Gene Watson: The Singer's Singer

AM:  Gene, your newest album, ‘My Heroes Have Always Been Country’ is just fantastic.  How did you come up with this idea to record these classic songs?

GW:  Well the hardest part was picking the songs I recorded. 

AM:  I bet!  There are so many good songs to choose from.

GW:  The object of this recording was to go back and let people know who Gene Watson is, where he came from and why.  I thought what better way than to go back and record some of my favorite songs that were recorded by my favorite artists.  I used to sing these songs back in the day so I could get local bookings.  I never dreamed I’d be an artist at that time.  I would use these songs in all the places I would play.  These songs were recorded by my heroes.  Most of them aren’t even here now.

AM:  Who are some of the artists you covered?

GW:  I covered Marty Robbins, Ray Price, George Jones, Dottie West and Lefty Frizzell.  Like I said, these people are my heroes so if people hear this CD and can’t figure out where I came from, there’s no need in me preaching to them.  These are the songs that made me who I am and this is what keeps me going.  This is the reason I have sustained for fifty-two years.  I don’t want to change too much because something is gotta be going right. 

AM:  I encourage you to keep going.  I’d love a new album of classic covers at least once a year.

GW:  It’s so much fun.  I didn’t think about it at the time, but these are the only sessions that I can ever remember doing, where I didn’t need a lyric sheet in the studio.  I walked in the studio and just sang them right off the top of my head.  I had never sung the Dottie West song, ‘Here Comes My Baby’ in my life.  I thought Dottie West was just fantastic and when she got through, the song had been sung.  All I can do now is let them hear me sing it, which is what I had in mind when I recorded it.

AM:  You also covered another song a few years ago that is hard to cover and that’s Etta James version of ‘At Last.’  You made it yours!

GW:  I think that comes from the love of a song.  I’ve always been privileged and honored to be able to pick and choose the songs I wanted to record.  I’ve always had final say.  I picked that song because I love Etta’s version.  People always ask me what my favorite song is and that’s impossible for me to answer.  I saw something in every song I have ever recorded.  I have never recorded a song that I didn’t think was capable of being a single. 

AM:  I like the songs you sing that have a dark humor to them.  Is that part of you?

GW:  I think so.  A lot of people think that I am an outgoing guy and really I’m not.  The older I get, the more laid back I get, but when I get on stage all that reverses.  I have a great time on stage.  I play off the crowd and I don’t plan a show.  The band has to pay attention to what I say because that’s the only intro they are going to get to these songs.  The crowd helps me more than anything in the world. 

AM:  So your show is completely spontaneous.

GW:  Oh yes.  I’ll start telling a story and the band picks up on it just like that. 

AM:  That keeps it very fresh for you.

GW:  I have to do it that way.  I’ve worked with so many artists that have a planned set and they do it night after night after night.  It gets to be trying on your nerves just doing the same songs for fifty years, but if I can play it loose and do the requests off the top of my head it keeps it fresh for me and the audience.  I decide when is the right time to do a certain song during each show. 

AM:  Do you still get a chance to work on cars?

GW:  (laughing)  I love cars and I’ve got too many.  I love to dabble around with cars, but as far as heavy work, no I don’t have the time.  I’ve dedicated the rest of my road time to the singing business and I’m trying to hang in there as long as I can.  I said this a long time ago and I meant it.  I hope the good Lord grants me the wisdom to hang it up when it’s the right time.  When I can’t walk out there and do it the way I think it should be done then it’s time for me to pack it up and there will be plenty of time to play with cars. 

AM:  How do you maintain your voice?

GW:  I try to get as much rest as I can.  That’s one of the most important things about me maintaining.  When I first started I used to drink and smoke like a freight train.  I haven’t had a drink in 34 years and I haven’t smoked in 24 years.  I’ve really dedicated myself to taking care of my throat.  It’s all I’ve got as far as the music business goes.  When I get through performing I am tired.  I’m older now and been in the business so long so when I get through I like to sit back, relax and get as much sleep as I can.  To me, that’s the key, when I get tired my voice is the first thing to go.  The good Lord blessed me with a voice and I try to take care of it the best I can.  He can take it away anytime he wants to. 

AM:  You also did another difficult thing by re-recording 25 of your best songs a couple years ago.  I’ve heard many artists re-record songs and they didn’t turn out as good, but you changed that concept for me by doing such a phenomenal job.

GW:  That was probably the hardest undertaking I ever went through.  I was real meticulous about it.  My producer, Dirk Johnson and I went back and got every one of the original cuts and took them to the studio.  I re-recorded them all in the same key and tempo.  I tried to create the same feeling.  Some of the players from the originals are playing on the new recordings.  If there was a thought in my mind that it wasn’t as good, I’d go back and play the original and refer back to that.  I had to do that a few times because over the years you evolve and change some things.  We tried to double track the originals as close as they could be.  I’ll say this, I think I did a better job on some of them.  It pushed me, but I wanted to do it so much.  I’m like you, I don’t like covers because they are always lacking. 

AM:  You changed the rules because your covers are not lacking.  Did it take longer than normal to get the recording finished?

GW:  It was more strenuous on me because of myself.  I wanted to get it just like the original. I don’t normally spend a lot of time in the studio.  If a song is for me, I’ll hit it quick.  If I have to work on it, I’ll throw it out. 

AM:  You recorded the last album live with the band didn’t you?

GW:  Oh yes, all my albums are recorded live with the band.  That’s the only way I’ll do it.  I play off that band, even in the studio.  When they hit a lick that turns me on it makes me want to sing that much better and when I sing better they play better.  It’s the only way to do it.