Stevie Wonder with Nate Watts: “I Wish” and “Isn’t She Lovely” Live 2009

Stevie Wonder has had a legendary career, and for over 40 years he’s been backed by the one and only Nate Watts. Here’s a great video of two fantastic bass lines with “I Wish” and “Isn’t She Lovely.”

The clip comes from a live 2009 performance in London. Even after playing these songs for four decades, you can tell Watts still gets into it.

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Leave a Reply to Petey Cancel reply

  1. Petey

    Nathan has always been an unsung bassist. He’s been playing with Stevie for about 30+ years and made some of the most memorable bass lines ever. My favorites bass lines are ‘Do I Do, BlackMan (from the songs in the key of life), Master Blaster Jammin’, Let’s Get Serious (he produced for Jermaine Jackson) and countless others I can’t even mention. A lot of people don’t know Nathan was a accomplish producer! Check out the work he did with The Jacksons’ Destiny & Triumph albums. I was happy when he received his lifetime award. He definitely deserved it. ?

  2. Robbie Bossert

    Great player….

  3. Steve Carriere

    Great player. Actually helped me decide to keep playing my Roscoe basses instead of “chasing tone” and thinking I “need” to play a P bass or something to do old school stuff like this. If a modern active 5 works for Nate and Stevie than it sure as hell can work for me!

    • Petey

      I agree Steve. Nathan was playing a musicman stingray bass back in the day and i thought I had have a stingray to get his sound. I was younger and didn’t know any better. It’s all about your hands, ears, tone, and most importantly, the groove. And Nathan had ALL of them. I’m still doing my finger stretches on Do I Do. I think he plays Bossa basses, now. If Stevie comes to town, you owed it to yourself to go see the genius, and Nathan (who is also Stevie’s musical director) and that tight knit band do their thing.?

  4. Just a monster of a bass player . Always groovin’ ….Like a smooth stretch of highway !

    • Petey

      Yeah, that’s just the way I always wanted play. Just groovin.’ To me that’s the best way to get a gig anyway. Solos are ok, but the “groove” is where it’s at. Oh yeah, not to forget PEOPLE skills.?

  5. Nate Watts is taste personified. That right there is what playing bass in a group setting is all about. Supporting the song, supporting the singer. Nate gets his licks in, but he never gets in the way of the groove – he enhances it. Bravo!

    • Petey

      Billsky, you are absolutely correct. “Personified” is the best word to described his work. If you really pay attention, he “solos” within the song and grooves on top of it. That’s what makes him incredible. Then again, Stevie has a wicked left hand when he plays synth bass lines so you need somebody that can keep up with him. Nathan is THAT guy. 40+ years? Wow!

  6. Nathan Watts has the new *Demo
    Call Me Sugar ? for Mr. StevieWonder