Noble "Thin Man" Watts
About Noble "Thin Man" Watts
Noble "Thin Man" Watts (February 17, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a prominent American rhythm and blues (R&B) and jazz saxophonist, primarily known for his "incendiary" tenor saxophone style during the 1950s.
Musical Career & Legacy
Early Life & Education: Born in DeLand, Florida, Watts studied at Florida A&M University (FAMU), where he played in the marching band alongside future jazz legends Cannonball and Nat Adderley.
Career Highlights: He began his professional career with The Griffin Brothers and later worked with icons such as Lionel Hampton, Dinah Washington, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Chart Success: His most famous instrumental, "Hard Times (The Slop)" (1957), reached the Billboard pop charts and became a signature R&B track of the era.
Late Career & Comeback: After a period of playing lounge music in Florida, Watts was "rediscovered" in the 1980s, leading to a successful comeback album, Return of the Thin Man (1987), released on Alligator Records. . User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Stats
- 1,632 listeners
- 4,205 plays