Biography

An influence on everyone from Frank Zappa (who helped revive his career) to Jimi Hendrix, Johnny "Guitar" Watson was one of the most distinctive West Coast blues guitarists. He marked himself as a unique stylist early on with his reverb-laced 1953 single "Space Guitar," and is widely known for his hit "Gangster of Love." In the '70s, Watson reinvented himself as an R&B/funk artist, shockingly scoring more hits than he had in the previous decades as a bluesman. Later on, Watson's songs were a sample source for West Coast gangsta rappers. The relentlessly active performer died in 1996 while on tour in Japan.

Top Tracks

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• A Real Mother For Ya

• Acoustic Jam #1

• Acoustic Jam #2

• Ain't Movin'

• Ain't Nobody's Business

• Ain't That A Bitch

• Baby Face (she Said Do Do Do Do)

• Barn Door

• Big Bad Wolf

• Bow Wow

• Cop & Blow

• Cuttin' In

• Doing Wrong Woman

• Don't Be What Uc

• Et

• Family Clone

• Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty

• Gangster Of Love

• Gettin' Drunk

• Guitar Disco

• Half Pint-a-whiskey

• Highway 60

• Hot Little Mama

• I Don't Want To Be President

• I Got Eyes

• I Love To Love You

• I Need It

• I Wanna Thank You

• I'm Gonna Get You Baby

• It's A Damn Shame

• It's About The Dollar Bill

• Johnny Guitar

• Lone Ranger

• Love Jones

• Motor Head Baby

• My Funk

• Nothing Left To Be Desired

• Oh Baby

• Ruben

• Since I Met You Baby

• Space Guitar

• Superman Lover

• Sweet Lovin' Mama

• Tarzan

• Telephone Bill

• Those Lonely Lonely Nights

• Those Lonely, Lonely Nights

• Three Hours Past Midnight

• Too Tired

• Voodoo What You Do

• Wait A Minute, Baby

• Won't You Forgive Me Baby

• You Better Love Me

• You Can Stay But The Noise Must Go

Discography

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• Bow Wow

  Bellmark Records / Bellmark

  1994

• Two for the Price of One

  1991

• Strike on Computers

  Valley Vue

  1984

• Love Jones

  Collectables

  1980

• Gettin' Down with Johnny "Guitar" Watson

  Chess

  1978

• The Gangster Is Back

  Drive - (import)

  1975

• I Don't Want to Be Alone, Stranger

  Fantasy

  1975

• Listen

  Fantasy

  1973

• In the Fats Bag

  Okeh Records

  1967

• Larry Williams Show with Johnny Guitar Watson

  1965

• The Blues Soul of Johnny Guitar Watson

  1964

• I Cried for You

  Cadet

  1963

• Johnny Guitar Watson [King]

  King

  1963