{{Short description|American pianist and singer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Doc Watkins | image = Doc Watkins Piano.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|06|11}} | genre = Jazz, Texas swing | occupation = {{flat list| *Singer *Pianist *Composer *Producer *Band leader *Radio Host}} | instrument = Vocals, piano | website = {{URL|docwatkins.com}} }}

'''Brent "Doc" Watkins''' (born June 11, 1981) is an American pianist and singer based in San Antonio, Texas. He is the owner and founder of ''Jazz, TX'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tutor |first=Adam |date=June 14, 2016 |title=Doc Watkins Gives a Sneak Peek of Jazz, TX |url=https://therivardreport.com/doc-watkins-gives-a-sneak-peek-of-jazz-tx/ |work=Rivard Report |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Saldana |first1=Hector |last2=Bennett |first2=Steve |date=2016-08-22 |title=Year's most anticipated live music venue opens at the Pearl |url=https://www.expressnews.com/entertainment/music-stage/article/New-underground-Jazz-TX-opens-Tuesday-at-The-9177027.php |work=San Antonio Express-News}}</ref> a restaurant and performance venue located in the Historic Pearl Brewery Complex in San Antonio.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sutter |first=Mike |date=2016-11-30 |title=Just a Taste: Music with a menu at Jazz, TX in The Pearl |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/restaurants/article/Just-a-Taste-Music-with-a-menu-at-Jazz-TX-in-10644329.php |work=San Antonio Express-News}}</ref> He performs there regularly with his Orchestra. In 2024, Watkins announced he would be opening a new jazz club called ''Doc's'' in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston at the former Historic Tower Theatre<ref>{{Cite web |last=Luck |first=Marissa |date=2024-10-08 |title=One of Texas' hottest date spots is taking over iconic Montrose theater building |url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/tower-theatre-acme-oyster-jazz-tx-houston-montrose-19805334.php |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Houston Chronicle |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Miranda |first=Janet |title=Houston's iconic Tower Theatre to transform into new live music venue |url=https://chron.com/business/article/acme-oyster-tower-theatre-19826074.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241013163954/https://www.chron.com/business/article/acme-oyster-tower-theatre-19826074.php |archive-date=2024-10-13 |access-date=2025-04-18 |work=Chron |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McClenagan |first=Kyle |date=2024-10-08 |title=Montrose's Tower Theatre will soon be home to new Houston jazz club |url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/arts-culture/2024/10/08/502330/montroses-tower-theatre-will-soon-be-home-to-new-houston-jazz-club/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Houston Public Media |language=en-US}}</ref>''.'' He is the co-creator and co-host of the radio program ''Live at Jazz, TX'', which is syndicated through Texas Public Radio.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Live At Jazz, TX |url=https://www.tpr.org/show/live-at-jazz-tx |access-date=March 20, 2025 |website=Texas Public Radio}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Courtney |first=James |title=Jazz, TX Teams with TPR for New Series "Live from Jazz, TX" |url=https://www.sacurrent.com/sa-sound/archives/2017/02/06/jazz-tx-teams-with-tpr-for-new-series-live-from-jazz-tx |access-date=2018-07-05 |work=San Antonio Current |language=en}}</ref> ''Live at Jazz, TX'' has featured interviews and performances by notable artists such as Kenny Garrett, Jane Monheit, Kevin Eubanks, and Marcia Ball.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Live At Jazz, TX |url=https://www.tpr.org/programs/live-jazz-tx |access-date=2019-10-13 |website=Tpr.org |language=en}}</ref>

Watkins was born and raised in Oregon and moved to Austin, Texas in 2003, where he earned a master's degree and PhD in music from the University of Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Hidden Gem of the Pearl: How Jazz TX Is Changing SA Nightlife |url=https://www.kwsanantonio.com/news/the-hidden-gem-of-the-pearl-how-jazz-tx-is-changing-sa-nightlife/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926224549/https://www.kwsanantonio.com/news/the-hidden-gem-of-the-pearl-how-jazz-tx-is-changing-sa-nightlife |archive-date=2021-09-26 |access-date=2018-07-05 |website=KW San Antonio}}</ref> In 2006 he relocated to San Antonio and began performing regularly at local venues on the San Antonio Riverwalk.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://therivardreport.com/brent-watkins-on-how-to-keep-the-talent-as-happy-as-the-client/|title=Brent Watkins Keeps the Talent as Happy as the Customers|work=Rivard Report|access-date=2018-07-12|language=en-US}}</ref> In January 2014, he performed with his Jazz Trio at New York City's Carnegie Hall.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/music/article/The-Brent-Watkins-Trio-at-the-Empire-4580882.php|title=The Brent Watkins Trio at the Empire|date=2013-06-05|work=San Antonio Express-News|access-date=2018-07-12}}</ref> In 2016, Watkins opened his own venue, ''Jazz, TX''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jazztx.com/|title=Jazz TX {{!}} Fine Jazz – Serious Food|website=Jazztx.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-05}}</ref>'','' where he performs regularly with his band.

In 2020, Watkins hosted and co-produced ''The Doc Watkins Show'', a live stream television program that ran for 45 episodes during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Deborah|date=2021-02-09|title=Doc Watkins is live again and selling out at Jazz, TX at The Pearl|url=https://www.expressnews.com/entertainment/music-stage/article/Pianist-Doc-Watkins-back-home-at-Jazz-TX-at-The-15937163.php|access-date=2021-06-06|website=San Antonio Express-News|language=en-US}}</ref> The show featured Watkins and his band, with remote guest appearances from Kevin Eubanks, Jane Monheit, Alan Havey, Brent Barry, Champian Fulton, Jerry Weldon, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and others. The show was awarded "Best Live Stream Experience<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-23|title=Best of the City 2021: Culture|url=https://www.sanantoniomag.com/best-of-the-city-2021-culture/|access-date=2021-06-06|website=San Antonio Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>" by San Antonio Magazine in 2021.

Watkins has performed with Herlin Riley, Kevin Eubanks, Butch Miles, Jim Cullum, Ephraim Owens, Stan Mark, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr, Bijon Watson, Leon Hughes, and Renee Olstead. He currently resides in San Antonio with his wife Jessica and their four children.

== Discography ==

=== Albums ===

* 2005 ''– The Classical Concert'' *2011 ''– Live from Bohanan's'' *2014 ''– The Outlaw'' * 2015 – ''A Willie Nelson Tribute'' * 2015 – ''Swinging from San Antonio'' * 2015 – ''Doc Watkins and his Orchestra'' (EP) * 2017 – ''Jazz, TX'' *2018 – ''Christmas in Jazz, TX'' *2019 – ''Songs of 2019'' *2022 – ''The Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas''

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://docwatkins.com/ Official Website] * {{IMDb title|14689888}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, Doc}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Oregon Category:Musicians from San Antonio Category:21st-century American pianists Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni Category:21st-century American male pianists