“Pete, how long have you been playing the fiddle”?
Fiddlin’ Pete Watercott has been playing music for over 50 years. At age ten Pete began playing the viola. In 1964, Pete’s sister, Kit, brought a plywood sunburst “Stella” guitar into the Watercott home. Pete took to strummin’ out the folk ballads of Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Phil Oaks, Pete Seeger, and anything that Sing Out! Magazine would print.
About 1970 Pete met life long friend and fellow songwriter, Larry Long. The pair traveled extensively throughout the U.S., hitchhiking, hopping freights, and in the mid-seventies traveling in the Lone Prairie Schooner and the Red Caboose. Adding Neil Gelvin and Dale Cannon, they formed a group “Nevada Swing,” and embarked on a bi-centennial North American tour.
In 1976 Pete met Kathryn, and two years later they married! They ended up settling in Bishop, CA. It’s where you will find Pete & Kathryn today along with two cats, Coale and Mancha, six chickens, Iris, a very intelligent Border Collie, and loveable new mutt, Benson, who is not the sharpest pencil in the box.
Celebrating the wild Mustang’s heritage in the West, Pete has led horseback songwriting groups with Rock Creek Pack Station, drawing inspiration from the wild horses. Now in a seventh season, Pete has self produced a popular summer Dinner Concert series at the Pokonobe Lodge in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Pete has also produced six albums, (CDs), including “Songs of Curley Fletcher” the only recording dedicated to the work of the great Western poet.
In recent years, Pete has been invited to perform at the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, Oklahoma, Elko National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Millpond Music Festival, Canadian River Music Festival, The Lone Pine Film Festival, Larry Fest in Wisconsin, Minneapolis Monarch Festival, and the “Stars” Theater of Bakersfield, CA.
Fiddlin’ Pete’s music is perfect for many events! Performing solo or with long time friend and guitarist, Neil Gelvin, Pete’s shows feature original songs, traditional folk songs and western classics, with some hot fiddle tunes thrown in to spice things up.
What Others Say…...
“Fiddlin’ Pete is a violinist version of western-music legend Don Edwards. Along with excellent music and singing, Watercott provided fascinating stories about these western songs’ origins.”
Mark Bedor in Western Horseman, May 2006
“Fiddlin’ Pete uses his musical creativity and talents to give us a brilliant, imaginative interpretation of one of our all time great Western poets and songwriter, Curley Fletcher….This collection reflects the diversity of Fletcher’s poetry and songs, as heard in the Tome of Time, contrasted with Wild Buckaroo. Thanks, Pete; I believe Curley Fletcher would admire and appreciate what you have done.”
Dr. Guy Logsdon
"We were all enthralled by your artistry-not just on the fiddle, but the guitar and the mandolin. Curley Fletcher has a great representative in you. His name will live on because of you. Thanks for the music!”
Bishop to Bodie Ride, May 21-26
“Our Elderhostel group really enjoyed your campfire program on July 18th. You got the highest marks on all the evaluations-which was no surprise to me!” Barbara Crossland
“WOW PETE..
our youngest son is standing over my shoulder and says he is telling all his friends in college about your music!!! and we are so happy to see this....we will be arriving June 23rd and seeing you perform will top off our vacation!” The Griffith's
“Just had to pass along how very much Steve and I enjoyed the music, the camaraderie, tasty dinner, and wonderful "story telling" this past Sunday evening at the Pokonobe. Bill and Gail have been visiting the Mammoth area for the past 5 years -and one of the highlights last year for them, was discovering you! They purposely scoured the local paper when they arrived last Thursday to see if you were in town.....their intention was to "gift" us a memorable evening for our 32nd wedding anniversary! Steve and I both had to agree the mountain biking was excellent, the hiking was awesome, the scenery was incredible - but our evening at the Pokonobe was the "icing on the cake"! When we think of our first visit to Mammoth - you will be at the top of our list. We look forward to listening to the CD's -thank you for sharing your gift! Thank you - and God bless!” Sheila and Steve