BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Description: Gutarist, USA
Known For: “Gangster Of Love” (1957) Single
Instruments: Guitar
Music Styles: Rock, Blues, Rap
Location: United States of America
Date Born: 3rd February 1935
Location Born: Houston, Texas, United States of America
Date Died: 17th May 1996
Location Died: Yokahama
Cause Of Death: Died on stage
Memorial: He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
CONTACT DETAILS
Web Site:
Other Links: See below:
YOUTUBE VIDIO
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Johnny “Guitar” Watson
An American Blues guitarist.
John Watson, Jr. (February 3, 1935 – May 17, 1996) professionally Johnny “Guitar” Watson was an American blues, soul, and funk musician and singer-songwriter. A flamboyant showman and electric guitarist in the style of T-Bone Walker, Watson recorded throughout the 1950s and 1960s with some success. His creative reinvention in the 1970s with disco and funk overtones, saw Watson have hits with “Ain’t That a Bitch”, “I Need It” and “Superman Lover”. His successful recording career spanned forty years, with his highest chart appearance being the 1977 song “A Real Mother For Ya”.
Watson was born in Houston, Texas. His father John Sr. was a pianist, and taught his son the instrument. But young Watson was immediately attracted to the sound of the guitar, in particular the electric guitar as played by T-Bone Walker and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown.
His grandfather, a preacher, was also musical. “My grandfather used to sing while he’d play guitar in church, man,” Watson reflected many years later. When Johnny was 11, his grandfather offered to give him a guitar if, and only if, the boy didn’t play any of the “devil’s music”. Watson agreed, but “that was the first thing I did.” A musical prodigy, Watson played with Texas bluesmen Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland. His parents separated in 1950, when he was 15. His mother moved to Los Angeles, and took Watson with her.
Musically Watson cover Blues, Eletric Blues, Sou, Funk, Rap R&B and Rap music.
His career began in around 1953 and added “Guitar” in his name after seeing the film “Johnny Guitar”.
When Johnny was 11, his grandfather offered to give him a guitar if, and only if, the boy didn’t play any of the “devil’s music”–blues.
Signed with ‘Keen’ records with the album called “Ganster Of Love”.
He toured with Little Richard, Johnny Otis and Sam Cooke etd. He would later start changing his style to soul and funk plus rap.
He quickly made a name for himself in the African-American juke joints of the West Coast, where he was billed as “Young John Watson” until 1954. That year, he saw the Sterling Hayden film “Johnny Guitar,” and a new stage name was born.
Jimmie Vaughan, brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan, is quoted as saying: “When my brother Stevie and I were growing up in Dallas, we idolized very few guitarists. We were highly selective and highly critical. Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson was at the top of the list, along with Freddie, Albert and B.B. King. He made magic.”[citation needed]
Bobby Womack said: “Music-wise, he was the most dangerous gunslinger out there. Even when others made a lot of noise in the charts – I’m thinking of Sly Stone or George Clinton – you know they’d studied Johnny’s stage style and listened very carefully to Johnny’s grooves.”
Etta James stated, in an interview at the 2006 Rochester Jazz Festival: “Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson… Just one of my favorite singers of all time. I first met him when we were both on the road with Johnny Otis in the ’50s, when I was a teenager. We traveled the country in a car together so I would hear him sing every night. His singing style was the one I took on when I was 17 – people used to call me the female Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson and him the male Etta James… He knew what the blues was all about…”
He received a Pioneer Award from the “Rythmn and Blues Foundation” in 1995.
Watson died on stage while on tour in Yokahama, Japan.
Albums include.
Gangster of Love (1958)
Johnny Guitar Watson (1963)
The Blues Soul of Johnny Guitar Watson (1964)
Larry Williams Show with Johnny Guitar Watson (1965)
Bad (1967)
In the Fats Bag (1967)
Two for the Price of One (1967)
Listen (1973)
I Don’t Want to Be A Lone Ranger (1975)
The Gangster Is Back (1975)
Ain’t That a Bitch (1976)
Captured Live (1976)
A Real Mother for Ya (1977)
Funk Beyond the Call of Duty (1977)
Giant (1978)
Gettin’ Down with Johnny “Guitar” Watson (1978)
What the Hell Is This? (1979)
Love Jones (1980)
Johnny “Guitar” Watson and the Family Clone (1981)
That’s What Time It Is (1982)
Strike on Computers (1984)
Hit the Highway (1985)
3 Hours Past Midnight (1986)
Plays Misty (1992)
Bow Wow (1994)