ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Gene Watson (6 songs)
This Palestine TX-native singer-guitarist 1st recorded for Tonka in 1965 & played for many years at Houston TX’s Dynasty Club. While some consider him a “1 hit wonder” due to only notching 1 chart topper, he had several memorable tunes.
#1
This song, his 2nd release, debuted 05/24/1975 & spent 19 weeks on the charts, 2 of those at its peak of #3. It sparked a string of 3 straight Top 10s, followed by 1975’s “Where Love Begins” (#5) & 1976’s “You Could Know As Much About A Stranger” (#10).
#2
Debuting 01/29/1977, this song spent 17 weeks on the charts & peaked at #3 (3 weeks). His next 3 releases were in the Top 15: 1977’s “The Old Man & His Horn” (#11), 1977-8’s “I Don’t Need A Thing At All” (#8) & 1978’s “Cowboys Don’t Get Lucky All The Time” (#8).
#3
This song hit the airwaves 09/15/1979, spent 13 weeks on the charts & peaked at #3. It was the 4th of 5 straight Top 10s, preceded by 1978’s “1 Sided Conversation” (#8), 1979’s “Farewell Party” (#5), 1979’s “Pick The Wildwood Flower” (#5) & followed by 1980’s “Nothing Sure Looked Good On You” (#4).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tQz5JT7Hto
#4
This song debuted 10/03/1981, spent 10 weeks on the charts & claimed #1, his lone chart topper. Interestingly, it followed a stretch of 6 releases, none of which reached the Top 10, though 4 reached the Top 20. This single sparked a string of 8 straight Top 10s, followed by 1982’s “Speak Softly” (#9), 1982’s “This Dream’s On Me” (#8), 1982-3’s “What She Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Her” (#5) & 1983’s “You’re Out Doing What I’m Here Doing Without” (#2)
#5
Debuting 07/23/1983, this song spent 18 weeks on the charts & peaked at #9, becoming the 6th Top 10 in a streak of 8 straight. The last 2 songs in that stretch were 1983-4’s “Drinkin’ My Way Back Home” (#10) & 1984’s “Forever Again” (#10). That streak could’ve been to 10, but 1984’s “Little By Little” notched at #33, followed by 1984-5’s “Got No Reason Now For Goin’ Home” (#7).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF1mrVzmsv8
#6
After his 1st 2 releases in 1985 failed to crack the Top 20, this song hit the airwaves 10/19/1985, spent 21 weeks on the charts & peaked at #5 in early 1986. Of 14 releases 1986 to 1997, only 2 peaked in the Top 20: 1988-9’s “Don’t Waste It On The Blues” (#5) & 1989’s “Back In The Fire” (#20).