Lovelace Watkins

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Lovelace Watkins on left at Las Vegas fundraiser, early 1980s

Lovelace Watkins (1938–1995) was a Las Vegas-based singer and performer who achieved fame in America as well as in Europe and Australia.

Watkins was born in New Jersey when his mother was only fourteen years old and was raised by his grandmother in New Brunswick. He studied microbiology at Rutgers University and also trained as a boxer. His operatically trained and signature booming voice, reminiscent of a swinging Paul Robeson, took him to Europe where he gained fame. He became so popular in Europe that he was invited to entertain at the Royal Command Performance for the Queen of England. The London Times called him “the best entertainer on earth.” In South Africa he received two gold albums and was so celebrated that a public parade was held in his honor – an unprecedented reception for a black entertainer at the height of Apartheid. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in 1961 while promoting his album "The Big, Big Voice of Lovelace Watkins" [1], music arranged and conducted by Ray Ellis. Lovelace recorded nine albums in the United States and in Europe and gained more notoriety in Europe and Australia than in the States.

His popularity began to wane as a result of poor business decisions and a Hollywood screen test that never transpired. Following his slide into obscurity he resorted to cleaning offices for a living, but continued singing at various functions in Las Vegas. Lovelace died of leukemia in 1995.^[1]