Americana Afternoons with Debra Watson & the Smokin’ Aces
March 25, 2018 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
About Debra Watson and the Smokin’ Aces:
Debra Watson sings with a rich, sensuous sound, heartfelt with a touch of Texas sass.
Debra sings an eclectic mix of rockin’ blues, jump blues, jazz, swing and rockabilly.
Starting out in her hometown of Austin, Debra sang and performed with Esther’s Follies, Austin’s premier Comedy Sketch Troupe. Later she co-founded her own Comedy Sketch Troupe, The Better Than TV Players where she wrote and performed political parodies. For years, she ventured back and forth between Los Angeles and Austin singing with many L.A. bands including the late great J.J. Bad Boy Jones, Swing Syndicate, Flat Top Tom & His Jump Cats, and William “Soul” Porter. She put together two great bands consisting of some of L.A’s finest musicians; The Backyard Angels and Debra Watson and The Smokin’Aces.
Playing in many hot spots in Los Angeles, such as The Derby, Pig n’ Whistle, Harvelles and Joes American Bar & Grill, Ms. Watson established herself as a favorite among the local swing and blues scene. Influenced by such great singers such as Lou Ann Barton, Wanda Jackson, Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Delbert McClinton and Janis Joplin, Debra developed her own unique blend of Swing, Jazz and Blues with a Texas feel.
Ms. Watson saw Elvis in concert when she was only 4. Although she doesn’t remember being there, her hips move in such a way that one might assume that Elvis had a strong impact.
Her first Cd, “Come Dance With Me” is a compilation of some of her favorite swing and jazz standards mixed in with some Texas Blues. Her second CD, “That’s Right” is an eclectic mix of old school rocking blues featuring, “That’s Right” and “Tow Truck Blues” which was based on Debra’s first trip to L.A. with her mom riding in a Tow Truck after her car broke down outside of Needles, California. “That’s Right,” a jump blues tune, was written as a tribute to all the fabulous men she has had the pleasure of dancing with throughout the years. Her newest single “Someone to Hold Me” is a powerful emotional ballad.
Debra has recently settled back in to her hometown of Austin with steady performances at The Oasis and the Hyatt Regency Downtown. This summer she flew back to Los Angeles for two concerts with her Los Angeles based band. She is working on material for her third CD.