Wah Wah Watson

Melvin Ragin (December 8, 1950 – October 24, 2018), better known by the nickname "Wah Wah Watson", was an American guitarist and session musician famed for his skills with a wah-wah pedal.

Wah Wah Watson
Birth nameMelvin M. Ragin
Born(1950-12-08)December 8, 1950
Richmond, Virginia, United States
DiedOctober 24, 2018(2018-10-24) (aged 67)
Santa Monica, California, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Producer, songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, guitarist
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1968 – 2018
Associated actsMotown, Funk Brothers, Michael Jackson, Norman Whitfield, Herbie Hancock, Maxwell
Websitewww.wahwah.com

Career

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Melvin Ragin moved to Detroit and became a member of the Motown Records studio band The Funk Brothers, where he recorded with artists like The Temptations (his guitar work on "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is particularly notable), The Jackson 5, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and The Supremes.[1] He played on numerous sessions in the 1970s and 1980s for many top soul, funk and disco acts, including Herbie Hancock; he both recorded and composed songs with the Pointer Sisters.

In 1977, Watson released his first solo album, Elementary, on Columbia Records. The album was co-produced by Watson and David Rubinson.

In 1994, Watson appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time magazine.

In the 2000s, Watson appeared on the albums Maxwell's Now (2001), Black Diamond (2000) by Angie Stone, the soundtrack to the film Shaft (2000), Damita Jo (2004) by Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys' Unplugged (2005), and The Element of Freedom (2009).

Death

Watson died on October 24, 2018 at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.[2]

Discography

As leader
  • Elementary (1976)

As sideman

References
  1. Wynn, Ron. "Wah-Wah Watson Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  2. "In Memoriam: Motown guitarist Wah Wah Watson (1950-2018)". Digital Journal. October 25, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
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