Artist description "Preacher Boy crosses the traditional country blues of haunted legends like Robert Johnson and Son House with a modern, rock-influenced perspective similar to Jon Spencer or Jack White of the White Stripes, branding the sound with his own distinctive mark." --Keith Gordon, All-Music Guide Review

Music Style roots/americana/blues/singer-songwriter

Musical Influences son house, tom waits, townes vanzandt, charley patton, the band, bob dylan, kris kristofferson, willie nelson (teatro), springsteen (nebraska), dr. john, tony joe white, bukka white, blind willie johnson, fred mcdowell, etc.

Artist History First and foremost Preacher Boy is a songwriter and solo performer. He mixes primal roots with starkly compelling lyrical and musical influences resulting in a blend that is utterly ageless and completely contemporary. Preacher Boy is also a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist playing guitar, national steel, banjo, mandolin, piano, organ, and harmonica on the road and on disc. Christopher Watkins is Preacher Boy. In 1995, hailed as an "alt-blues wunderkid" Blind Pig Records released his debut Preacher Boy And The Natural Blues. This was followed in 1996 by Gutters And Pews. Both were widely heralded for their songwriting and profound originality and are featured in the Rolling Stone Guide To Jazz And Blues. "Preach" toured the US leading a band in support of both discs. In 1997 Preacher Boy signed with Manchester, England-based Wah Tup Records. Wah Tup released Crow in 1998. It was experimental, ambitious, and genre defying. As was the accompanying tour, again with a band. Unanimous praise for the disc came from Mojo, Melody Maker, and other pop music publications recognizing Preacher Boy as, "A songwriter of startling originality." In September of 1998, Preach played a solo show in London, and by the next afternoon he had signed an exclusive booking agreement with UK powerhouse Primary Talent. Within three weeks he was touring throughout Europe, opening for Eagle-Eye Cherry in 1500-3000 seat venues. In addition, his multi-instrumental skills were featured in Eagle-Eye's set each night. The pairing was an instant success leading to Preach developing a co-writing and recording partnership with Eagle-Eye which continues today. Preach co-wrote and recorded six songs with Eagle-Eye and producer Rick Rubin at New York's Magic Shop for Eagle-Eye's Present Future disc which was released in October 2001. The disc sold over 700,000 copies worldwide. Eagle-Eye's new album Sub Rosa, released in September of 2003, features four songs written and recorded with Preach. The first CD single "Skull Tattoo" has two bonus co-writes, "One Lonely Here" and "Free." In late 1999 Preacher Boy recorded The Devil's Buttermilk, which was released by Manifesto Records in October of 2000. The disc showcased his finely honed songwriting and performance chops, prompting Phoenix New Times to hail the album as, "A tour-de-force from a devilishly talented performer and writer." Also in 2000 Preacher Boy contributed one track to the highly successful Tom Waits tribute disc A New Coat Of Paint, and had his prose and poetry published by MWE Press in their popular In Our Own Words: A Generation Defining Itself series. Preacher Boy spent most of 2001 writing and touring the US solo in support of "Buttermilk." Along the way his performances garnered raves like that from Seattle's The Stranger who wrote, "Don't miss this show, he's a one-man musician/wizard." Preacher Boy moved to Brooklyn, New York at the end of 2001 and set to work writing and performing new material, both solo and with a new band of stellar New York musicians. He has swung easily between marquis gigs at legendary Manhattan venues like Irving Plaza and The Mercury Lounge to an intimate and still-continuing residency at The Blue Lady Lounge in the renowned artist neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. In 2003, Preacher Boy made the decision to leave Wah Tup and start his own label, Coast Road Records. His fifth album, the first on Coast Road, will be a long-awaited solo-acoustic disc and is due in April 2004. Also in 2003, Preacher Boy signed with cutting-edge London-based publishers Kobalt, who represent Eagle-Eye Cherry, Badly Drawn Boy, and others. "Preach" continues to redefine himself as a writer and performer offering further proof of what audiences and critics across the globe have already discovered...Preacher Boy is a singularly original artist who's time is now.

Group Members christopher "preacher boy" watkins

Instruments national steel guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, piano, organ, harmonica, mandolin, banjo, etc.

Albums the devil's buttermilk (manifesto, 2000), crow (wah tup, 1998) the tenderloin ep (wah tup, blind pig, 1997), gutters and pews (blind pig, 1996), ...and the natural blues (blind pig, 1995)

Press Reviews "A songwriter of startling originality." --MOJO/London "A devilishly talented musician." --Phoenix New Times "A one-man musician/wizard." --The Stranger/Seattle, WA "Country Blues that marry Nick Cave, Robert Johnson, Woody Guthrie and Tom Waits, honeymooning in the barroom and lining the bed with sheets of mutant folk, deviant campfire country and beatnik jazz." --Melody Maker/London "Preacher Boy crosses the traditional country blues of haunted legends like Robert Johnson and Son House with a modern, rock-influenced perspective similar to Jon Spencer or Jack White of the White Stripes, branding the sound with his own distinctive mark." --Keith Gordon, All-Music Guide "Preacher Boy stands at the crossroads of the blues, country, rock, and rockabilly, howling his tales into the void of human misery, folly, and (possible) redemption." --Carl Hanni, Amazon Editorial Rvw

Location brooklyn, new york - USA

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