Lovelace Watkins (March 6, 1933 – June 11, 1995) was an American, Las Vegas-based singer and performer (also nicknamed "The Black Sinatra").
Biography Watkins was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1933. He was of African, Indian, and Spanish heritage.Chicago Tribune, November 14, 1971 - Lovelace did it his way By Arthur Veysey His mother gave birth to him at fourteen, and he was raised by his grandmother.
He studied microbiology at Rutgers University and trained as a boxer. He was invited to the Royal Command Performance for the Queen of the United Kingdom. He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1961 while promoting his album, The Big, Big Voice of Lovelace Watkins. Lovelace also appeared on the Johnny Carson and Mike Douglas shows.
He made his debut at the Wookey Hollow nightclub; he was later recalled for a second show one week later. He performed at the London Palladium on November 15, 1971, in front of Queen Elizabeth II. His third Wookey Hollow cabaret appearance was recorded and televised on BBC One at 11:35 pm on May 8, 1974. Following this, Lovelace Watkins at the attendance record at the "Talk Of The Town" in London, England. Watkins appeared on the British religious variety series Stars on Sunday. In 1974, Lovelace did a ten-week long summer season at the ABC Theatre in Blackpool. The shows were sold out.
Australia Watkins had a long association with Australia's Gold Coast. He helped raise money for the city following the floods in 1974. He was named "Ambassador at large" by Gold Coast Mayor Keith Hunt. Watkins recorded two songs; they were "We Love The Gold Coast" by Clyde Collins and "On The Gold Coast" by Tom Louch from Victoria.Gold Coast Bulletin, October 1, 2016 - Flashback Feature: Remembering the Gold Coast’s famous promotional songs of decades past - Andrew Potts The single was released on the Finooks Folly label.Discogs - Lovelace Watkins – We Love The Gold Coast
South Africa
In South Africa, he received two gold albums, and a public parade was held in his honor. In apartheid South Africa, Watkins was the guest of honor at a woman's banquet. He was pictured in The Sunday Express dancing with a white woman; the hotel almost lost its license.Mail Guardian, 04 Apr 1997 - News, Those were the days
Personal life and death In March 1972, he married Anna Marie Fitzsimmons of Salford, Lancashire, and their son was born in 1972; the marriage later ended. Nearing the end of his music career, Watkins started a company that prepared apartments and commercial buildings for rental companies in the Las Vegas area, and continued singing at various functions in Las Vegas. He died of leukemia in 1995.Weatherford, Mike. Lure of obscure performer. Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 15, 2003. Retrieved December 1, 2006.
Releases + Singles Title Release info Year Notes "Hello Young Lovers" / "When I Fall In Love" MGM K 12875 1960 United States release "Tender Love" / "Ma Cherie Au Revoir" Groove 58-0016 1963 United States release "I Won't Believe It" / "He's Lookin' Out For The World" Groove 58-0023 1963 United States release "Who Am I" / "Dreams" Sue 10-003 1964 United States releaseDiscogs - Lovelace Watkins Discography Singles & EPs "I Apologise Baby" / "You Can't Stop Love" Fontana TF 879 1967 United Kingdom release "Now You're Gone" / "You Made Me So Very Happy", "Spinning Wheel" York SYK 504 1971 United Kingdom release "Someday Man" / "Take My Hand" York SYK 509 1971 United Kingdom release "Angel She Was Love" / "Get Ready" York SYK 513 1972 United Kingdom release "Rain Falls Anywhere It Wants To" / "Sing No Sad Songs For Charlie" York SYK 522 1972 United Kingdom release "Country Road" / "Tell Her That It's Snowing" York SYK 533 1972 United Kingdom release "Let Them Play A Sad Song" / "Sing No Sad Songs For Charlie" York SYK 546 1973 United Kingdom release "My Love Forgive Me" / "The Single Man" York YR 213 1974 United Kingdom release "The Way I Am" / "Everybody Wants To Call You Sweetheart" York YR 217 1974 United Kingdom release(Charted in South Africa, released on the Gallo LabelBillboard, December 21, 1974 - Page 57 Week Ending 21/12/74, Billboard Hits of the World, South Africa) "We Love The Gold Coast" / "On The Gold Coast" Finooks Folly FF 1001 1980 Australia only release
+ Albums Title release info Year Notes The Big, Big Voice Of Lovelace Watkins MGM Records E3831 1960 Love Is UNI Records 73068 1969 Recorded Live At The Talk Of The Town York Records LYK 901, York Records LYK 902 1971 Love Makes The World Go Round York Records FYK 404 1972 Live In South Africa Gallo – GL 1759 1974 Lovelace 'Live' 77 Polydor 2398 014 1977 A Gift Of Love J & B Records JB 273 1986 Australia only releaseDiscogs - Lovelace Watkins Discography, Albums
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