Gene Watson Fan Spends Lottery Winnings on Benefit Show

Country music legend Gene Watson didn't enter the lottery in Indiana, but he certainly hit the jackpot when a fan won $100,000 from a scratch-off ticket in Marion. Janice Willis, who claimed her winnings on June 4, 2010, knew just what she wanted to do with part of the money -- she booked Gene for a concert at her local VFW Hall this past weekend.

"I was surprised to hear that she wanted to use some of her lottery money to bring our show to her hometown, but it brought a smile to my face," Gene tells The Boot. "She has been a great fan over the years, and I was really pleased to be able to do it. I didn't know until close to the show date that she was giving proceeds to charity, and I think that was a lovely gesture on her part."

Janice could be described as a die-hard Gene Watson fan. One of her favorite pictures is of her with the singer, wearing a T-shirt that has been autographed by Gene at more than 50 shows! She has been a fan for more than 30 years, and counts among her favorite songs 'Baby Me Baby,' 'Memories to Burn' and 'Circle Driveway.'

"My late husband, George, might have been a little jealous. He always told everyone the only reason I married him was because his initials were G.W.," Janice says.

Although the retiree, who once painted fishing lures for a living, had never promoted a show before, she was determined to have a successful event. The enterprising fan went to work, making arrangements for the VFW, the sound, the stage, lighting and an opening act. She placed ads about the event and ticket sales took off, resulting in a sold-out house.

Gene and his band were treated like royalty, and so were the fans who attended the event. Janice went all out, decorating the venue with white tablecloths and red roses (in honor of his hit song 'Paper Rosie'). "Over the years, she would always bring me and the Farewell Party Band members some of the best brownies you've ever tasted," Gene says, "and for this show, she had her special brownies set out on every table."

Gene gave Janice and her friends a wonderful show, playing hits such as 'Farewell Party,' '14 Carat Mind' and 'Love in the Hot Afternoon.' "She just wanted a regular show, but of course I tried to put in her favorites," Gene says. "I thanked her for bringing us to Marion, Indiana, and I dedicated a song to her that is one of her favorites, 'I Don't Need A Thing At All.' The concert was at their largest venue, which was a big VFW, and it was wall to wall."

Janice didn't want to make any money for herself, so she donated all the net proceeds to a charity that benefits her local area, Help The Hopeful (www.HelpTheHopeful.com). Gene signed several pieces of merchandise and donated them to the organization to auction later.

The singer says Janice and the people at the show were great, and as usual, he met everyone who wanted to say hello to him after the show. "Everyone there was special; we had a lot of fun with the crowd. When I sang 'Paper Rosie,' there were a whole lot of folks coming up to the stage with roses for me."

While this was the first time Gene has ever had a fan book him after winning a lottery, it's not his first private show. "We do often get some great fans who hire us to perform for their birthday or an anniversary party," he acknowledges. "We always enjoy those kind of special shows where you have some time to meet the guests at the party and give them a very special moment. It's a real joy to perform for folks who appreciate music and in our case, love the real traditional country."

While Gene doesn't have any other private concerts on the books in the near future, he is taking his traditional sounds to Paragould, Ark. on April 1 and West Monroe, La. the following night. He has been in Nashville working on a new album, and while there made a guest appearance at Douglas Corner on the 45 RPM show, which is a band made up of session players who love to play country music from the 1970s. They play at Douglas Corner the last Wednesday of the month, and Gene says he loves to stop by whenever he happens to be in town.

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