Bill Watrous

William Russell Watrous III (June 8, 1939 – July 2, 2018) Watrous' father, also a trombonist, introduced him to the instrument at an early age.

Watrous' career blossomed in the 1960s. He played and recorded with many prominent jazz musicians, including Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Johnny Richards, and trombonist Kai Winding. He also played with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

Watrous taught for two decades at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, before retiring in 2015. He died in Los Angeles on July 2, 2018. 2019, Legacy Circle Award of The International Trombone Association Two Down Beat Awards and nominated top trombonist by DownBeat seven years in a row

Discography As leader In Love Again (as William Russell Watrous with the Richard Behrke Strings) (MTA, 1964) Plays Love Themes for the Underground, the Establishment & Other Sub Cultures Not Yet Known (With the Walter Raim Concept) (MTA, 1969) Bone Straight Ahead (Famous Door, 1973) Manhattan Wildlife Refuge (Columbia, 1974) The Tiger of San Pedro (Columbia, 1975) Funk 'n' Fun (Yupiteru, 1979) Watrous in Hollywood (Famous Door, 1979) Coronary Trombossa! (Famous Door, 1980) I'll Play for You (Famous Door, 1980) La Zorra (Famous Door, 1980) Bill Watrous in London (Mole Jazz, 1982) Roaring Back to New York, New York (Famous Door, 1983) Bill Watrous and Carl Fontana (Atlas, 1984) Someplace Else (Soundwings, 1986) Reflections (Soundwings, 1987) Bone-Ified (GNP Crescendo, 1992) Time for Love (GNP Crescendo, 1993) Space Available (Double-Time, 1997) Live at the Blue Note (Half Note, 2000) Living in the Moment with The Gary Urwin Jazz Orchestra (Sea Breeze, 2003) Live in Living Comfort (Stonequake, 2003) Mad to the Bone with The Rob Stoneback Big Band (Stonequake, 2003) Kindred Spirits with The Gary Urwin Jazz Orchestra (Summit, 2006)

As sideman With Deodato Prelude (CTI, 1973) With Kenny Burrell Blues - The Common Ground (Verve, 1968) With Paul Desmond Summertime (A&M/CTI, 1968) With Maynard Ferguson The Blues Roar (Mainstream, 1965) With The Gene Harris All Star Big Band Tribute to Count Basie (Concord Jazz, 1988) With Quincy Jones Golden Boy (Mercury, 1964) Roots (A&M, 1977) With O'Donel Levy Dawn of a New Day (Groove Merchant, 1973) Simba (Groove Merchant, 1974) With Milton Nascimento Courage (A&M/CTI, 1969) With Jimmy Witherspoon Blues for Easy Livers (Prestige, 1965) With Johnny Richards

Aqui Se Habla Español (Roulette, 1967)

With Red Rodney The Red Tornado (Muse, 1975) With Arturo Sandoval Dream Come True (1993) With Kai Winding Modern Country (Verve, 1964) The In Instrumentals (Verve, 1965) More Brass (Verve, 1966) Dirty Dog (Verve, 1966) Penny Lane & Time (Verve, 1967) Trombone Summit (MPS,1980) With Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band Then & Now (2013) With Ingrid James and San Gabriel 7 (JGS-SG7, 2012)