On Thursday 6 April 2023, Gene Watson remembered Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) and Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016).
'I don't think I realised that two of our greatest country music legends died on the same day.
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) passed on this day, Monday 6 April in 1998 at just 55 years of age, and then Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016) passed this day in 2016 from complications of pneumonia.
I know we all still miss them'
Source
• Gene Watson on Facebook
Gene Watson and Tammy Wynette
Musical Connections
On Wednesday 22 October 2014, Steve Buckingham, acclaimed record producer, and four-time Grammy Award winner, contributed a 'Peer's Quote' about Gene Watson; in that quote, Steve Buckingham stated that Tammy Wynette said, on more than one occasion, that Gene Watson was one of her favourite singers.
In 1987, Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 - Monday 6 April 1998) saw the release of 'Higher Ground' (Epic Records, 1987), which was produced by Steve Buckingham; one of the included tracks was 'Tempted' (written by Al Turney), which featured background harmony from Gene Watson.
Gene Watson and Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016)
Musical Connections
Gene Watson recorded Merle Haggard's 'I Must Be Somebody Else' and included the track on 'Heartaches, Love & Stuff' (MCA Records, 1984); the original version of the track was recorded by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016), who included it on 'Swinging Doors & The Bottle Let Me Down' (Capitol Records, 1966).
Gene Watson, with special guest, Lee Ann Womack, recorded Merle Haggard's 'Today I Started Loving You Again', which was co-written with Bonnie Owens (Tuesday 1 October 1929 - Monday 24 April 2006), and included the track on 'In A Perfect World' (Shanachie Records, 2007); the original version of the track was recorded by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016), who included it on 'The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde' (Capitol Records, 1968); the title track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April / May 1968, while its 'B' side, 'Today I Started Loving You Again', was never released as a single.
Gene Watson recorded Merle Haggard's 'I Forget You Everyday' and included the track on 'My Heroes Have Always Been Country' (Fourteen Carat Music, 2014); the original version of the track was recorded by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016), who included it on 'I Love Dixie Blues' (Capitol Records, 1973), a 'live' album, which was recorded in New Orleans on Sunday 13 May 1973. Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016) recorded an alternative version of 'I Forget You Everyday' (written by Merle Haggard) and included the track on 'Songs I'll Always Sing' (Capitol Records, 1977), a two-record compilation album, which was released by Capitol Records on Monday 11 April 1977.
