Bruce Watson (Scottish guitarist)

Bruce Watson
Watson in 2018
Watson in 2018
Background information
Born
Bruce William Watson

(1961-03-11) March 11, 1961
Timmins, Ontario, Canada
OriginDunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instruments
Years active1975–present
Labels
Member ofBig Country
Formerly ofCasbah Club, Skids
WebsiteOfficial Website of Bruce and Jamie Watson

Bruce William Watson (born March 11, 1961) is a Canadian-born Scottish guitarist, best known for being a member of Big Country.[1]

Early life and career

Watson was born in Timmins, Ontario, Canada.[2] He moved with his family to Scotland as an infant. He grew up in the Dunfermline area nearby to Stuart Adamson,[3][4]

Prior to joining Big Country, Watson had worked at Rosyth naval base cleaning nuclear submarines.[4] He had also been a lead guitarist of several Fife-based bands including the Delinquents and Eurosect. It was during this time, that Watson first met Stuart Adamson, as the Delinquents acted as a support act for The Skids in their early days. One of Watson's bandmates Raymond Davidson was the brother of Sandra Davidson, Adamson's future wife.[5]

Watson and Adamson were the two founding members of Big Country in summer 1981, after Adamson departed The Skids.[6] After several lineup changes, the pair were joined by Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki in early 1982, and the band went on to have considerable success.[3]

Role in Big Country

Watson in 1991

Watson's role in the band was primarily as a supporting guitarist. He typically contributed rhythmic textures ("Wonderland", "Lost Patrol") and repetitive melodic fills ("In a Big Country", "Look Away") which underpinned verses, contrasting with Stuart Adamson's more straightforward chord work in these sections. During solos, as Adamson played the main melody, Watson often contributed a counter-melody. Watson also played slide guitar on some of the band's early material, including "Rain Dance" and "Red Fox." Later on, Adamson played much of the slide guitar work on the band's songs. Watson is also an accomplished mandolin player, and put this skill to use on several of Big Country's more country and western-influenced songs, including "Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)".

During recent tours, Watson has played many of Adamson's lead guitar parts live, while his son, Jamie, fulfils his old role.

Watson has played guitar on every Big Country album, and co-wrote many Big Country songs with Adamson. He also sang live backing vocals.

Performances and tours

In the summer of 2007, Watson played with the Skids who had reformed to play two gigs in Dunfermline prior to a set on the main stage at T in the Park.

Also in 2007, to celebrate 25 years of Big Country, he reunited with founding members Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki to embark on a tour of the UK with dates in Scotland and England. Fellow band co-founder Stuart Adamson died in December 2001.

Starting in 2008, Watson began performing with his son Jamie Watson, as well as releasing an album, The Portastudio Diaries (2009), which chronicled a series of recordings in Bruce Watson's home recording studio.

Bruce and Jamie, along with American musician Tom Kercheval have a side project called WKW. WKW released an album in 2019 called Men of Steel.

References

  1. ↑ Kurutz, Steve. "Bruce Watson Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  2. ↑ "11 MARCH In Music History". Songfacts. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Big Country - THE HISTORY OF BIG COUNTRY by Scottish Music Network". Scottish Music Network. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Big Country return with new members and album". The Scotsman. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  5. ↑ Rowley, Scott (2026). Stay Alive, the life & death of Stuart Adamson. Putman Publishing. ISBN 978-1-917923-53-8.
  6. ↑ "Music preview: Big Country's Bruce Watson prepares to celebrate 35 years of the band's iconic debut album The Crossing at Celtic Connections". The Scotsman. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
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