A soulful Lovelace Watkins

Published by Paula Bray on August 29, 2009 3 Comments

Photo Nº: 00x11868

Trained as both an opera singer and a boxer, Lovelace Watkins (1938–1995) was a Las Vegas-based soul singer and performer with a charismatic style and velvet voice. Nicknamed ‘The Black Sinatra’, he toured nightclubs and venues around the world including in Europe, South Africa and Australia. With his signature boom voice reminiscent of Paul Robeson he received critical acclaim in South Africa at the height of apartheid with a street parade held in his honour. Bruno Benini captured this shot of Lovelace Watkins while he was visiting Melbourne during the sixties. The photographer’s widow, Hazel Benini recalls: When Bruno took this shot he really thought he’d captured a great moment. He felt there was an anguish there. He really liked that shot (Hazel Benini interview with curator, December 2008). The photograph is part of the Bruno Benini photography archive acquired with funding assistance from the Australian Government through the National Cultural Heritage Account in early 2009.

Photography by Bruno Benini
© Estate of Bruno Benini
Post by Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator

  • Tony Barker

    Lovelace Watkins made a number of visits to Australia over the years and was a popular entertainer in Sydney clubs, including the Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club in Bondi Junction, where he performed in early 1971.

  • Foxy

    Lovelace Watkins appeared many times in Liverpool during the 70s.  Played to packed houses,  queues around clubs the  the people here loved him and he loved us.  A great showman.  I even went to Manchester to see him.  Fantastic!!

  • Shinboner

    Lovelace was one of the best singer/entertainers that I had the privilege of seeing in the 70s and 80s. The Dorset Gardens Hotel and the Venue in St.Kilda came alive when Lovelace was performing. His vocal gymnastics, control and feeling in “Live” performances never failed to be perfect and powerful, regardless of whether he was singing a soft or strong ballad. Aside from his obvious vocal training, I believe he sang gospel songs in Church in his formative years which has been proven to be a great grounding for many famous American singers. I was shocked and saddened to learn of his untimely passing in the mid 90s and miss the broad smile and booming voice of The Black Sinatra.
    I have uploaded some amateur VHS footage of Lovelace on Youtube. The picture/sound is not great from VHS tape and camera microphone, recorded under difficult circumstances at the Venue in St.Kilda (Melbourne, Australia). The footage just brings back some great memories for me.

    The photograph taken by Bruno Benini is a work of Art.   It is the antithesis of the Lovelace Watkins we saw on Stage. Everyone has quiet, reflective and pensive moments. Bruno has captured this through the lens of a camera beautifully.

    R.I.P. Lovelace Watkins.Â
       Â