Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin

Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin
Birth name	Melvin Ragin
Born	1951 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B, fusion
Occupations	Percussionist
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1970– Present
Associated acts	Funk Brothers, Norman Whitfield, Motown, Herbie Hancock
Website	www.wahwah.com
Notable instruments
Guitar

Melvin Ragin (born c. 1951), better known by the nickname "Wah-Wah Watson", is an American guitarist and session musician famed for his skills with a wah-wah pedal. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Ragin became a member of the Motown Records studio band, The Funk Brothers, where he recorded with artists like The Temptations, The Jackson 5, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and The Supremes. He played on numerous sessions in the 1970s and 1980s for many top soul, funk and disco acts, including Herbie Hancock.

In 1994, Ragin appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.

In the 2000s, Ragin appeared on the albums Black Diamond (2000) by Angie Stone, the soundtrack to the film Shaft (2000), Maxwell's Now (2001), Damita Jo (2004) by Janet Jackson, and Alicia Keys' Unplugged (2005).

Selected discography

• Marvin Gaye, Let's Get It On (1973)
• Martha Reeves, Martha Reeves (1974)
• Quincy Jones, Body Heat (1974)
• Bobbi Humphrey, Satin Doll (1974)
• Pointer Sisters, Steppin' (1975)
• Herbie Hancock, Man-Child (1975)
• Herbie Hancock, Secrets (1976)
• Labelle, Chameleon (1976)
• Rose Royce, "Car Wash" (1976)
• Eric Clapton, Slowhand (1977) - rumored
• Michael Jackson, Off The Wall (1979)
• Herbie Hancock, Feets, Don't Fail Me Now (1979)
• Herbie Hancock, Mr. Hands (1980)
• Herbie Hancock, Monster (1980)
• Blondie, "Live It Up" (1980)
• Vanessa L. Williams The Comfort Zone (1991)
• Brian McKnight, Brian McKnight (1992)
• Me'Shell NdegéOcello, Plantation Lullabies (1993)
• Maxwell, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1994)
• Herbie Hancock, Dis Is Da Drum (1994)
• Stevie Wonder, Conversation Peace (1995)
• Brian McKnight, I Remember You (1995)
• Maxwell, Now (2001)

External links

• Wah Wah Watson Official site
• Wah Wah Watson at Discogs
• Melvin Ragin at the Internet Movie Database

References

Persondata
Name
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1951
Place of birth	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death