Ernie Watts
| Ernie Watts | |
|---|---|
Ernie Watts in 2008 Photo: Bob Travis
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ernest James Watts |
| Born |
October 23, 1945 Norfolk, Virginia, United States |
| Genres | Jazz, rhythm and blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Saxophone, flute, clarinet |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Labels | Motown, Tamla, Atlantic, Warner Bros., A&M, CBS, Qwest Records, |
| Associated acts | Charlie Haden, Buddy Rich, The Tonight Show Band, Marvin Gaye |
| Website | Official website |
| Notable instruments | |
| Keilwerth Saxophones | |
Ernest James "Ernie" Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues musician. He plays saxophone (tenor, alto and soprano) and flute. He might be best known for his work with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and his Grammy Awards as an instrumentalist. He has also toured with The Rolling Stones, joining them on their 1981 tour and also appearing with them in the 1982 film Let's Spend the Night Together.
He is noted for playing "The Mystery Horn" (actually a Conn straight-necked C Melody Saxophone) solo on Frank Zappa's album The Grand Wazoo in 1972.
Watts was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He began playing saxophone at thirteen and later attended the Berklee College of Music on a Downbeat scholarship, after a brief period at West Chester University. He toured with Buddy Rich in the mid-1960s, occupying one of the alto saxophone chairs, with Lou Marini occupying the other. Later, he visited Africa on a US State Department tour with Oliver Nelson's group. Watts also played tenor saxophone with The Tonight Show Band under Doc Severinsen for 20 years. He also was a featured soloist on many of Marvin Gaye's original albums on Motown during the 1970s, as well as on countless other pop and R&B sessions during 25 years as a first-call musician in the studios of LA. He has won two Grammy Awards as an instrumentalist.
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