(CSC) 1. Thanks for the chat! Tell us about your brand new record “A Taste of the Truth.”

(Gene Watson)

I think it’s exactly as the title states; the new record is a real taste of the truth. In my book, country music is about real life. It’s about heartaches, loves won and lost and about what goes on in real life families.  I have always recorded traditional country music and I think we brought out the best of that in this new record.

(CSC) 2. The album features a pleasing cast of superstar artists such as Trace Adkins, Alison Krauss and Rhonda Vincent. How has each one of them brought forth their individual talent to the record and what did you enjoy most about working with them?

(Gene Watson)

It was a real honor to work with each one of these great singers. Trace Adkins has been a friend for a long time and it just felt natural to ask him to join me on this particular song.  He came to the studio all by himself – no entourage- and stepped right up to the microphone and just nailed his part. In fact, he made it ten times better than we expected because he ad-libbed a few lines and it was just great.  His work was perfect in just one take so we just sat around and visited after that. With Alison Krauss, her voice is amazing and she’s so in demand these days that I was just knocked out that she came to the studio to be on my record. She’s a longtime friend of my producer, Dirk Johnson, and he let her choose the song she wanted to sing.  She chose one of my favorites and just made it even better. I really love what she added to it. With Rhonda Vincent, we met because she sang on my last record and we became friends after that, doing a few shows together.  There aren’t enough good words to say what I think about her and her talent. She just has one of those super amazing voices and our voice blend so well.  On this album, we didn’t give her much notice that we needed her in the studio. She was just arriving in Nashville but because she’s as special as she is, she just jumped off the bus and arrived looking camera ready and just knocked her part out beautifully.  Because we both think our voices blend in a special way, we’re going to do some shows together in 2010 and we have several already booked.  We’re doing a cruise on the Carnival Freedom February 13-20 so hope the fans can join us.

(CSC) 3. Growing up in Texas you performed quite often in churches with your family, what did you learn from that experience spiritually and musically?

(Gene Watson)

Well honestly I never gave singing in general too much thought because my entire family sang and so I didn’t realize it was as special as I realize it is today.  Of course I always enjoyed singing in church and we were a very church oriented family. It was always a pleasure to be asked to sing there.

(CSC) 4. Having a varied interest in different genres of music, who are some of the artists that you attribute to influencing your sound?

(Gene Watson)

Well certainly Ray Price and Merle Haggard.  My father listed to the Blues a lot when I was young so I’ve always enjoyed that too.

(CSC) 5. What can you recall from the night that you first met The Wilburn Brothers at your show in Houston, TX?

(Gene Watson)

Well I was real honored that they had come to see me perform. I had always admired them a lot.   Then they asked me to go along with them to Nashville and of course I took that opportunity since I had never been there.  I was just overwhelmed when they arranged for me to get a performance slot on the Opry which back then was at the Ryman.  You talk about shaking… I felt like I had rubber band legs and I don’t know how I sang but I guess I was okay because they gave me a standing ovation.

(CSC) 6. When did you feel that you had really made it in the business?

(Gene Watson)

Well for me, having sung around Houston for awhile in the local clubs, just having that very first national record contract with Capitol Records was big time to me.

(CSC) 7. What is your all time favorite song from the period that you were on Capitol Records?

(Gene Watson)

It’s always hard to pick a favorite because the songs are like your children but “Farewell Party” is by far my most requested song so I appreciate that one and then “Love In The Hot Afternoon” was my very first nationally released single so that’s pretty special too.

(CSC) 8. Why is it important to you as an artist to stay true to traditional country music and the way that it is produced in the studio?

(Gene Watson)

It’s the kind of music I like and I know there’s a whole lot of music fans that appreciate traditional country too.  We record songs that are pitched to all the current acts so I know the songs themselves are “modern” but when I finish it, it’s got that real traditional touch to it.   I like to record with all the musicians in the studio which is not how it’s done today.  But when the musicians are there, I try my hardest to do my very best and the musicians tell me they do the same.  Plus we’re making art together and not having just a bit thrown in here and there to be mixed by an engineer. 

(CSC) 9. Being a fellow Texan, what are you most proud of about your state and its rich history?

(Gene Watson)  

There are a lot of great country musicians, songwriters and singers from Texas and I’m always proud to say I hail from Texas. 

(CSC) 10.  Outside of performing music, what do you enjoy doing most on your leisure time?

(Gene Watson)

I like to golf and of course my fans know that I like to work on cars and trucks. I’m also a fan of professional football as well as Nascar and drag racing. (That car thing again).

(CSC) 11. What would you like to share with your fans that have followed you from day one?

(Gene Watson)

Well I have always said my fans are the greatest in the world.  When I record, I keep them in my mind because the fans mean so much to me.  When I occasionally add a cover song to my live show, the fans will let me know if they really like a particular song so then I always try to record that when I can, sort of as a gift to them.

(CSC) 12. Moving forward, what can music fans expect next from you?

(Gene Watson)

I’m going to continue recording that’s for sure.  I’m always looking out for new songs so there will definitely be more albums in my future and of course I will continue to tour.  

For more on Gene Watson: http://www.genewatsonmusic.com/