Gene Watson's Peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and rightly so!

All of Gene Watson's Peers, who were contacted by The Gene Watson Fan Site, during 2017, were most gracious with their time and words.

It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Casey Kelly, which he submitted to this site on Monday 10 July 2017.

Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Casey Kelly who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.



 

Casey Kelly
This quote was submitted on Monday 10 July 2017.

'As Bob Regan said, I remember writing songs and thinking how great it would be if we could get Gene to sing them.

His classic country voice brought so much expression and feeling to what was, before that, just words and melody.

A truly great singer'

Thank you, Casey Kelly, for your support of Gene Watson.



About Casey Kelly...



Casey Kelly, who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a songwriter and musician.

Casey Kelly has written several Grammy-nominated songs and his many hits include four Billboard Top 10 country music hit singles:

• 'Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight', recorded by Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 - Friday 20 March 2020) & Dottie West (Tuesday 11 October 1932 - Wednesday 4 September 1991) (the track was Grammy-nominated)

• 'Soon', recorded by Tanya Tucker (this track was Grammy Award-nominated)

• 'Somewhere Down The Line', recorded by T.G. Sheppard

• 'The Cowboy Rides Away', recorded by George Strait

Casey Kelly works as a session player and singer and performs in clubs and at concerts for audiences throughout the United States and Europe.

A frequent mentor, panelist and workshop contributor, Casey Kelly is a member of ASCAP, NSAI, and The Songwriters Guild of America Board of Councilors.



In 2011, Casey Kelly saw the publication of 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Art of Songwriting', which was his first published book, and which was co-written with David Hodge.  This publication was Casey Kelly's first achievement as an author, in which he outlined, in detail, how he thought the songwriting process should go.

Casey Kelly began his career performing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a local group known as The Greek Fountains.  Casey then moved to New York City to work as a session musician and singer, songwriter, arranger, music publisher, record producer and record company executive.

Casey Kelly toured with Tom Rush, playing guitar, harmonica, and piano and then went to Los Angeles where he signed a recording deal with producer Joe Wissert through Warner Brothers Records.

After releasing a single at Warner Brothers Records, Casey Kelly moved to A&M Records and formed The Luziana Band which was recorded by Jim Hilton.

Casey Kelly's next record label deal was with Elektra Records, where he worked with producer Richard Sanford Orshoff, recording two nationally acclaimed LP's, 'Casey Kelly' and 'For Sale'.  Casey Kelly toured extensively opening shows and performing with various acts, including America and Frank Zappa.

Recruited by famous publisher and record producer Bob Montgomery (Wednesday 12 May 1937 - Thursday 4 December 2014), Casey Kelly moved to Nashville in 1978, where he has lived ever since, writing songs for many of the major publishers and artists.

In addition to his Billboard Top 10 country music hit singles, Casey Kelly also wrote 'That Road Not Taken', which was recorded by Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 - Sunday 29 March 2020), 'Only Game In Town', which was recorded by America, and 'Resign Yourself', which was recorded by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Casey Kelly also enjoyed a radio hit with his own song 'Poor Boy'.



B.W. Stevenson (Wednesday 5 October 1949 - Thursday 28 April 1988) recorded Casey Kelly's 'A Good Love Is Like A Good Song' and included the track on 'My Maria' (RCA Victor Records, 1973).



Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded Casey Kelly's 'Resign Yourself To Me' and included the track on 'Stars & Stripes Forever' (United Artists Records, 1974).



Helen Reddy (Saturday 25 October 1941 - Tuesday 29 September 2020) recorded Casey Kelly's 'Laissez Les Bontemps Rouler' (co-written with Julie Didier) and included the track on 'Ear Candy' (Capitol Records, 1977).



Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 - Friday 20 March 2020) recorded Casey Kelly's 'Let Me sing For You' (co-written with Julie Didier) and included the track on 'Daytime Friends' (United Artists Records, 1977).



Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 - Friday 20 March 2020) & Dottie West (Tuesday 11 October 1932 - Wednesday 4 September 1991) recorded Casey Kelly's 'Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight' (co-written with Julie Didier) and included the track on 'Every Time Two Fools Collide' (United Artists Records, 1978); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978.



Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded Casey Kelly's 'Escaping Reality' and included the track on 'The Dirt Band' (United Artists Records, 1978).



Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 - Tuesday 4 October 2022) recorded Casey Kelly's 'I'm Gonna Do Somebody Right' (co-written with Julie Didier) and included the track on 'Out of My Head & Back In My Bed' (MCA Records, 1978).



America recorded Casey Kelly's 'Only Game In Town' (co-written with Lewis Anderson and Julie Didier) and included the track on 'Silent Letter' (Capitol Records, 1979).



Charlie Rich (Wednesday 14 December 1932 - Tuesday 25 July 1995) recorded Casey Kelly's 'I Loved You All The Way' (co-written with Julie Didier) and included the track on 'The Fool Strikes Again' (United Artists Records, 1979).

 

Helen Reddy (Saturday 25 October 1941 - Tuesday 29 September 2020) recorded Casey Kelly's 'Take What You Find' (co-written with Julie Didier) and included the track on 'Take What You Find' (Capitol Records, 1980); this track was released as a single in 1980, but it did not chart.

A promotional-only, extended 12" disco edition of this track, was included on 'Rarities From The Capitol Vaults' (EMI Music Specal Markets, 2009).



T.G. Sheppard recorded Casey Kelly's 'Somewhere Down The Line' (co-written with Lewis Anderson) and included the track on 'Slow Burn' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1984.



George Strait recorded Casey Kelly's 'The Cowboy Rides Away' (co-written with Sonny Throckmorton) and included the track on 'Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind' (MCA Records, 1984); the track reached No.5 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1985.



Logue & McCool - Chris Logue and Pat McCool (Tuesday 14 October 1952 - Monday 18 October 2010) - recorded Casey Kelly's 'The Cowboy Rides Away' (co-written with Sonny Throckmorton) and included the track on 'Logue & McCool' (Harmac Records, 1988).



Tanya Tucker recorded Casey Kelly's 'Soon' (co-written with Bob Regan) and included the track on 'Soon' (Liberty Records, 1993); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1993.



Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 - Sunday 29 March 2020) recorded Casey Kelly's 'That Road Not Taken' (co-written with Deborah Beasley) and included the track on 'Third Rock From The Sun' (Epic Records, 1994); the track reached No.40 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1994.

Over the years, Casey Kelly has seen the release of a number of his own albums; 'Casey Kelly' (Elektra Records, 1972), 'For Sale' (Elektra Records, 1974) and 'Himownself: The Hits' (Casey Kelly Music, 1995).



In 1972, Casey Kelly saw the release of 'Casey Kelly' (Elektra Records, 1972), which included the following tracks:

'Silver Meteor'
'Making Believe'
'Run Away'
'Poor Boy'
'For Miss Julie'
'A Good Love Is Like A Good Song'
'You Can't Get There From Here'
'Escaping Reality' (written by Casey Kelly)
'Resign Yourself'
'Visiting An Old Friend'



In 1974, Casey Kelly saw the release of 'For Sale' (Elektra Records, 1974), which included the following tracks:

'Just Enjoy All You Can Stand'
'Bayou Country'
'All I Could Do'
'Airport Song'
'Reach Out For Me'
'It's Too Late To Change What's Happened'
'I Wish I Knew'
'Honey, Wait For Me'
'Sometimes I Think I Love You More'
'And I'm Home'



In 1995, Casey Kelly saw the release of 'Himownself: The Hits' (Casey Kelly Music, 1995), which included the following tracks:

'Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight' (written by Casey Kelly and Julie Didier)
'The Cowboy Rides Away' (written by Casey Kelly and Sonny Throckmorton)
'Just About To Georgia'
'Let Me Sing For You'
'Polly, The Newspaper Dolly'
'Somewhere Down The Line'
'Soon'
'That Road Not Taken'
'The Wish'
'You Can't Get There From Here'



In 2017, Casey Kelly & Leslie Ellis saw the release of 'The Long Road To You' (Kelly & Ellis Music, 2017), which included the following tracks:

'An Ordinary Day'
'I'm Just A Dreamer'
'Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight'
'A House I Once Loved In'
'Tennessee Whiskey'
'Memory' (written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Trevor Nunn)
'I Just Don't Understand It'
'Just Ask Me'
'(I Ain't Just) A Pretty Face'
'Prelude To My Heart'
'My Heart Will Go On', which was written by James Roy Horner (Friday 14 August 1953 - Monday 22 June 2015) and Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002)
'Who Am I To Judge'
'The Cowboy Rides Away' (written by Casey Kelly and Sonny Throckmorton)

• Visit Casey Kelly's official site at caseykelly.net
• Like Casey Kelly on Facebook