Anne Watts has an educational background in classical & jazz piano. In school ( Hampshire College) she studied with Art Mathews - son of ragtime composer Artie Mathews and pianist for the Art ensemble of Chicago`s Lester Bowie. Her mentor was Roland Wiggins - who`d studied with Henri Cowell & Vincent Persechetti and had passed on his knowledge of theory to the like of Miles Davis & Sonny Fortune. She also studied independantly with the pianist Monica Jakuc,John Sessions (son of the composer Roger Sessions) and Konrad Wolff - protege of the great piano pedagogue Arthur Schnabel.

After completing her studies she returned to her familial roots in the theatre( her grandfather T.Edward.Hambleton founded one of the first off -Broadway theatres in New York city. In 1985 she joined the Industrial Strength Theatre Company in Baltimore and created the score for "My Sad Face", an adaptation of a short story by Heinrich Boll. The production travelled to Philadelphia and the music was performed at the ad hoc fiasco Arts Festival in Baltimore. The following year she was selected to join the International Theatre of nationsat which she composed music for Heiner Mullers Hamlet machine. She went on to collaborate with painter-performance artist Lucio Pozzi and choreographer Louise Steinman,among others....

In 1988 Anne co - founded Opus B, an arts co - operative working with special groups,such as the elderly,the mentally impaired,and wayward young people. In a south Baltimore nursing home she met John Englehart an 81 year old schizophrenic who`d been institutionalized for life. They began a close collaboration - that lasted until his death in 1992 through which Englehart developed his innate skills as a painter.She composed songs for him. Their work together culminated in an exhibition of his work in a Baltimore Gallery. Anne went on to develop a program where artists of all media collaborated with residents of nursing homes. The project was covered by the Wall Street Journal and Japans Nikkei Woman;Anne appeared on Good morning America.

Annes work with the elderly continues to inspire much of her songwriting. In fact 3 songs (Reasons,Bye Bye & Bitchen) on Annes debut Boister are rooted in those experiences. Boister is available in Europe on Last Call and on MSI in Japan.