Wilmer Watts

Tabor City, NC, was still called Mount Tabor back when the wonderful, historic old-time music artist Wilmer Wats was born. He got into music as a child and had a real knack for learning instruments, starting with the string family but branching out to the point where he eventually was able to perform as a one-man band, playing five instruments at once. His many recordings include the fantastic "Banjo Sam," a popular choice for a banjo national anthem with its lyrics: "Banjo walk/banjo talk/banjo eating with a knife and fork." Watts made his first recording in 1927, the result ...