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 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", 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.

Also nicknamed "The Black Sinatra" one of the greatest male soul singers of his time.

As a result of poor management decisions and a Hollywood screen test that never transpired Lovelace never reached his full potential in the United States; this man truly had one of the "greatest voices in the world". Lovelace Watkins at one time held the attendance record at the "Talk Of The Town" in London, England at the height of it's prominence as an entertainment venue and did a "Command Performance" for the "Queen of England". Following his slide into obscurity he started a successful company that preped and cleaned apartments for rental companies in the Las Vegas area, and continued singing at various functions in Las Vegas. Lovelace died of leukemia in 1995.^[1]