Chris Watson Band

Press Release for a show in Steamboat Springs Colorado. - Explore Steamboat

Press Release for a show in Steamboat Springs Colorado. - Explore Steamboat

Review of a great night of blues with Chris Watson and Walter Trout! - Boomerocity

Review of a great night of blues with Chris Watson and Walter Trout! - Boomerocity

Check out a couple interviews and video clips! - WTF Radio

Check out a couple interviews and video clips! - WTF Radio

When a musician puts out an Album of only his songs, he is certain that one of two things are going to happen and that is he is either going to be receiving well deserved accolades or dissapointing criticism. Well I can tell you right now that I have no intention of giving Chris Watson anything other than well deserved accolades, for his newest release, "Just For Show...".

With "Just For Show...", Chris Watson shows us all just how immensely talented this still quite young, Blues Rock aficionado is, offering up 10 great tracks that leave you just wanting to play them all over again. From "No Sympathy" to "T Bone Swing", Chris Watson shows us that not only does he know how to play great music, but also that he understands the history that goes with the style of music, as well.

Chris Watson got his first guitar at 13, and wasted no time studying and playing music from greats such as, "BB King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Garth Brooks, and many others."

Putting out great music, of course, also requires that you have a great ensemble of musicians, working with you, and Chris Watson certainly has that. Besides Chris Watson, the Chris Watson Band consists of Bill Cornish (Bass), Brian "H-Bomb" Ferguson (Drums), Eric "Scorch" Scotia (Keyboard, Piano), Mike Brown (Bass), and Glen "Bono" Saunders (Drums), all pitching in as needed to produce this gem of an Album.

With music like this, I have no doubt that Chris Watson will be at the forefront of the Blues Rock Music Scene, for a very long time and I have no trouble at all giving him my highest recommendation.

Blues Underground Network Five***** Rated... Excellent CD... Thoroughly Enjoyed It... Highly Recommended... Looking Forward To More, Lots More From Chris.

- Blues Underground Network

When a musician puts out an Album of only his songs, he is certain that one of two things are going to happen and that is he is either going to be receiving well deserved accolades or dissapointing criticism. Well I can tell you right now that I have no intention of giving Chris Watson anything other than well deserved accolades, for his newest release, "Just For Show...".

With "Just For Show...", Chris Watson shows us all just how immensely talented this still quite young, Blues Rock aficionado is, offering up 10 great tracks that leave you just wanting to play them all over again. From "No Sympathy" to "T Bone Swing", Chris Watson shows us that not only does he know how to play great music, but also that he understands the history that goes with the style of music, as well.

Chris Watson got his first guitar at 13, and wasted no time studying and playing music from greats such as, "BB King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Garth Brooks, and many others."

Putting out great music, of course, also requires that you have a great ensemble of musicians, working with you, and Chris Watson certainly has that. Besides Chris Watson, the Chris Watson Band consists of Bill Cornish (Bass), Brian "H-Bomb" Ferguson (Drums), Eric "Scorch" Scotia (Keyboard, Piano), Mike Brown (Bass), and Glen "Bono" Saunders (Drums), all pitching in as needed to produce this gem of an Album.

With music like this, I have no doubt that Chris Watson will be at the forefront of the Blues Rock Music Scene, for a very long time and I have no trouble at all giving him my highest recommendation.

Blues Underground Network Five***** Rated... Excellent CD... Thoroughly Enjoyed It... Highly Recommended... Looking Forward To More, Lots More From Chris.

- Blues Underground Network

Just For Show… may not be the best title for the debut CD by 21-year-old Denton guitarist Chris Watson. You see, unlike a lot of young players more interested in being just for show, eagerly adapting the 6-string slinger persona, Watson proves on this collection of seven originals that he knows it’s not all about him and his guitar – it’s about the song. Sure there’s guitar here – he’s a guitar player and it’s his project – but he’s smart enough to step back and let the vocals or the organ or the groove itself step into the spotlight. What a refreshing change that is, and it puts him ahead of the pack of the young bloods in the area.

Chris not only wrote all the songs, but shares a co-producer credit with his dad Wallace “Wally” Watson. He handpicked a top notched seasoned band to take in to the studio: Bill Cornish on bass and Brian “H-Bomb” Ferguson on drums provide a base that’s at once rock steady AND rocking. And Eric “Scorch” Scortia never overplays on the delicious grooves he’s laying down, whether on organ, piano or B3.

As someone who’s watched Chris develop his style and confidence at jams all over the DFW Metroplex during the last few years, the project is a joy to listen to. But even if this is your first time to hear him, Watson proves he’s been listening and learning from the best North Texas has to offer. He and this CD are proof that although it’s lying pretty damned low some days, the blues is not dead around here. You can’t beat the Blues masters, but every time someone under the age of 25 takes a serious, respectful interest in it, and gets others excited about it, the Blues gets a transfusion and roars back to life again. And the blues is in need of that now. Right now.

It will be interesting to see what path Chris chooses to go down to develop his talents. Many a young guitarist has been wooed away from blues by rock - enticed by the glitter and the call of cold hard cash. Hard not to blame them. A blues musician’s life is not an easy or glamorous one. But for now, Chris Watson feels the blues and shares them with us all on Just For Show… Time will tell if it’s for keeps.

- Blue Lisa -


Southwest Blues CD Review - September 2008 - Southwest Blues Magazine