Johnny Guitar Watson

Real Name:
John Jacob Watson
Profile:
Born: 3rd February 1935, Houston, Texas, USA.
Died: 17th May 1996, Yokohama, Japan.

Seminal electric blues & rhythm & blues guitarist of the mid-1950s, with hits like "Gangster Of Love". Performed with artists such as Little Richard and worked in synthesizer productions in the 1960s.

In later years his work was a source for sampling by artists such as Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg. He also worked on a number of recordings and projects with Frank Zappa, who cites Watson: "Watson's 1956 song, 'Three Hours Past Midnight' inspired me to become a guitarist."

Watson learned the rudiments of music on the piano as a child. He took up the guitar on the agreement with his preacher grandfather that he would not use it to 'play the blues'. His family moved to Los Angeles in the '50s and, as a teenager, he cut his teeth playing guitar, piano and singing in local LA 'jump bands'. Watson collapsed and died onstage of cardiac infarction whilst performing in Japan.
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Artist

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Albums

CLP 5358 Bobby Bobby "Blue" Bland*, Jimmy Soul And Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Bobby "Blue" Bland*, Jimmy Soul And Johnny "Guitar" Watson* - Bobby "Blue" Bland, Jimmy Soul And Johnny "Guitar" Watson (Album) Crown Records (2) CLP 5358 US 1963 Sell This Version
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857 Johnny Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Johnny "Guitar" Watson (Album) King Records (3) 857 US 1963 Sell This Version
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LP-1490/LPS-1490 The Blues Soul Of Johnny (Guitar) Watson — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny (Guitar) Watson* The Blues Soul Of Johnny (Guitar) Watson (Album) Chess LP-1490/LPS-1490 US 1965 Sell This Version
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OKS 14118 Bad — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Watson* Bad (Album) Okeh OKS 14118 US 1967 Sell This Version
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F-9437 Listen — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Listen (Album) Fantasy F-9437 US 1973 Sell This Version
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F-9484 I Don't Want To Be Alone, Stranger — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson I Don't Want To Be Alone, Stranger (Album) Fantasy F-9484 US 1975 Sell This Version
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DJLPA-3 Ain't That A Bitch — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Ain't That A Bitch (Album) DJM Records (2) DJLPA-3 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DJLPA-7 A Real Mother For Ya — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson A Real Mother For Ya (Album) DJM Records (2) DJLPA-7 US 1977 Sell This Version
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DJM8-714 Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty (Album) DJM Records (2) DJM8-714 US 1977 Sell This Version
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DJF 20551 Giant — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Giant (Album) DJM Records (2) DJF 20551 Europe 1978 Sell This Version
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DJM-24 What The Hell Is This? — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson What The Hell Is This? (Album) DJM Records (2) DJM-24 US 1979 Sell This Version
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AR-8004 Love Jones — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Love Jones (Album) DJM Records (2), DJM Records (2) AR-8004 Argentina 1980 Sell This Version
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DJL-7052 Johnny Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson And The Family Clone (Album) DJM Records (2), DJM Records (2) DJL-7052 Spain 1981 Sell This Version
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AMS-20002 That's What Time It Is — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson That's What Time It Is (Album) A&M Records, A&M Records AMS-20002 Japan 1981 Sell This Version
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VV69 Strike On Computers — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Strike On Computers (Album) Valley Vue Records VV69 US 1984 Sell This Version
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BR 71007 2 Bow Wow — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Bow Wow (Album) Wilma Records BR 71007 2 US 1994 Sell This Version
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COL-CD-7619 The Best Of The Okeh Years — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Featuring Larry Williams (3) & The Johnny "Guitar" Watson Trio* Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Featuring Larry Williams (3) & The Johnny "Guitar" Watson Trio* - The Best Of The Okeh Years(CD, Album, Comp) Collectables COL-CD-7619 US 2004 Sell This Version
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CHF-F1013LF Live In Concert 1993 — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Live In Concert 1993 (Comp) Charly Films CHF-F1013LF Europe 2006 Sell This Version
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N 77039 At Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall Hamburg 1976 — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* At Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall Hamburg 1976 (Album) Jazzline N 77039 Germany 2017 Sell This Version
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Singles & EPs

447 Oh Baby/ Give A Little — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson and His Orchestra, Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson and His Orchestra, Johnny Guitar Watson - Oh Baby/ Give A Little RPM Records (5) 447 US 1955 Sell This Version
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45x423 Hot Little Mamma / I Love To Love You — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Hot Little Mamma / I Love To Love You (Single) RPM Records (5) 45x423 US 1955 Sell This Version
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45x431 Too Tired / Don't Touch Me — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny Guitar Watson Too Tired / Don't Touch Me(7") RPM Records (5) 45x431 1955 Sell This Version
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436 Those Lonely Lonely Nights / Someone Cares For Me — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Those Lonely Lonely Nights / Someone Cares For Me (Single) RPM Records (5) 436 US 1955 Sell This Version
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455 Three Hours Past Midnight / Ruben — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Three Hours Past Midnight / Ruben (Single) RPM Records (5) 455 US 1956 Sell This Version
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45x471 Love Me Baby / She Moves Me — Johnny Guitar Watson Johnny "Guitar" Watson* Love Me Baby / She Moves Me(7") RPM Records (5) 45x471 US 1956 Sell This Version

Add Review

tolteke2007

tolteke2007

October 18, 2012
edited over 11 years ago
Johnny ´Guitar´ Watson - Superman Lover: The Ultimate Collection (3xCD - Sanctuary #SMETD-008)
helloworld

helloworld

December 17, 2004
edited over 18 years ago
Johnny Guitar Watson was a real rocker. In the 50's he made advanced (for decades ahead) records like space guitar. He's discovered and played in the Johnny Otis Show 'headspinning & guitar playing with his mouth' with some of the most crucial R&B acts (since R & B is founded). His reputation was equally to B.B. King's and his outstanding guitar playing can be compared to Syl Johnson's (sang 'I resign'(50's), Different Strokes' (60's), 'Is it because I'm black' (70's) - both are excellent guitar players and vocalists).

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's carreer in the 70's was in the DISCO-scene. Styled like a mix of P-Diddy ('master pimp in white suits') & Lil'John (& Eastside Boyz - rude boy with flashing gold tooth/diamond inlay) he sangs and plays ruff things: 'Ain't that a bitch'/'Gangster of Love'/'What The Hell Is This'/'A Real Mother For Ya' (& many more tracks).

Definitly a Joker in the black music game (you must have like James Brown to see where is HipHop coming from (it's not out of the blue)).
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