The Gangster of Love

The only biography of Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1935-1996) paints an intriguing portrait of the American blues funk composer. His fans appreciate his historical role in black American music. Rappers honored him with samples. In this book tens of musicians reveal the life story of the struggling guitarist who became eternal with Gangster Of Love and A Real Mother For Ya.

Besides hundreds of others, the love bandit had three First Ladies he lived with for years. They tell their untold love stories and explain how they stimulated his music as Muse, and how they financed his music business as Maecenas, helping him to produce gold albums by working as prostitute, thief or booster. His musicians reveal: how did he compose his incredible oeuvre?

This book includes:

• The first complete Discography with 284 songs,
• Hundreds of songs composed or produced by Watson for others, songs he features on, his songs covered or sampled by others,
• Index with hundreds of related artists, 
• Extended stories of Frank Zappa on John Watson and Watson on Zappa,
• 660 References,
• 300 Illustrations, of which 4 in full color.

EXTENDED EDITION (First Edition April 2009), corrected by music author Fred Rothwell (UK), with 50% more pages and 150% more Illustrations.