Rocks

Description

To earn the right to nickname yourself after an instrument of your choice, you have to be exceptional at that instrument — and Johnny 'Guitar' Watson undoubtedly was. Originally from Houston, he could just as easily have been called Johnny 'Piano' Watson, because he was equally talented on the keys. This compilation showcases Johnny shining on both of his main instruments, bringing together his early flashy hits as well as lesser-known but equally scorching tracks. Johnny took blues guitar in bold new directions with songs like Half Pint-A-Whiskey, Hot Little Mamma, and Too Tired, and his 1954 instrumental, Space Guitar, was so far ahead of its time that we still haven't fully caught up. What's more, his laid-back, ultra-cool vocal style heavily influenced Etta James. All these mentioned classics are included, along with Looking Back, the introductory track Johnny Guitar, and his daring early version of Gangster Of Love.