Radio

NPR World Cafe "Sure it's an over-exploited genre but Watson has the songs to make it sound new." - David Dye

NPR All Songs Considered: Living in the Past

Capitol Public Radio Insight w/ Tommy Chong, Mariee Sioux & Aaron Ross

Live in Studio A - KDVS (40mins)

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"In his own quest for musical purity, Watson ambles toward that promised land of unfettered creativity. As a result, his best songs appropriate popular American songwriting traditions to communicate the humor, beauty, and pathos of our own time." SF Weekly

"Lee Bob Watson isn't interested in chasing trends or sounding dated, but rather in chronicling the debris and the junkheaps of generations. If he's a man out of time, that's because he also makes music that feels so wonderfully timeless." Nerd Litter, Brooklyn NY

Surrounded by his dream team of former Cake drummer Todd Roper, Cake bassist Gabe Nelson, Jackpot guitarist Rusty Miller and a handful of local musicians, Watson recorded the album “Aficionado” in 10 days.

"So much of our generation spends a lot of time rehashing the glory days of pop culture," said Watson, who prefers a fresh take on a retro sound. "You've got to take your influences and let them breathe in the room."

In his music, you can hear the influences of Bob Dylan and John Lennon, as well as those of Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson and Hank Williams. But if you keep listening, one voice stands out, and it's pure Lee Bob Watson. the Union Prospector.

“Although it might be easy to lump Lee Bob in with half a million other bindlestiff-toting crosstie walkers with a Hank Williams songbook in the guitar case and a half-pint of Cumberland varnish stripper in the back pocket, where he’s coming from is a lot closer to Pink Moon than “Blue Moon of Kentucky” Sacto News & Review

“Lee Bob Watson finally dragged a drum machine into the room. He crooned like a super-folked-out Hank Williams and was all over the place... with his lanky antics” L.A. Record