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Howard Watts ("Cedric Rainwater")

Born February 19, 1913

Moving to Nashville in 1943, Howard Watts adopted the name Cedric Rainwater for stage comedy roles. The pseudonym became his professional persona throughout the remainder of his music career that began in 1932 in Orlando, Florida. As bassist and bass vocalist with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, he participated in the bluegrass genre's definitive and most significant recordings. These historic sessions in September, 1946 and October, 1947 included Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and Chubby Wise, completing the group now called "the original bluegrass band."

A talented songwriter, Watts' compositions include "Remember the Cross" and "I'll Be Going to Heaven Sometime." He sold a number of other songs he and his wife Alice wrote to pay family medical bills.

Through the 1950s, Cedric Rainwater recorded with and worked in the bands of several top bluegrass and country artists. His superb timing, tone and 4/4 "walking bass" technique led many of his peers to regard him as the best acoustic bass player in the business. Born in Monticello, Florida, he died January 21, 1970, after pursuing non-music interests for the last decade of his life.