Charlie Watkins is a British audio engineer and musical instrument maker, and is notable for pioneering loud PA systems for outdoor rock festivals. His company Watkins Electric Music

Watkins Electric Music

Watkins Electric Music is a British company known for manufacturing musical instruments, guitar, bass and PA amplification and the CopiCat tape echo machine. The company was founded in 1949, initially as a record shop in Tooting Market, London, by Charlie Watkins and his brother Reg Watkins...

 was founded in 1949, but it was in the 1960s and 1970s that "WEM" PA systems in the kilowatt range became standard for British festivals, such as the Isle of Wight Festival

Isle of Wight Festival

The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...

 (with Dylan in 1969 and Hendrix in 1970) and Glastonbury

Glastonbury Festival

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...

.

Watkins claims to have been the first to build PA systems with multiple slaved solid state amplifiers driving various loudspeaker stacks, beginning with the Windsor Festival in 1967.

Watkins is also the inventor of the Copicat tape echo machine.