R.I.P. - Doc Watson

On May 29th, 2012 the United States lost a musical treasure. Doc Watson was a blind man from Deep Gap, North Carolina. He was Appalachian music. He could pick, sing, interpret songs and carry a crowd better than most!

Unfortunately for the world, Doc wasn't "discovered" until the Folk Revival of the 1960s. However, born in 1923, Doc Watson began playing guitar in his youth and was somewhat famous in his corner of Appalachia. Following the Newport Folk Festival in 1963, Doc began releasing records for Folkways and Vanguard. Most of which in the 1960s-1970s were quite good!

The first Doc songs I heard were renditions of John Henry and Sitting on Top of the World. They were both great, but it wasn't until I found his 1966 record Southbound that I fully understood the power and importance of Doc Watson. That record also featured his very talented son, Merle.

Doc Watson, like Pete Seeger, is a name synonymous with traditional American folk music. He was among the greatest American musical talents of all time. I was truly moved recently when a student of mine recognized one of Doc's songs in a documentary I showed my class. His legacy will surely live on!

~ R.I.P., brother Doc Watson