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CD
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BCD 17764CD
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"With Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Bear Family presents an exceptionally inventive and style-defining musician in the Rocks series. As 'Young' John Watson, he enjoyed his first triumphs as a teenager and pianist, before coaxing never-before-heard sounds from his Fender guitar and amplifier with Space Guitar in 1954 and henceforth being celebrated as Johnny 'Guitar' Watson! This release follows his career from 1953 to '64 with a focus on the up-tempo numbers driven by his razor-sharp guitar tone. Including 'Hot Little Mamma,' 'Too Tired,' the great 'Gangster Of Love,' 'Johnny Guitar,' 'Untouchable,' and 'Cuttin' In,' his biggest hit to date (1961). Extensive liner notes by Chicago music historian Bill Dahl, plus discographical details and illustrations in the comprehensive booklet. To earn the right to nickname yourself after your chosen instrument, you certainly have to be exceptional on it -- and Johnny 'Guitar' Watson most definitely was. The Houston native could have just as accurately been called Johnny 'Piano' Watson, since he was every bit as talented on the ivories. Bear Family's Watson entry in its Rocks CD-series showcases Johnny working out on both of his main instruments, gathering his early blazing triumphs on the Combo, Federal and RPM labels as well as lesser known but equally sizzling follow-ups for a variety of Los Angeles concerns. Johnny took blues guitar into aggressive new directions on his jumping 'Half Pint-A-Whiskey,' 'Hot Little Mamma,' and 'Too Tired,' and his eye-popping 1954 instrumental 'Space Guitar' was so far ahead of its time that listeners still haven't fully caught up with it. What's more, his hip, super-cool vocal delivery was highly influential to Etta James. All of those aforementioned classics are here, along with 'Looking Back,' the introductory 'Johnny Guitar,' and his first swaggering released version of 'Gangster Of Love.' Find out for yourself why Johnny earned the right to refer to himself as 'Guitar!'"
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LP
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MOV 2767LP
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"The multi-talented Johnny 'Guitar' Watson was known for his guitar skills and was one of the hottest blues artists during the 1950s. His 1977 funk album A Real Mother For Ya produced the same titled international hit song and features 'Nothing Left To Be Desired' and 'Lover Jones'. Also included is the 2020 Ben Liebrand Oldskool mix as a bonus track, which was not available on the original album. During his career, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson influenced Jimi Hendrix amongst others and earned a Grammy nomination for best contemporary blues album. Sadly, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson passed away while touring Japan in 1996. A Real Mother For Ya is available on black vinyl."
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2LP
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N 78039LP
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Double LP version. Recorded December 5th, 1976 at Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall, Hamburg, Germany; Recorded by NDR Hamburg. Personnel: Johnny "Guitar" Watson - guitar, vocals; Peter Martin - trumpet; Tommy Robertson - trombone; Paul Dunmall - saxophone; Gil Noble - piano, synthesizer; Bobby Howard - bass; Emry Thomas - drums.
"... The audience can always be sensed (and heard) on the recordings made at Pö; and when a perfect entertainer such as Johnny Watson, born 1935 in Houston, Texas, occupied the stage, the Hamburg audience did play along accordingly, very much not highly reserved... probably the loud enthusiasm of one of the most important characters of Onkel Pö is clearly audible on the recording of the concert performed in early December 1976. . . . Johnny 'Guitar' Watson passed away on 17 May 1996 in Yokohama, Japan. He died in a way every truly passionate musician might hope for: he suffered from a lethal cardiac arrest 'live in concert' and "on stage". Twenty years earlier, on the evening documented on the current recording of the Watsonian Institute, Onkel Pö vibrated and pulsated; not only because of the powerful acoustics of the location but also thanks to the vibrant performance Watson managed to create anew for every show together with his well-arranged 'working band', strong even in the brass section. The concert took place shortly after the release of Watson's album Ain't That A Bitch (1976), which earned him a top spot among the performers of the then still relatively recent and stout funk-sound movement; and of course, Watson did perform tracks from that album in Hamburg. However, you can feel that he was not only performing his 'I am here to present my new album'-routine; Watson was quite aware that he was playing in front of a well-informed and demanding audience. A public, that wanted to be conquered and convinced. Whoever was willing to adhere to these rules had a good chance to succeed at Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall." --Michael Laages
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CD
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N 77039CD
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Recorded December 5th, 1976 at Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall, Hamburg, Germany; Recorded by NDR Hamburg. Personnel: Johnny "Guitar" Watson - guitar, vocals; Peter Martin - trumpet; Tommy Robertson - trombone; Paul Dunmall - saxophone; Gil Noble - piano, synthesizer; Bobby Howard - bass; Emry Thomas - drums.
"... The audience can always be sensed (and heard) on the recordings made at Pö; and when a perfect entertainer such as Johnny Watson, born 1935 in Houston, Texas, occupied the stage, the Hamburg audience did play along accordingly, very much not highly reserved... probably the loud enthusiasm of one of the most important characters of Onkel Pö is clearly audible on the recording of the concert performed in early December 1976. . . . Johnny 'Guitar' Watson passed away on 17 May 1996 in Yokohama, Japan. He died in a way every truly passionate musician might hope for: he suffered from a lethal cardiac arrest 'live in concert' and "on stage". Twenty years earlier, on the evening documented on the current recording of the Watsonian Institute, Onkel Pö vibrated and pulsated; not only because of the powerful acoustics of the location but also thanks to the vibrant performance Watson managed to create anew for every show together with his well-arranged 'working band', strong even in the brass section. The concert took place shortly after the release of Watson's album Ain't That A Bitch (1976), which earned him a top spot among the performers of the then still relatively recent and stout funk-sound movement; and of course, Watson did perform tracks from that album in Hamburg. However, you can feel that he was not only performing his 'I am here to present my new album'-routine; Watson was quite aware that he was playing in front of a well-informed and demanding audience. A public, that wanted to be conquered and convinced. Whoever was willing to adhere to these rules had a good chance to succeed at Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall." --Michael Laages
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