John Watkins
My life In Music
Born on November 5, 1953, in Silsbee, Texas. I grew up in the age of rock n’ roll. The fourth child in a family with six kids, I heard the music of the times as it was brought into our home on the air waves. Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis , Bo Diddley, Fats Domino…the list goes on. Then as the fifties gave way to the sixties, it was Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Buffalo Springfield, and Joni Mitchell, one of my favorites.
When I was 12 years old I entered the the 8th grade talent show singing lead on “Wild Thing” by The Troggs, with two friends playing electric guitar and drums , we were rough, but the girls screamed and jumped up dancing! We kept the riot going with “Gloria” by the Animals, until the principal pulled the plug on the P.A. ! What a rush ! It was so much fun, I was hooked.
I bought a guild acoustic guitar, learn a few chords from friends and fell in love with the sound of it, and started playing and singing Dylan songs mostly, As well as some old folk songs.
After high school, I moved in with my brother Paul , and used to open shows for his band. Their regular drummer quit and with a gig coming up, I volunteered ,
I borrowed a friends kit from back home, and played the gig and joined the band. We used to book our own gigs and promote our own shows in small towns in the southwest, playing original music. David Wells came out from Berkley to our place in Tecopa Ca. With a mutual friend, And could really play guitar. We used to play rock and roll daily , he became the 5th member of Desert Sun. This would begin a musical friendship, that has lasted to this day.
Desert Sun formed out of the bond between my brother Paul (lead vocals and flute) and Brooks Poston (guitar and vocals). Under the guidance and mentorship of Paul Crockett, Brooks and Paul wrote songs referencing their liberation and the rebuilding of their lives after escaping a well known cult. Charismatic and spontaneous, Paul was a major influence on me and my musical life.
When Desert Sun disbanded around 1975, I moved to the Big Island of Hawaii, and became a farmer in Honaunau, where my first son Ben was born. I soon found local musicians I enjoyed playing with and we formed the 12 volt jungle band, and performed locally at parties and some shows.
In the summer of 1979 I met Bruce Langhorne in Haiku Maui, an accomplished classically trained musician, Bruce and I became great friends and would spend a few more years farming and playing music on the Big island, then back in California until his passing in 2017. A master musician, and a joyful and unique human being, I will always be grateful for the years I had living, loving, playing music and laughing and learning from Bruce. Bruce plays percussion on “Wanna Be Love”.
Around 1982, while I was still living in Honaunau, David Wells moved over from L.A. and we soon began playing and performing along with Reggae McGowan (congas & percussion) and Zain Axe (drums) as “Endangered Species.” I performed as the frontman on vocals and bass, Dave on guitars and vocals. Playing local venues we explored new ways of playing and performing covers (The Police , Toots & the Maytals amount others) , as well as original compositions. After a few years Dave and I moved back to L.A., We shared a musical home with Bruce Langehorne for many years, throwing parties on the weekends , and performing as “ Fuck the Neighbors ”.
I continued my career as a builder, and married my second wife Danielle in 1992 and we raised three children in Topanga Ca. I continued to play music for fun with Bruce, Dave and others. My marriage fell apart around 2002, and I began writing songs and playing a lot more guitar. In 2012, I recorded the first album in this three album series, with the help of Dave Wells on guitars and vocals with production by Dave Dale.
This is the collection “Big Wheel. The collection' ” Monsoon” was recorded about five years later. The last collection, recorded mostly in 2019, is called “ Union “
I want to acknowledge David wells with production credit for Monsoon and Union.
I also want to acknowledge his superb skills as a musician, playing guitars, lap steel, dobro, bass, and double bass , all beautifully as well as helping with arrangement on some of the tunes. I would never have brought these songs to the world without his incredible generosity and friendship. Thank you .
I also want to thank my son Paul D. Watkins for helping with all of the technical aspects of getting the songs to you here on the site. And for being positive and optimistic, always encouraging me to go for it!
Finally I want to thank all my children and grandchildren for making me want to be a better man, Father and Grandfather. You are my guiding lights ! Thank you.