eve show in awhile but should be a lot of fun so come join us in TX and then you can follow us on over to Hobbs, New Mexico for our show there New Year’s Day.  We’re planning to ring in 2012 with a bang!    Guess that’s about it for today –  oh , the manager says to remind you a newsletter will be out hopefully next week so be on the lookout for that.  Looking forward to seeing you at one of the shows,  Gene