It is difficult to imagine the world of country music without the influence and impact Gene Watson has had on it. His ability to deliver powerful vocal performances and draw emotion from his selected material made him one of the most revered country artists throughout the decades.
As the ’80s came to a close, he never stopped working, despite his star fading. While remaining true to his Texas roots he continued to record and perform.
There are some facts about GeneWatson.
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The country singer was born on October 11, 1943, and is one of seven siblings. They lived in an old school bus that was converted into living quarters and transportation from job to job. They resided in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
The country singer noted that they were a happy family, even though he had to work from the time he was six.
2. He grew up in a close-knit musical family.
He said that he could remember singing and talking back then.
The family members enjoyed singing in the local Pentecostal Church as well as with each other for their own pure pleasure. His father played music that led to his love for music.
3. He always wanted to work on cars.
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When he was hired to pick up scrap metal at a car junkyard, his love for cars and trucks began. He did auto body repairs for his family.
The Wilburn Brothers invited him to go with them after they heard him sing at the nightclub. He did a couple of shows in Nashville and North Carolina.
On the Grand Ole Opry, he received a standing ovation for his performance of Hank Williams’ “I Can’t Help It if I’m Still in Love With You” and “It is No Secret What God Can Do.”
The singer said that he learned how to take care of it. He admitted to drinking a lot and smoking a lot but gave up all that.
6. He was diagnosed with cancer.
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In 2000 he was diagnosed with colon cancer and underwent surgery and treatment. He didn’t have insurance so he had to work. He kept going on the road and re- recorded some of his hits. The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame inducted him two years later.
he is one of a kind. His absence from the genre would leave a gaping hole in your heart, and you will feel that when you look at his songs recorded since the early 1960s. Other artists could have recorded these country classics, but never with the same power and intensity thatWatson has given them.
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