"Debra Watson and The Smokin' Aces are truly one of a kind. Debra is one of the most talented and charismatic vocalists you'll ever encounter. She has an incredible fan base, and with good reason. Having developed a unique style which incorporates swing, jazz, rockabilly, and blues, Debra energizes the dance floor and puts on a show to remember. Her unparalleled stage presence lights up the room."
Trey - Owner, Joe's Great American,
Los Angeles, CA
About Debra
Debra Watson & the Smokin Aces are a force of energy and an Austin favorite. Their eclectic mix of Rockin' Blues, Swingin' Jazz, Rockabilly and Western Swing will move you out of your chair and dancing all night long. Debra lights up the stage with her charisma and brings heart to ballads with her rich, sensuous vocals. She lets her powerful and fun Texas Sass loose throughout their show.
Joining Debra are some of Austin's finest musicians: Phil Chidester on keys/organ/accordion, Paul Haake on guitar/vocals, Lannie Hilboldt on Bass/ vocals, Mike Kosacek on drums, and Dayna Culwell on harmonies. Debra adds one of Austin's top saxophone players to the mix for extra rhythm and soul.
Watson started the original Smokin' Aces Band in Los Angeles before she moved back to Austin 14 years ago. She has released three albums and two singles; Come Dance with Me, That's Right, Boogie My Blues Away, Rockin' At the Grocery Store, and Hypnotized. Debra began her musical career writing jingles starting with Katz's Restaurant, and performing in the well known Austin Comedy Sketch Troupe, Esther Follies. Later she co-founded The Better Than TV Players and took that show on the road all over Austin for three years producing over 100 live shows. While living in Los Angeles, Debra became a featured vocalist with many of the well-known Swing and Jump Blues bands in Southern California before starting her own band, the L.A. Smokin' Aces. Currently, you can check out the Austin Smokin' Aces once a month at Central Market Westgate, where the dance floor is always filled with happy dancers. Newest additions to their busy schedule include the very cool Highball next to the Alamo Drafthouse and the Lone Star Court in the Domaine.
Where to Buy Debra's Music
debrawatson.bandcamp.com
600 North Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX
78703
(512)474-2500
The Beach Lodge
2016 On The Beach Dr
Port Aransas, TX
78373
(361)749-5713
Debra - Acting Coach
Debra’s own career started with Singing Telegrams, developing a character similar to Dollie Parton. From there, she joined Esther Follies, Austin’s premier Comedy Sketch Troupe. Later she founded Beyond Cable Company, and co-founded The Better Than TV Players. With her fellow actors, they wrote, and performed in over 100 shows in three years in the mid 80’s. They started their first residency at Liberty Lunch, and later took their show to various venues and theaters throughout Central Austin. They were featured numerous times in the Austin Statesman, The Daily Texan, and the Austin Chronicle. They were also featured on KVUE, KLRU, and KTBC. Following BTTV, while still teaching Art, working part time in a recording studio, Debra pursued an Acting career. It was an exciting, crazy time as she had an Austin agent, a San Antonio agent, a Dallas agent and a Houston agent. She wrote jingles, did voice overs, commercials, plays, industrials, and independent films. After being a Finalist Teacher of the Year for Austin after 15 years with AISD, she decided to pack her bags and head to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, she mentored under Tracy Roberts, a passionate, gifted acting teacher, who studied with Michael Chekhov and Lee Strasberg, and was a good friend of Stella Adler. She became an assistant to the Cold Reading Guest Teacher, Allen Bergman, who directed episodic television and studied directly with Meisner. While at Tracy Roberts Studio, she developed the Children and Teen Acting Department. During that time she wrote, directed and produced 7 plays at the studio. As an acting coach in Los Angeles, she was featured in Backstage West, Creative Child, and the LA Times. The reporter for the LA Times had so much fun watching her teach that he asked to sit in her adult Acting Class. In 2012, that reporter, Jeffrey Gettleman, was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for international reporting at The New York Times.
She also had the opportunity to write, direct and co-produce Checking It Out, a 30 minute children’s television pilot, where she was nominated as a co-producer for an Indy Crystal Globe award.
Check out the Press for Coaching Actors in Los Angeles, as well as the press for the Better Than TV Players in Austin.
Her desire to perform probably started kicking in about about the age of 6, when she and her brother, Dan were featured in the Dallas Times Herald playing dress up and later featured with her mom, Grace, and her brothers Dan and Jeff drinking milk in their kitchen.
She is a member of Sag/Aftra and ASCAP.
