Paul Watkins and Brooks Poston

Paul Alan Watkins (January 25, 1950 – August 3, 1990) was a member of Charles Manson’s "Family." In the period leading up to Manson’s trial for the Tate-LaBianca murders, Watkins provided the prosecution with information that clarified the Helter Skelter motive.

Fellow Manson Family member Brooks Poston (born c. 1951) also testified for the prosecution; helping to explain the Helter Skelter motive, as well as what life was like within the family.

Neither Watkins nor Poston were charged with any crimes relating to the Manson murders. After the trial, Poston and Watkins formed a musical group called Desert Sun, and performed in Inyo County, California. Also in 1970, the pair recorded four atmospheric songs for the rush-to-market documentary film "Manson", which contained much footage of the Family in their environment.

Watkins played flute, Poston played guitar, usually taking lead vocal with Watkins singing in harmony. The songs can best be described as a post-psychedelic folk music, with a palpable Manson influence.

The pair are also present on "The Family Jams" album, recorded in 1970 and released in 1997.

Although no other Watkins & Poston or Desert Sun recordings have been released commercially (or are even known to exist), the four songs from "Manson" can be heard at YouTube. They also appear on a bootleg soundtrack album to the "Manson" film, which circulates..

The duo broke up in the early 1970's. Watkins became the founding member and first president of the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce, and gave a CNN interview about the Manson Family in 1989. He died in 1990 from leukemia.

Singer/guitarist Poston re-emerged in Los Angeles briefly with local singer Jane Boltinhouse, and released three cassette-only albums in 1984. He subsequently returned to Death Valley and Inyo county, where he reportedly lives a simple life and still plays guitar.

The four songs from "Manson" (1970):

Bright Yellow
Moments
Young Girl
White Cloud Machine (edit)


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