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Johnny "Guitar" Watson was a seminal electric blues and rhythm & blues guitarist born on February 3, 1935, in Houston, Texas, USA. He gained fame in the mid-1950s with hits like "Gangster Of Love" and performed alongside notable artists such as Little Richard. In the 1960s, he ventured into synthesizer productions and later became a significant influence for sampling by artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. His work, particularly the 1956 song "Three Hours Past Midnight," inspired many musicians, including those who cite him as a key influence. Watson learned music on the piano during his childhood and took up the guitar under the condition set by his preacher grandfather that he would not use it to play the blues. His family relocated to Los Angeles in the 1950s, where he honed his skills playing guitar, piano, and singing in local jump bands. Tragically, Watson collapsed and died of a cardiac infarction while performing in Japan on May 17, 1996.

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