Adam Watts (musician)

Adam Watts (born Adam Matthew Watts; December 8, 1975) is an American music and visual artist. His work as a rock and pop artist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, mixing engineer and visual artist has garnered critical acclaim. His songwriting and productions are featured on over 50 million records sold worldwide in both the mainstream and contemporary Christian music industries. Watts owns a fine art gallery in Downtown Fullerton, CA (INTERNAL Gallery & Oddities) which features his haunting and poignant mixed media assemblage fine art and photography, as well as his handmade leather goods (under the brand name: AMW HUMAN DECOR).

Adam Watts was born in Laguna Beach, California. He came from a musical family. His grandmother was a Hawaiian style steel guitar player and teacher, his mother plays accordion and piano, his father plays guitar and sings. His older brother plays guitar and his younger sister is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer. Adam began playing drums at the age of 10, inspired by the drummer in his brother's band which rehearsed in the home. Watts is a devout Christian. His faith is evident in much of his work as a songwriter.

Watts studied drumming throughout his late childhood and teens studying with various drum teachers including Glenn Young, John Hannan, Roy Burns, Evan Stone, Jim Wunderlich and Mike Jackson (in the Mission Viejo High School Drumline 1991-1994), Dave Weckl, Chad Wackerman, Joey Heredia. In 1993 he was the local winner of the Santa Ana Guitar Center Drum-Offs. In 1994 he won the National Will Calhoun Drum Solo Scholarship Contest Sponsored by Sonor Drums. In 1995, Watts attended Saddleback Community College where he studied music and philosophy, opting to leave after only one year to pursue a career in music full-time.

Watts was the drummer of local Orange County band Bulkhead (along with OC Supertones bassist Tony Terusa) from 1994-1997. In 1996 Adam contributed drum tracks to Gannin Arnold's pop/rock indie solo release entitled "One". He played his drums in various funk and top 40 cover bands in the Orange County/L.A. club scene including The Strangers, Stone Jonez and Soul Shaker. It was around this time that he began writing songs, singing and producing/engineering/mixing his own music. He also began to play live (singing and playing guitar) with various backing musicians and band members including Gannin Arnold, Melvin Davis, Adam Marcello, Drew Hester, Andy Dodd, Bill Mohler, Nate Wood, Luke Agajanian and Derek Frank.

...
Wikipedia