the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002, and inducted into the inaugural class of the Houston Music Hall of Fame in August 2013. In 2018, Watson received the "Entertainer of the Year" Award from the R.O.P.E. Awards, an honor he shared with singer, Jeannie Seely. It was the first time in the history of the Awards that there was a tie in any category. Watson was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, by Vince Gill, on January 17, 2020. The Farewell Party Band The Farewell Party Band is his long-time backing band. They were named after his 1978 hit single "Farewell Party." Between 1982 and 1984, two studio albums were released credited to Gene Watson and the Farewell Party Band. The Farewell Party Band backed Watson on one of his solo albums, and they released one studio album on their own. Several notable musicians were members of the Farewell Party Band, such as Tony Booth. While many other members have played with them since the 1980s, below is a timeline of just the members during their recorded output. Discography References External links Official Gene Watson website Gene Watson Fan Site - This site, which has been active since September 2004, is recognized by Gene Watson & his management team at Lytle Management in Brentwood, TN. 1943 births American country singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters Living people People from Palestine, Texas People from Houston MCA Records artists Epic Records artists Warner Records artists Capitol Records artists Step One Records artists Singer-songwriters from Texas Country musicians from Texas