Nathan Watts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nathan Watts
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Nathan Watts performing at the White House (2009).
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nathan Lamar Watts |
| Born | March 25, 1954 Detroit, Michigan, US |
| Genres | Funk, soul, R&B, rock and roll |
| Occupations | Musician, musical director |
| Instruments | Bass, keyboards |
| Associated acts | Stevie Wonder |
Nathan Lamar Watts (born March 25, 1954) is a famous American bass guitar player. He is best known for playing with the legendary musician Stevie Wonder. Nathan has been Stevie Wonder's musical director since 1994, which means he helps lead the band and organize the music.
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Nathan Watts's Musical Journey
Nathan Watts was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1954. When he was in elementary school, he started playing the trumpet. He was inspired by a famous trumpet player named Lee Morgan.
Nathan was part of a music trio with his friends, Ray Parker Jr. and Ollie E. Brown. They often visited Motown's Hitsville Studios. There, they watched The Funk Brothers, who were the main band for the Motown record label, practice and record songs.
Switching to Bass Guitar
Ray Parker Jr. later switched from clarinet to guitar. He then convinced Nathan to try playing the bass guitar. Nathan made the switch right after he finished high school in 1972.
His first bass guitar was a National Bass. He learned to play "Cold Sweat" by James Brown. Soon, he started studying the music of other great bass players like James Jamerson and Chuck Rainey.
When Ray Parker Jr. joined Marvin Gaye's band, Nathan joined a local group called the Final Decision. At that time, he was also thinking about studying accounting, just in case his music career didn't work out.
Joining Stevie Wonder
In August 1974, Nathan Watts got a call to play with Stevie Wonder. He was asked to replace another bass player. Nathan had only been playing bass for two years at that point!
After being chosen as the official bass player for Stevie Wonder's band, Nathan went on a tour in Japan in 1975. Then, he started recording for the famous album Songs in the Key of Life.
Nathan has played on many of Stevie Wonder's songs. Sometimes, Stevie Wonder would use his own keyboard bass for the final versions of songs, even after Nathan had recorded the bass parts. This happened with songs like "Knocks Me Off My Feet" and "Isn't She Lovely". Nathan Watts's career has continued to grow, both with Stevie Wonder and with many other artists.
Nathan Watts's Playing Style
Nathan Watts grew up listening to many different types of music. He enjoyed the Funk Brothers, and rock bands like Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, and Steppenwolf.
His three biggest influences as a bass player are James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, and Joseph "Lucky" Scott.
How He Plays
Nathan's playing style is special. He often uses three fingers on his right hand. He also hits the notes strongly. He frequently uses techniques like "palm mute" (where you lightly touch the strings to make a shorter sound), "hammer-ons" (where you press a string without picking it), "trills" (quick changes between two notes), and "slides" (sliding your finger along the string).
Nathan has had a very important career with Stevie Wonder. He has played on many classic songs that bass players love, such as "I Wish", "As", "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It", and "Do I Do".
He has worked with Stevie Wonder for over 36 years. For 12 of those years, he has been the band's musical director. In 2010, he received the International Bassist Award from the Winter NAMM Show. This award celebrates a musician's achievements throughout their career.
Nathan Watts's Instruments
Nathan Watts has used several different bass guitars during his career. His main instruments have been his 1974 Fender Precision Bass and his 1979 Music Man StingRay.
He has also used a Fender Jazz Bass and basses from Yamaha, Aria, and B.C. Rich. He uses both four and five-string basses.
When he is touring, he often uses Bossa basses. These are custom-made basses in red, black, green (5-strings), and blue (4-string). They give him a modern sound. In the studio, he uses Alleva-Coppolo basses.
For his strings, he uses Elixir Nanowebs. For his sound, he uses Hartke Hydrive amplifiers and LH1000 heads. Before using Hartke, he used National and SWR amplifiers.
Discography
With Stevie Wonder
- 1976 – Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
- 1979 – Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants – Stevie Wonder
- 1980 – Hotter Than July – Stevie Wonder
- 1982 – Original Musiquarium I – Stevie Wonder
- 1984 – The Woman in Red – Stevie Wonder
- 1987 – Characters – Stevie Wonder
- 1991 – Jungle Fever – Stevie Wonder
- 1995 – Conversation Peace – Stevie Wonder
- 1995 – Natural Wonder – Stevie Wonder
- 2005 – A Time To Love – Stevie Wonder
See also
In Spanish: Nathan Watts para niños
