Was Johnny Guitar Watson a pimp?

Answer 1

For tens of years there were rumors about Johnny "Guitar" Watson being a pimp. Now, it is for sure he really was. Watson was not a pimp in the old fashioned way. He did not seduce or force any girl to work for him. The girls - mostly in clubs - came to him, offered money and goods to seduce him, and were allowed to stay with him - in exchange for the revenues of prostitution or crime.

Several times there grew a real love between the both of them. In that case Watson "retired" his lady from working. The financing of Watson's first golden hit, Ain't That A Bitch (DJM, 1976) was arranged by a young woman, who later was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment.

These (and other facts) are based on interviews with tens of artists who worked with Watson, and with three of his ladies from 1968 to 1996, who were his Maecenas as well as his Muse (described in the biography: The Gangster of Love - Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp; USA, 2009).