"Gene Watson Delights Orange Blossom Opry"

By Scott Sexton

Gene Watson at the Orange Blossom Opry

Central Florida had a very rare treat when Country Music Legend, Gene Watson graced the stage of The Orange Blossom Opry.  It was a very exciting day; just knowing that the evening was going to contain some of the most heartfelt lyrics to ever come out of Nashville, yet even pulling into the parking lot proved that the whole area was just as excited as me.  It was practically a sold out show.  Upon entering the venue, everyone seemed eager to see Gene Watson.  Everyone was walking around, talking about his music and how his voice gets better with time.  Well, after the house band performed their portion, everyone flocked to their seats in order to be there the second he walked out on stage.

As soon as Gene Watson was announced, the fans went crazy and got on their feet.  He kicked the show off with a tune called, “Let Me Be The One To Say Goodbye.”  Folks, this song is Country.  Every lyric and every chord will bring chills down your spine.  As soon as he sang the first word, everyone knew they were in for the show of a lifetime. 

Moving things right along, the crowd was fortunate enough to hear a great tune called, “Where Love Begins.”  To say that this song is just as Country as the first one is an understatement.  Again, the steel guitar will grab your attention just as much as Gene’s unique vocal style. 

When “Love In The Hot Afternoon” started, it was hard not to jump and start clapping.  If you have never heard this tune, you have been missing out.  It is one thing to hear it on the radio or on a record, but to hear it live is something entirely different.  The title pretty well describes what it is about; yet hearing it all the way through will paint a picture for everyone listening.  This song alone is worth going out and buying every single Gene Watson albums that are out there. 

Another tune that has always been a part of my favorite top twenty Country songs of all times is “Pick The Wildwood Flower.”  This tune is full of influences and emotions.  When Gene sings it, the story comes to life.  It is about a man who was not cut out for hard work in the fields, he was meant to be an entertainer.  He goes out on his own in order to make music in all of the honky tonks and bars, yet at the end of the day, he remembers the simple things his mother used to tell him. 

“I Don’t Need Anything At All” and “Baby Me Baby” were great to hear live, but as soon as Gene started singing, “Got No Reason Now For Going Home,” the crowd went wild again.  As Gene mentioned before kicking it off, this was written by one of the best songwriters to ever pick up a pen, Johnny Russell.  Johnny knew how to write a Country song and having Gene singing it made it one of the best tunes to ever be recorded.  It is honky tonk at its finest.  Summing it up quickly, the song is about a man who’s been left by his other half.  Needless to say, he hits the bars after work because there isn’t anyone waiting for him when he gets home.

“Take Me As I Am Or Let Me Go” was great to hear.  Although it is not something you hear every day on the radio, it is something that everyone can relate to.  That’s what Country Music is all about.  Being able to listen to a song and saying, “Wow, I know what that feels like,” but let’s face it, every Gene Watson song it like that.

Knowing that the show was already into the latter half, it became bitter sweet knowing that this show wasn’t going to last all night.  Although it was a fantastic show, let’s face it, who wants something like this to end?  So, when Gene started singing “Paper Rosie,” it was easy to forget this troubled fact and go right back into the mind frame of great Country Music.  “Paper Rosie” was one of his biggest hits and is still one of his most requested.  It is a true “story song.”  It is about a man who is going about his business when he sees a woman selling paper roses.  Well, the song goes on to talk about many other things, but this gives you the idea.

Once “Paper Rosie” was finished, Gene started explaining that when he started climbing the charts early in his career, he started touring with Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty.  At this point, he only has three hits, so he started singing other tunes to fill up his time slot.  One of his favorites, he explained was “Today I Started Loving You Again.”  Sure, it is a little different than Merle Haggard’s version, yet Gene truly made it his very own.

Here recently, Gene released a new record with all brand new material called, “Taste Of The Truth.”  This album should be nominated for every single award at both the ACM’s and the CMA’s.  It is pure Country, pure heart, pure soul, and yes, pure Gene Watson.  When he started singing the title cut, several people in the audience stood up and started clapping.  Here you have this amazing legend who is still releasing great music, well into a time period that so many of his peers have been pushed aside.

By this point, the crowd was really enjoying the show, and Gene seemed to really be enjoying himself as well.  All of the sudden, the music started and he started singing, “I still recall the moment that I met you, standing out in front of Wilson’s Five and Dime,” the audience lost their minds.  It was so amazing to hear him sing “Fourteen Carat Mind” and it still get the reaction that it used to get.  Without rambling on forever, this was a real treat.

Bringing the show to an end, Gene started singing the biggest hit of his career, “Farewell Party.”  This song will leave you feeling so lonely, sad, and any other word that you can think of that describes “empty.”  It has to be one of the most heartbroken messages that have ever been recorded, which is why it is one of the greatest tunes to listen to.  All you have to do is close your eyes and absorb the entire message.  When Gene got to the final chorus, the fans hit their feet and never sat back down.  He puts so much emotion into every word, by the end; you may even have tears in your eyes.  Hopefully, if you have never seen Gene Watson, you will take every word of this review to heart and make sure to see him soon.  This legend is worth it.

Set List:

1. Let Me Be the One To Say Goodbye

2. Where Love Begins

3. Love In The Hot Afternoon

4. Pick The Wildwood Flower

5. I Don’t Need Anything At All

6. Baby Me Baby

7. Got No Reason Now For Going Home

8. Take Me As I Am Or Let Me Go

9. Paper Rosie

10. Today I Started Loving You Again

11. Taste Of The Truth

12. Fourteen Carat Mind

13. Farewell Party