Known for his melodic inventiveness and unmatched versatility, Nathan Watts is one of the most influential electric bass players in popular music.

From the 1970s through to today, his work has shaped the sound of R&B, funk, and pop on a global scale.

Watts was brought up on Detroit’s west side in a culture that was at the time entirely steeped in music.

For almost five decades, his bass lines have been the heartbeat of Stevie Wonder’s songs, carrying Detroit’s effortless groove into every country across the globe.

Like many of his contemporaries, he got his start playing in church and school bands, initially studying the trumpet, then the bass, his natural gift for rhythm and harmony making him an easy learner.

It was a time when Detroit was still considered a global music capital, with Motown ruling the charts, funk at its peak, and jazz clubs staying open late to accommodate high demand.

For Watts, it served as the perfect training ground, with his early influences being Motown greats like James Jamerson and funk pioneer Larry Graham – a foundation that would go on to shape the melodic flexibility that would later define his career.

Watts signed with Stevie Wonder’s band, Wonderlove, in 1974 when Wonder was at the height of his career.

The timing couldn’t have been better: he came in during the sessions for “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” and soon after contributed to the double album “Songs in the Key of Life” (1976).

Watts’ bass lines on hits like “I Wish,” “Sir Duke,” and “As” became pop classics – bouncy, clear, and a perfect marriage of funk and melody. He wasn’t playing easy notes: he invented countermelodies that uplifted songs without ever clogging them.

Watts was Wonder’s longtime bassist and later musical director.

He appeared on virtually every major Wonder album from the mid-1970s onward and became well known for his energetic and precise live performances.

That said, his contributions stretched far beyond Wonder.

Watts also performed with legends like Michael Jackson, his former family band the Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and Sergio Mendes.

Nathan Watts defines his playing as:

Always in the groove, heavily melodic, and eclectic, mainly due to his ability to switch from funk to pop to heartfelt ballads without ever losing authenticity.

Because of that, generation after generation of bass players have credited Watts as an influence – from Marcus Miller to current R&B and hip-hop players who continue to sample and imitate him.

Watts has toured the world over the course of his career, but his sound was always distinctly Detroit oriented.

Every note he plays reflects his gospel roots, Motown tradition, and fearless embrace of funk innovation.

Considered something of a Silent Architect, Nathan Watts may not be the household name the stars he has supported are, yet his work has reached billions of ears all the same.

He is the pulse of Detroit – a musician who has always kept the beat, expanded the possibilities of his skill set, and proven that sometimes the most vital voice is the one just beyond the greats.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: August 23, 2025