Artist:Beverly "Guitar" Watkins
Song:Red Mama Blues
Album:Back In Business
Beverly "Guitar" Watkins looks like your grandma so you may be taken aback when you hear her play the guitar. She's been part of the Atlanta blues scene for years and is just now emerging as a recording artist. She was born 1940 in Atlanta and several of her aunts had a group called The Hayes Family. Her grandma raised her and exposed her to the great blues & gospel singers of the day. Beverly learned to play guitar in high school and modelled her style after legendary Count Basie guitarist Freddie Green. Beverly is probably best known as guitarist for Piano Red & The Houserockers in the early 60s. She worked day jobs and played with Leroy Redding on the side. She became a regular at the Underground Atlanta nightclub with her son on bass. She was rediscovered by Tim Duffy of the Music Maker Relief Foundation. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to recording and providing financial support to long forgotten blues musicians. He booked her on the 1998 Hot Mamas tour with Koko Taylor & Rory Block. Then he brought her to the attention of veteran British producer Mike Vernon and he released Back In Business on Sire Records. Vernon & Watkins wrote a lot of the songs together including Red Mama Blues. So Beverly "Guitar" Watkins is an overnight sensation at age 60. Now this blues guitarist grandma is touring the world and her latest CD Don't Mess With Miss Watkins was released in October. Check out Beverly "Guitar" Watkins playing guitar behind her head on this video posted on MySpace by her record company Dixie Frog Records.
Beverly Guitar Watkins
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