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TBS Annual Talent Search Winners
Douglas Watson R&B Revue
Douglas
Watson is congratulated by TBS VP Julie Hill (aka the “Blues Doctor”
co-hosting CKLN’s Lowdown to Uptown). Runners up were the Tracy K Band and the
Son Roberts Band. As part of his prize package, Douglas will have a feature
spot in the Southside Shuffle on Sunday, September 9 at 4:30 on the Sick Kids
Stage. The band will be recorded at a later date for broadcast on Saturday
Night Blues and will receive studio time at Euphonic Sound and a showcase
slot during the Maple Blues Awards week-end in January. Photo by Dougal Bichan
Douglas Watson R & B Revue won the Toronto Blues Society 2007 Talent Search.
Bluesman Douglas Watson has been one of the finest unknown blues performers in Canada for many years. He first toured in Canada in 1987 as the bass player with A. C. Reed and the Spark Plugs. The Spark Plugs played modern blues with an attitude. Their style was hipper and more aggressive than other Chicago Blues Bands at that time. Their sound was still traditional but the bass lines were funkier and slightly more technical. You had to be an accomplished musician to play with the Spark Plugs.
Douglas grew up in Chicago and was surrounded by the blues. His father Lovie Lee (Eddie Watson) played piano from 1979 until 1983, in the last Muddy Waters Band. Carrie Bell, Lurrie Bell and Eddie Clearwater were close relatives who often shared the same address. Koko Taylor, who Douglas refers to as his Godmother, was a friend of the family. Douglas played bass on several recording sessions in Chicago by artists like Lovie Lee, Blyther Smith and Vance Kelly. He is also featured along with Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan on A. C. Reed’s recording, “I’m in the Wrong Business”.
When Douglas moved to London Ontario in 1989, he was known primarily as a funky bass player. His first steady gig was with the house band at the Other Side of Five. The gig lasted for 3 or 4 years. During this time Douglas began to sing and he started to get noticed as both a vocalist and as an entertainer. His singing was so impressive that he started getting gigs just to sing. He has a huge smile and an even bigger voice. His vocal style combines the power of Muddy Waters with the sweetness of Marvin Gaye.
After leaving the Other Side of Five he sang for a few years with the house band at the Old Chicago Speakeasy and Grill and then started his own band Douglas Watson and the Hot Flames. Later he toured with Jordan Patterson, Chicago Pete, Chris Murphy, Shawn Kellerman, Zoom and several others before he moved to Kitchener and started his current band, The Douglas Watson R & B Revue.
The new band has been together for almost 2 years and features Mississippi Pete Temple on Harmonica, Chris “Mr Sweetness” Latta on guitar and Ben Rollo on drums. They released their first CD “Voodoo Healin’” last year. Since then gigs have been getting easier to find and they have written some catchy new tunes for a 2nd CD and now things are starting to move forward after winning the Talent Search.
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