The “original favourite” guitarist of Frank Zappa
It would be foolish not to include Frank Zappa among the greatest guitarists of all time. Purporting a plethora of mind-bending riffs, the self-taught musician and composer stood out among all the others. By his own admission, he was not the most technically skilled guitarist, but his ability to create incredible off-the-cuff improvisations was unmatched.
The composer drew upon a wide range of influences throughout his career, culminating in his wildly eccentric and stylistically diverse sound. With a musical career spanning four decades, the Baltimore-born musician incorporated everything from free jazz to hard rock, pop, classical and even musique concrète. His eclectic range of styles has endeared him towards legions of devoted Zappa fans, making him perhaps one of the most legendary figures in 20th-century music.
Zappa was among the most original artists of his time, but the lineage of his tunes can be traced back to various prominent artists who had come before him. As with any guitarist worth their salt, Zappa idolised the likes of Jeff Beck and the British jazz guitarist Allan Holdsworth. In fact, he once said of Beck, “One of my favourite guitar players on the planet. From a melodic standpoint and just in terms of the conception of what he plays. He’s fabulous. I like Jeff.”
Despite his adoration of Jeff Beck, only one man takes the prestigious title of being Zappa’s “original favourite” guitarist: Johnny Watson. Rising to prominence during the 1950s, he was noted for his unique rhythm and blues style, which incorporated elements of funk to match his flamboyant on-stage persona. Tragically, Watson is an often overlooked figure when it comes to the world of guitar music, likely as a result of both his skin colour – given the rife racist attitudes of the US during that period – and the fact that he was always operating years ahead of his time.
Nicknamed ‘Johnny Guitar’ after the 1954 Joan Crawford film of the same name, Watson became known for his innovative and eclectic sound. Therefore, it is easy to see why he was a favourite of Zappa. He once said to the blues guitarist, “My original favourite guitar player was Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, not from a technical standpoint but from listening to what his notes meant in the context in which they were played.”
Zappa always maintained a love for old-school and obscure guitarists, further listing Guitar Slim as a major influence upon his playing style, “Guitar Slim who was the first guitar player I ever heard that had distortion — even during the ’50s. In a strange way I think I probably derive more of my style from his approach to the guitar from the solos I heard then.”
The influence of guitar music’s early innovators can be clearly heard in the unique sound of Frank Zappa, who took on their passion for improvisation and reinventing the norms of guitar playing. Although Zappa was himself a prolific and gifted artist, without those early influences of Johnny Watson, it is unlikely his eccentric sound would have ever come to fruition.
