Melvin M. Ragin (December 8, 1950 – October 24, 2018), known professionally as Wah Wah Watson, was an American guitarist who was a member of the Funk Brothers, the studio band for

Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

. He also worked extensively as a

session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...

in a variety of genres from

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and pop to R&B.

Career

Ragin was a native of

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

. His father, Robert Ragin, was a minister, and his mother, Cora (Brown) Ragin was an evangelist. She bought him his first guitar when he was 15. He moved to

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

in the 1960s and eventually became a member of the

studio band

the Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

, where he recorded with artists like The Temptations (his guitar work on " Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is particularly notable),

the Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

, the

Four Tops The Four Tops are an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1953 as the Four Aims. They were one of the most commercially successful American pop music groups of the 1960s and helped propel Motown Records to international fame. The ...

Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American Rhythm and blues, R&B, soul music, soul, and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early ...

, and

the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

. He played on numerous sessions in the 1970s and 1980s for many top

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

and

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

acts, including

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

; he both recorded and composed songs with

the Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American female vocal group from Oakland, California, who achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. They have had a repertoire with many genres, they have sold around 50 million records throughout their ...

. His nickname stemmed from "wonderfully textured sounds" he conjured using a

wah-wah pedal A wah-wah pedal, or simply wah pedal, is a type of effects pedal designed for electric guitar that alters the timbre of the input signal to create a distinctive sound, mimicking the human voice saying the onomatopoeic name "wah-wah". The peda ...

to alter the sound of his electric guitar; he bought his first pedal after hearing Motown studio guitarist Dennis Coffey use one. When Motown relocated to Los Angeles, so did Ragin. In 1976, Watson released his first solo album, ''Elementary'', on

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

. 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 The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' 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 Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...

' '' Unplugged'' (2005), and '' The Element of Freedom'' (2009). In 2010, Wah Wah Watson collaborated with alternative soul artist Res to create the song, "For Who You Are" on the Black Girls Rock album. The song is frequently played as a classic Chicago, Illinois "stepping" dance song with ove
10 million views on youtube

Death

Watson died on October 24, 2018, at St. John's Hospital in

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

. He was 67. He was survived by two sisters, two brothers, and his wife, Itsuko Aono. In a statement, Aono said, "Wherever he is, he’s groovin’.”

Discography

As leader

* ''Elementary'' (1976)

As sideman

With

* '' Man-Child'' (1975) * '' Secrets'' (1976) * '' VSOP'' (1977) * '' Feets, Don't Fail Me Now'' (1979) * '' Monster'' (1980) * '' Mr. Hands'' (1980) * '' Dis Is Da Drum'' (1994) With others *

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...

, '' L.A. (Light Album)'' (1979) *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

, ''Love Remembers'' (1993) *

, '' Songs and Stories'' (2009) *

Yung Berg Christian J. Ward (born September 9, 1985), known professionally as Hitmaka, is an American record producer and former rapper. Ward began rapping under the stage name Iceberg in 2001, at the age of 14. His career was cut short, due to his time ...

, '' Look What You Made Me'' (2008) * Blondie, '' Autoamerican'' (1980) * Donald Byrd, '' Thank You...For F.U.M.L. (Funking Up My Life)'' (Elektra, 1978) *

Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...

, '' Take Me Home'' (1979) *

, '' Nature Planned It'' (1972) *

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

, '' Let's Get It On'' (1973) *

Gloria Gaynor Gloria Fowles (born September 7, 1943), known professionally as Gloria Gaynor, is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), "I Have a Right, Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), "I Am What I Am (Broadway mus ...

, "

I Will Survive "I Will Survive" is a song recorded by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978 by Polydor Records as the second single from her sixth album, ''Love Tracks (Gloria Gaynor album), Love Tracks'' (1978). It was written by Freddie Pe ...

" (1978) *

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

, '' Free Ride'' (1977) * John Lee Hooker, '' Free Beer and Chicken'' (1974) * Thelma Houston, '' Ride to the Rainbow'' (1979) *

Bobbi Humphrey Barbara Ann "Bobbi" Humphrey (born April 25, 1950) is an American jazz flautist and singer. She has recorded twelve albums over the course of her career, mostly playing jazz fusion, funk, and soul-jazz. In 1971, she was the first female instrume ...

, '' Satin Doll'' (1974) *

, '' Damita Jo'' (2004) *

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

, '' Off the Wall'' (1979) *

'' Bad'' (1987) *

The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

, '' ABC'' (1970) *

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

, '' Body Heat'' (1974) *

, '' Q's Jook Joint'' (1995) * Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, ''Versus'' (1997) * Labelle, '' Chameleon'' (1976) * Maysa Leak, ''Out of the Blue'' (2002) * Love Unlimited, '' Under the Influence of...'' (1973) * The Love Unlimited Orchestra, '' Rhapsody in White'' (1974) *

Maxwell Maxwell may refer to: People * Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist * Justice Maxwell (disambiguation) * Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of N ...

, '' Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite'' (1994) *

, '' Now'' (2001) *

Brian McKnight Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr. (born Brian Kelly McKnight; June 5, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, record producer, radio personality, and multi-instrumentalist. An Contemporary R&B, R&B performer, he is recognized for his strong ...

, ''

'' (1992) *

, '' I Remember You'' (1995) * Meshell Ndegeocello, '' Plantation Lullabies'' (1993) * Meshell Ndegeocello, '' Peace Beyond Passion'' (1996) *

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

, '' High Energy'' (1976) * Pointer Sisters, '' Steppin''' (1975) * Martha Reeves, ''Martha Reeves'' (1974) *

Rose Royce Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B group. They are best known for several hit singles during the 1970s including " Car Wash", " I Wanna Get Next to You", " I'm Going Down", " Wishing on a Star", and " Love Don't Live Here Anymore". Career ...

, '' Car Wash'' (1976) * Boz Scaggs, '' Slow Dancer'' (1974) * The Temptations, '' All Directions'' (1972) * The Temptations, ''

Masterpiece A masterpiece, , or ; ; ) is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, skill, profundity, or workmanship. Historically, ...

'' (1973) * Tyrese, '' Black Rose'' (2015) * The Undisputed Truth, '' The Undisputed Truth'' (1971) * Vanessa L. Williams '' The Comfort Zone'' (1991) *

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

, '' Conversation Peace'' (1995)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Wah Wah 1950 births 2018 deaths 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians African-American guitarists American funk guitarists American male guitarists American rhythm and blues guitarists American session musicians American soul guitarists Guitarists from Virginia Jazz musicians from Virginia Musicians from Richmond, Virginia The Funk Brothers members The Headhunters members 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians The Love Unlimited Orchestra members