Watson would later influence a subsequent generation of guitarists. Watson's 1954 instrumental " Space Guitar" was his first recording to show his "sheer off-the-wall madness" on electric guitar. His "attacking" style of playing, without a plectrum, resulted in him often needing to change the strings on his guitar once or twice a show, because he "stressified on them" so much, as he put it. Watson affected a swaggering, yet humorous personality, indulging a taste for flashy clothes and wild showmanship on stage. Also featured that day were Roy Brown and his Orchestra, Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, Earl Bostic, Nat "King" Cole, and Louis Armstrong and his All Stars with Velma Middleton. In 1953, Shorty Rogers had Watson as part of his Orchestra perform for the famed ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. That year, he saw the Joan Crawford film Johnny Guitar, and a new stage name was born. He was billed as Young John Watson until 1954. He quickly made a name for himself in the African-American juke joints of the West Coast, where he first recorded for Federal Records in 1952. He worked as a vocalist, pianist, and guitarist. This led to his employment, while still a teenager, with jump blues-style bands such as Chuck Higgins's Mellotones and Amos Milburn. In his new city, Watson won several local talent shows. His mother moved to Los Angeles, and took Watson with her. His parents separated in 1950, when he was 15.
When Johnny was 11, his grandfather offered to give him a guitar if, and only if, the boy didn't play any of the "devil's music".
"My grandfather used to sing while he'd play guitar in church, man," Watson reflected many years later. His grandfather, a preacher, was also musical. But young Watson was immediately attracted to the sound of the guitar, in particular the electric guitar as played by T-Bone Walker and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. was a pianist, and taught his son the instrument.