From a
very early age, Cheryl Watson was drawn to learning all she could about music. Born in Maine, she grew up listening and singing along to her older brother's Beatles albums
and her mother's 40's era big band 33’s and then started to learn to play guitar at
eleven years old. Her family moved to St. Augustine, Fl when she was 17, where she lives today.
California rock, folk, swing, country, and later, Americana, old time,
and bluegrass all played a part in Cheryl expanding her musical palette. She
eventually unplugged her Fender Tele guitar, left the late night rock
clubs and started to focus more on her love of playing purely acoustic music at
festivals and acoustic listening venues. Her rich, articulate vocals are
sometimes lush, but often a bit edgy and cutting in order to convey
the emotion of the song.
"My
songs come from a combination of personal experience, other people's trials
and tribulations, and even from soap operas! I write when I am inspired, when ideas come to me out of the
blue; sometimes in the middle of the night in a dream. I have a hard time writing
a truly happy song", she admits, "and a song cannot be written with
the intent to bring on the tears or I find it contrived. Songs have to hit you
honestly in the gut; I prefer lyrics that are cathartic and say something
redeeming and meaningful." Cheryl believes that, "The music and the
lyrics have to have chemistry together; they have to
be married to each other and that is one of the most challenging things about
songwriting."
Her new
release “Watertown” encompasses the heart of these elements, an all original collection
of songs and instrumentals, plus one traditional tune. Cheryl plays guitar and
mandolin, she is joined by a cast of expert guest musicians, including Jason
Thomas: fiddle (Claire Lynch Band), Gabe Valla: lead guitar, and others featuring dobro, upright bass, and banjo. (click here for CD and soundclips)
