Willie Watson (born September 23, 1979) is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and banjo player born in Watkins Glen, New York, who was a founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show. His debut solo album Folk Singer, Vol. I, was released in May 2014 and he appeared at the 2014 Newport Folk Festival. Raised in Upstate New York around Ithaca, he currently resides in Topanga, California.
Willie Watson grew up in Watkins Glen, New York (Schuyler County). He first met Ben Gould in high school and they began playing music together. Around Ithaca and next-door Tompkins County a lot of old-time fiddle music was being played, some of it by banjo player Richie Stearns and the group Donna The Buffalo. Watson was exposed to old-time music firsthand at a weekly old-time jam.