[1] Watkins studied percussion at Vandercook College of Music with vibraphonist Marc Max Jacoby and percussionist Kevin Lepper at school by day.
He was depicted in a front-page article in the Joliet, Illinois’- Herald, -a local newspaper titled, "Teacher has Alter Ego as Jazz Musician.
"[2] Watkins has played in groups on stage and in recordings for: Kobie has toured extensively in Africa, Europe, Asia, Canada, South America and the United States.
Watkins worked with Wynton Marsalis at Martin Luther King High School in Chicago, IL.
He worked with the Ravinia Jazz Mentors program of the Chicago Public High School system, as well as "Attention for Boys," a MusicAlive mentoring and teaching program that was started by Orbert Davis and Mark Ingram for inner-city youth ages 8 to 18 years.