Bruce Watson (Scottish guitarist)

Watson was born in Timmins, Ontario, Canada.^[2] He moved with his family to Scotland as an infant. He grew up in the Dunfermline area nearby to Stuart Adamson,^[3] whom he first met whilst he was playing with The Skids.^[4]

Prior to joining Big Country, Watson had worked at Rosyth naval base cleaning nuclear submarines.^[4] He had also been a lead guitarist of several Fife-based new wave bands including the Delinquents (1978–1981) and Eurosect (1975–1978).^{[citation needed]}

Watson and Adamson were the two founding members of Big Country in summer 1981, after Adamson departed The Skids.^[5] After several lineup changes, the pair were joined by Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki in early 1982, and the band went on to have considerable success.^[3]

Watson's role in the band was primarily as a supporting guitarist. He typically contributed rhythmic textures ("Wonderland", "Lost Patrol") and repetitive melodic fills ("In a Big Country", "Look Away") which underpinned verses, contrasting with Stuart Adamson's more straightforward chord work in these sections. During solos, as Adamson played the main melody, Watson often contributed a counter-melody. Watson also played slide guitar on some of the band's early material, including "Rain Dance" and "Red Fox." Later on, Adamson played much of the slide guitar work on the band's songs. Watson is also an accomplished mandolin player, and put this skill to use on several of Big Country's more country and western-influenced songs, including "Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)".

During recent tours, Watson has played many of Adamson's lead guitar parts live, while his son, Jamie, fulfils his old role.

Watson has played guitar on every Big Country album, and co-wrote many Big Country songs with Adamson. He also sang live backing vocals.