Geraint Watkins

An exhilarating accordionist, Geraint Watkins moved fluidly across rock & roll, blues, Cajun traditions, and points between. Beginning in the early 1980s and continuing into the opening years of the new century—aside from occasional pauses when circumstances grew difficult—he belonged to the high-living British ensemble the Balham Alligators. The group worked the London pub circuit, venturing farther afield on occasion, and issued several entertaining albums. Watkins also lent his talents to Tom Jones, Nick Lowe, Paul McCartney, Van Morrison, Carl Perkins, Shakin' Stevens, and Bill Wyman, among other prominent rock figures.

By the early 2000s he frequently appeared as a solo performer, continuing to ignite audiences and meet every expectation of his most ardent followers. Beneath the surface energy, however, it became increasingly clear that his technical command and musical depth ran far beyond showmanship, with the flash serving merely as decoration atop a solidly constructed foundation.