Johnny "Guitar" Watson

Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1935-1996) - was one of the more influential guitarists and singers of the 1950s and 1960s. Watson played his Fender Strat w/o a pick - using his fingers to viciously pick and pluck the strings - producing a unique tone. He was also among the first electric guitarists to experiment with reverb and feedback - as heard on his 1954 classic Space Guitar Watson used a capo to play out of the "E-position" on a number of his tunes - usually in the keys of F and G. This approach gave Watson a very unique sound that you hear on tunes like Looking Back, Sweet Lovin' Mama, and She Moves Me. Great stuff! Try it!

In the late 1960s, Watson transformed himself into a soul/funk performer and is credited by some, including himself, with having "invented" rap music. Fans of classic blues, however, tend to prefer his earlier blues recordings.

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