[1] He was best known for being an accompanist to various hard bop artists in the Detroit area, including Donald Byrd and Jackie McLean.

[1] An original member of the Jazz Messengers, he later played in Horace Silver's quintet[3] and freelanced with Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley,[3] Lee Morgan, Sonny Rollins, and Phil Woods among others.

[4] Some of Watkins' best-known work can be heard, when as a 22-year-old, he appeared on the 1956 album Saxophone Colossus by tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, with Max Roach and Tommy Flanagan.

[5] When Charles Mingus briefly ventured over to the piano stool in 1961, he hired Watkins to take over the bass part; Oh Yeah and Tonight at Noon were the results.

[1] With Pepper Adams With Gene Ammons With Art Blakey With Tina Brooks With Kenny Burrell With Donald Byrd With John Coltrane With Tommy Flanagan With Curtis Fuller With Red Garland With Benny Golson With Bill Hardman With Wilbur Harden With Thad Jones With Yusef Lateef With Jackie McLean With Charles Mingus With Hank Mobley With Lee Morgan With The Prestige All Stars With Paul Quinichette With Dizzy Reece With Rita Reys With Sonny Rollins With Horace Silver With Louis Smith With Idrees Sulieman With Billy Taylor With Phil Woods