Frank Watkinson: The Reluctant YouTube Star Still Strumming from the Heart
A British Singer-Songwriter’s Journey from Humble Covers to a Million Followers
In a cozy corner of England, just 12 miles from Cambridge, Frank Watkinson sits with his cat, his loyal dog by his side, and a guitar that’s seen more years than most of his million-plus YouTube followers. The British singer-songwriter, now in his early 70s, has carved an unlikely path to fame with his raw, unpolished blend of folk, acoustic, and indie influences. His music—laden with themes of love, loss, and the human condition—resonates deeply, offering listeners a safe haven in a world often divided by politics and noise. Two years after their last chat, Jeffrey McAndrew caught up with Frank again on his podcast, Poets Have Something to Say, to explore how this self-described “unprofessional” artist continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
1. How It All Began on YouTube [0:52]
Frank Watkinson’s YouTube journey started with a simple experiment: a cover of “Always on My Mind,” posted to test the platform’s ease. “I never expected anybody to listen,” he admits, his modesty as disarming as his music. What began as a post-work pastime—uploading songs like diary entries—snowballed into a phenomenon. His style, far from crisp or polished, carries a conversational intimacy, as if he’s speaking the lyrics rather than singing them. This authenticity, paired with a lack of pretension, hooked listeners. “I still don’t know what people see in my style,” he says, laughing. For Frank, creating is the reward, whether for 400 followers or a million—a sentiment Jeffrey echos, having added hundreds of his own songs online since their last talk. His channel, he notes, feels like “one big safe place,” a community where kindness trumps hate.
2. Steering Clear of Politics [3:44]
In an era where division dominates discourse, Frank opts for harmony over headlines. “I’ve got my opinions,” he says, “but I prefer to see right done instead of wrong.” Politics, he argues, is a minefield for artists—especially for an Englishman asked to pen tunes about American figures like Trump or Biden. “It’s got nothing to do with me,” he quips, noting how a single song could alienate half his audience. His focus remains on music, not manifestos, a choice that preserves the familial vibe of his channel. “People are the same all over the world,” he reflects, a belief reinforced by the positivity in his comments section. It’s a refreshing stance, one that sidesteps the left-right tug-of-war and keeps his art universal.
3. Hitting a Million Followers [5:50]
Reaching a million YouTube subscribers was a surreal milestone for Frank. “I thought, how many people who started at 65 end up with a million followers?” he marvels. The moment arrived one morning as he watched the counter tick from 998,199 to a million—then briefly dip back, a glitch that amused him. His wife’s understated reaction—“What do you want for dinner?”—grounds the achievement in his everyday life. Yet the milestone isn’t just a number; it’s validation of a journey that saw one of his covers featured on a TV show. For a man who shuns the spotlight, it’s a quiet triumph, proof that persistence and sincerity can resonate louder than polished production.
4. Evolving as an Artist [9:23]
At 71, Frank feels he’s hitting his stride, though he jokingly claims his guitar playing’s getting “sloppier.” Jeffrey disagrees—his skill has sharpened since he first stumbled across his channel three years ago. His songs, often poetic vignettes, blur the line between verse and melody. “My idea of a song is a couple of verses and a chorus,” he explains, while Jeffrey counters that his descriptive lyrics are pure poetry. Their collaborations—13 songs across projects like Oceans Apart (2023) and The Wanderous Night (2024)—highlight this synergy. Frank’s growth lies not in technical prowess but in emotional depth, a quality that keeps his audience hooked.
5. Hearing Others Perform Their Work [11:24]
Jeffery notably recalled how Frank’s rendition of his poem “Magnolia Tree” published on May 14, 2023 brought him to tears. Her remembers listening to it on his phone while driving to the hospital, overwhelmed by its beauty. Meanwhile, a Japanese woman known on YouTube as okakachannel covered Frank’s song “This Could Be My Last Song,” though she kept her face hidden, focusing solely on her guitar playing. Frank noted, “I put it on my music page,” sharing his appreciation for her unique interpretation, which he posted about a week prior to the interview. He lamented not seeing her face but valued how she made the song her own, reinforcing his belief that his compositions resonate widely when others sing them.
6. Songs That Touch the Soul [13:05]
Frank’s music often dances with melancholy, a trait evident in tracks like “You Make Me Smile,” a simple ditty Jeffrey's wife Debbie adores, and “My Beautiful Jane.” “I can’t resist a sad ending,” he admits, though he notes fans could skip the final verse for a lighter take. His knack for capturing grief—honed through friends’ stories and songs like “Jane”—strikes a chord. At Jeffrey's mom’s memorial, his voice carried her memory; fans call him a “virtual grandfather,” a title he’s embraced with t-shirts and a banner. Whether strumming his beat-up guitar with the peace sign or crafting lyrics about loss, Frank’s authenticity turns listeners into family.
7. Managing the Spotlight [19:18]
With fame comes pressure, and Frank’s feeling it. Lyrics flood in from fans eager to collaborate—recently, he turned “Angel in the Bar” into a country tune—but he’s wary of being overhyped. “They think I’m better than I am,” he says, a humility that’s rare in today’s bravado-driven industry. Offers from America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent went declined, lockdown or not. “I’d freeze on stage,” he confesses, recalling a New Year’s Eve pub gig as his limit. His cousin’s advice—“Keep doing what you’re doing”—guides him. Covers like Billie Eilish’s, Birds of a Feather, which spiked his subscribers by 200,000, draw the biggest views, but Frank’s heart remains with his unpolished originals.
8. A Live Performance and Future Plans [25:00]
As their chat winds down, Frank grabs his guitar—new strings and all—for an impromptu performance. “This old town don’t look the same,” he sings, lamenting chain stores’ takeover, before segueing into “Time Heals the Pain,” a tender ode to his dog Buster. “They’re just ideas,” he says of his songs, open to others refining them. No diva ambitions here—he’s content with YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and a Patreon for “buy me a coffee” supporters. Living near Cambridge, he dreams of Yorkshire’s countryside, not London’s bustle. “Keep doing what I’m doing,” he vows, a promise to his fans and himself.
Summary
Frank Watkinson’s story is a testament to the power of unvarnished creativity. From a 65-year-old retiree testing YouTube’s waters to a million-follower sensation, he’s built a career not on polish but on heart. Our conversation reveals a man unchanged by success—modest, grounded, and allergic to showbiz glitz. His music, a tapestry of folk and indie threads, weaves tales of love and loss that feel like chats with an old friend. Collaborations with fans, including myself, fuel his output, yet he resists the trappings of fame, turning down talent shows and political anthems alike. His channel’s warmth—a “safe place” amid online rancor—mirrors his belief in human connection over division. As he strummed live, his weathered voice and “zingy” strings underscored a truth: Frank’s magic lies in his simplicity. At 70-plus, he’s not slowing down, just staying true to the path that brought him here—one song, one listener, one heartfelt note at a time. Check him out on YouTube—search “Frank Watkinson”—and join the family.
