There’s a lot of John Wayne in Gene Stuart.   I’m sure the Dungannon man would regard that as a compliment.   After all he did recently record a ‘Tribute to John Wayne’ track.

Gene’s a big man, as John was, and with the same rich, slow ‘drawl’ of a voice.   He is as much a legend, in Irish country music, as John was, in Hollywood.  

John was highly respected, by those around him.  Gene is the same.  I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about the former Mighty Avons, and Homesteaders lead singer.

The new Gene Stuart album, ‘Until The Next Time’, is a gem.   Everyone connected with it deserves credit.   So I’ll mention them.   Tony McElvanna, Martin Cleary, Charlie Arkins, The Clinton Sisters, and, of course, Gene himself.

Even the photography, by Michael Cullen, and the packaging, is classy.

What can I say about the production?  Well I remember the time, when our top country stars had to make the long journey to Tennessee, to achieve that Nashville sound.   Not any more.  Even here, in little Northern Ireland, we have three or four producers, who can compete with the best in Nashville, and Eugene ‘Owney’ Smith is certainly one of them. 

Gene’s choices of songs, on this album, is perfect.   Every track suits his deep, rich voice.   Bill Anderson’s ‘You’re Still The Only One I’ll Ever Love’, Cal Smith’s ‘It’s Time To Pay The Fiddler, Dallas Frazier’s Charlie Walker hit ‘Honky Tonk Season’ and Carl Smith’s ‘Little Girl In My Hometown’ are all great.

But, if I had to pick one, it would be ‘When I Loved Her’.  Gene nails this great Kristofferson song.   I loved it.   In fact I loved the whole album.