We are saddened to share the news of the loss of Mike Watson, of the Mike Watson Band. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, band mates, and fans. Mike was a long time contributor to music in the Atlanta area, including the Montana jams which are fondly remembered by many music lovers.
Mike was born on June 15, 1959 in Carrollton, Georgia to the late Curtis Ira and Delma Aletha Kent Watson. He began his education at Bowdon schools, from grammar grades through high school, graduating from Bowdon High School in 1977. It was during these formative years that Mike developed his passion for music, starting all the way back when he was six years old. In his own words, Mike described peering out of his bedroom window and watching with disgust as rain began to fall: “I was a kid. I wanted to go outside and play,” Instead, he grabbed notebook paper and an Eberhard Faber and scribbled his first blues song about the heartache of a rainy day. “It was like I was born with a guitar.”
Throughout his school years, Mike continued to hone his skills on the guitar, but he also expanded his musical repertoire, singing, playing trombone in the marching band, and writing his own songs. In high school, Mike and friends formed a band and spent most weekend nights rockin’ and rollin’ the frat boys and sorority girls of West Georgia College in Carrollton – not far from his hometown of Bowdon. After graduating from Bowdon High, Mike would go on to attend West Georgia College himself, majoring in music.
It was in his early twenties that his career in the local music scene began to take off. He became the hit of Hapeville, Ga., crooning country at the Nevada Lounge, but this was just a taste of what was to come. Eventually, he embraced his passion for rhythm and blues. One of Mike’s songs, “I’ve Got A Biscuit On My Mind,” quickly became a fan favorite. It was through his signature blues style that Mike garnered individual awards and recognition such as Slab Music’s 1999 People’s Choice Award and the runner-up in the 2004 Athen’s Flagpole Music Awards as blues artist and songwriter of the year.
In 2011, Mike was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Associations Hall of Fame. Additionally, The Mike Watson Band, highly acclaimed in the Atlanta area, received a multitude of awards, notably: the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and most recently the 2018 Blues Band of the Year, as well as the Runner Up 2012 Band of the Year, and Mike, as the 2018 Paul Peek Entertainer of the Year, the 2013 Entertainer of the Year, and the 2016 Director’s Award by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers. Despite these successes, Mike was known as a humble man, and he was always willing to play a benefit for a good cause or for an individual in need. His friends in the music industry have described him as one of the greatest people they know.
The Mike Watson Band played for our gathering and jam, back in January of 2018 at the Vista Room. We thought you might enjoy this video compilation from that memorable day…
https://youtu.be/UZ0xFPHCDYY
We are saddened to share the news of the loss of Mike Watson, of the Mike Watson Band. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, band mates, and fans. Mike was a long time contributor to music in the Atlanta area, including the Montana jams which are fondly remembered by many music lovers.
Mike was born on June 15, 1959 in Carrollton, Georgia to the late Curtis Ira and Delma Aletha Kent Watson. He began his education at Bowdon schools, from grammar grades through high school, graduating from Bowdon High School in 1977. It was during these formative years that Mike developed his passion for music, starting all the way back when he was six years old. In his own words, Mike described peering out of his bedroom window and watching with disgust as rain began to fall: “I was a kid. I wanted to go outside and play,” Instead, he grabbed notebook paper and an Eberhard Faber and scribbled his first blues song about the heartache of a rainy day. “It was like I was born with a guitar.”
Throughout his school years, Mike continued to hone his skills on the guitar, but he also expanded his musical repertoire, singing, playing trombone in the marching band, and writing his own songs. In high school, Mike and friends formed a band and spent most weekend nights rockin’ and rollin’ the frat boys and sorority girls of West Georgia College in Carrollton – not far from his hometown of Bowdon. After graduating from Bowdon High, Mike would go on to attend West Georgia College himself, majoring in music.
It was in his early twenties that his career in the local music scene began to take off. He became the hit of Hapeville, Ga., crooning country at the Nevada Lounge, but this was just a taste of what was to come. Eventually, he embraced his passion for rhythm and blues. One of Mike’s songs, “I’ve Got A Biscuit On My Mind,” quickly became a fan favorite. It was through his signature blues style that Mike garnered individual awards and recognition such as Slab Music’s 1999 People’s Choice Award and the runner-up in the 2004 Athen’s Flagpole Music Awards as blues artist and songwriter of the year.
In 2011, Mike was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Associations Hall of Fame. Additionally, The Mike Watson Band, highly acclaimed in the Atlanta area, received a multitude of awards, notably: the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and most recently the 2018 Blues Band of the Year, as well as the Runner Up 2012 Band of the Year, and Mike, as the 2018 Paul Peek Entertainer of the Year, the 2013 Entertainer of the Year, and the 2016 Director’s Award by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers. Despite these successes, Mike was known as a humble man, and he was always willing to play a benefit for a good cause or for an individual in need. His friends in the music industry have described him as one of the greatest people they know.
The Mike Watson Band played for our gathering and jam, back in January of 2018 at the Vista Room. We thought you might enjoy this video compilation from that memorable day…
https://youtu.be/UZ0xFPHCDYY
