Charlie Watts

CHARLIE WATTS Tupelo - Charlie Watts, 72, passed away Sunday, October 20, 2013, at his home in Shannon. He was born in Newborn, Tennessee on November 29, 1940, to Murrell and Eloise Watts. A well-known local musician and entertainer, Charlie never learned to read music but he had phenomenal tonal memory which gave him the ability to play musical instruments by ear. Charlie also composed multiple songs. He was featured in The Daily Journal article written by Phyllis Harper, "We've got Bach to rock - and Charlie to boot". Phyllis wrote of Charlie, "Music has been called the eight day of creation, the universal language, the laughter of God. For some, it is a way of life and Charlie couldn't imagine living without music". He also enjoyed associating with other musicians and was thrilled to meet Elvis Presley and conduct an interview with him at the Tupelo Fair in 1956. Charlie began his musical journey with the Tupelo High School Chorus and various church choirs. At Tupelo High School in the late 1950's, he joined a quartet with Guy Hovis, Bobby Verrell and Buddy Palmer. In 1960, he was asked to join a band with Larry Nichols and Buck Hutcheson. His first gig with them was the VFW in Fulton. He made $3 dollars and thought he was in hog heaven according to published reports. After that, there were very few Saturday nights he wasn't singing or playing with some group. Later, he became the lead singer with the Nite Lighters, a dance band thought to be the best dance band in Mississippi. They played clubs all over the state for almost two decades performing everything but hard rock with their most requested song being "Route 66". He met Buddy and Kay Bain in New Orleans at the World Fair in 1984 and started singing harmony with them. Later , Charlie, would affectionately become known as "Captain Charlie", as a long-time member of the Morning Show Band with The Buddy Bain Show. A celebration of Charlie's life will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at the Belden Baptist Church with Bro. Jim Holcomb, Bro. Gary Gray and Bro. Dewayne Ard officiating. A graveside will follow at Lee Memorial Park. W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors is entrusted with arrangements. Survivors include his three children, Greg Watts of Tupelo, Michele Mask (Jeff) of Shannon and Brandi Gray (Blaine) of St. Louis, Missouri; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Pat Mitchell (Stanley) of Plantersville and Betty Adderholt (Oliver) of Birmingham, Alabama; one brother, Eddie Evans of Pontotoc. He was preceded in death by his wife of forty-eight years, Rachel T. Watts on January 16, 2013 and his mother Eloise Evans on July 7, 2012. Pallbearers will be his son-in-law, Jeff Mask, his brother, Eddie Evans, Jerry Hood and David Parker of the Nite Lighters, Truman Carter and Jimmy Creason. Honorary pallbearers will be his son, Greg Watts, son-in-law, Blaine Gray, Thomas Kelley of the Nite Lighters, Rex Needam, Johnny Wigginton and Joe Holloway of the Morning Show Band, Dean Koon and Kay Bain. Visitation will be 1 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at W. E. Pegues Funeral Home.