Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923, Deep Gap, North Carolina – May 29,… Read Full Bio ↴Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923, Deep Gap, North Carolina – May 29, 2012, Winston-Salem, North Carolina) was a guitar player, banjo player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music.
Doc played guitar in both flatpicking and fingerpicking style, but was best known for his flatpick work. His virtuosity combined with his authenticity as a mountain musician made him a highly influential figure during the folk music revival. He pioneered the fast and flashy bluegrass lead guitar style which has been adopted and extended by others such as Clarence White and Tony Rice. He was also an accomplished banjo player and in the past had accompanied himself on harmonica as well.
In 1986 he received the North Carolina Award and in 2000 he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 1997, Doc received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton.
He was generally joined on stage by his grandson and Merle's son Richard as well as his musical partner of twenty years, Jack Lawrence.
He was host to the annual MerleFest music festival held every April at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The festival features a vast array of acoustic style music focusing on the folk, bluegrass, blues and old time music genres. It's named in honor of Merle Watson and is one of the most popular acoustic music festivals in the world, drawing over 85,000 music fans each year.
In late May 2012, Watson was listed in critical condition but was responsive at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after undergoing colon surgery. Watson had fallen early in the week. Watson did not break any bones, but an underlying condition prompted the surgery. Watson died on May 29, 2012 at the medical center at the age of 89.
Doc played guitar in both flatpicking and fingerpicking style, but was best known for his flatpick work. His virtuosity combined with his authenticity as a mountain musician made him a highly influential figure during the folk music revival. He pioneered the fast and flashy bluegrass lead guitar style which has been adopted and extended by others such as Clarence White and Tony Rice. He was also an accomplished banjo player and in the past had accompanied himself on harmonica as well.
In 1986 he received the North Carolina Award and in 2000 he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 1997, Doc received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton.
He was generally joined on stage by his grandson and Merle's son Richard as well as his musical partner of twenty years, Jack Lawrence.
He was host to the annual MerleFest music festival held every April at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The festival features a vast array of acoustic style music focusing on the folk, bluegrass, blues and old time music genres. It's named in honor of Merle Watson and is one of the most popular acoustic music festivals in the world, drawing over 85,000 music fans each year.
In late May 2012, Watson was listed in critical condition but was responsive at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after undergoing colon surgery. Watson had fallen early in the week. Watson did not break any bones, but an underlying condition prompted the surgery. Watson died on May 29, 2012 at the medical center at the age of 89.
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The Vanguard Years
Doc Watson Lyrics
A-Roving On A Winter's Night A-rovin′ on a winter's night And a-drinkin′ good old wine, T…
Banks Of The Ohio I asked my love to take a walk, Just a little…
Blow Your Whistle Freight Train Actual Delmore Brothers lyrics which are pretty much the sam…
Blue Railroad Train Blue railroad train I'm goin' down the railroad track It mak…
Brown's Ferry Blues Hard luck poppa counting his toes You can smell his feet…
Bye Bye Bluebells I got a big surprise when I saw you smile I…
Country Blues Come all you good time people While I've got money to…
Deep River Blues Let it rain, let it pour, let it rain a…
Down In the Valley To Pray As I went down in the valley to pray Studyin' about…
Dream Of The Miner's Child A miner was leaving his home for his work When he…
Farewell Blues Sadness just makes me sigh, I've come to say goodbye, Altho'…
Grandfather's Clock My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf So it…
Hicks' Farewell VERSION number one -------------------------- My time is sw…
I Am a Pilgrim I am a pilgrim and a stranger Travelling through this…
I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes Oh I'm thinking tonight of my blues eyes Who is sailing…
Intoxicated Rat The other night when I come in, so drunk I…
Little Sadie Went out one night for to make a little round I…
Muskrat Muskrat, Muskrat, wha makes your head so slick? I've been a-…
My Rough and Rowdy Ways For years and years I've rambled I drank my wine and…
New River Train Ridin' on that New River train Ridin' on that New River…
Omie Wise Oh, listen to my story, I'll tell you no lies, How…
Otto Wood The Bandit Step up, buddies, and listen to my song I'll sing it…
Rambling Hobo Just a mile west of the water tank On a cold…
Reuben's Train Ol' Reuben made a train and he put it on…
Rising Sun Blues There is a house down in New Orleans They call the…
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms If I was on some foggy mountain top I'd sail away…
Spike Driver Blues John Henry was a steel drivin' boy But he went down Yes,…
Talk About Suffering Talk about sufferin' here below And talk about lovin' Jesus.…
Tennessee Stud Along about eighteen twenty-five, I left Tennessee very muc…
The Girl In The Blue Velvet Band One night while out for a ramble the hour was…
There's More Pretty Girls Than One There's more pretty girls than one More pretty girls then on…
Train That Carried My Girl From Town There goes the train that carried my girl from town If…
Wabash Cannonball From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shore From…
Way Downtown Way downtown just foolin' around Took me to the jail It's oh…
What Does The Deep Sea Say She stood on the beach alone And gazed at the misty…