Arthel "Doc" Watson is without doubt a legend in acoustic music.

For more than three decades, Doc Watson has been America's most renowned and influential folk guitar stylist. He says he 's mostly retired but his selective performances show no signs of his enormous talents being dimmed by either age or fewer concert dates on the road. At any given Doc Watson performance, one will see and hear not only a superb guitar player, but also an intelligent, witty, down-to-earth 'man of the mountains' who loves to share the music of his heart and home.

Doc is an extraordinary entertainer who never fails to capture the admiration and affection of his audience. His concerts are filled with hot flatpicking tunes, slow romantic ballads, gutsy blues numbers, delicately fingerpicked melodies, and an old time gospel song or two. Each song is sung with unmatched clarity, each tune played with a dexterity that has placed Doc Watson's name in the music history books.

Arthel Lane (Doc) Watson was born in March, 1923, in Deep Gap, North Carolina. Before his first birthday, his eyes became infected, and he lost his sight.

At the age of 24, Doc married Rosa Lee Carlton, with whom he had two children. In 1953, he started playing lead electric guitar in Jack Williams' Country and Western Swing Band. Seven years later, he was discovered as a solo artist.

Soon after, Doc made his first appearance at the New York's premier Folk venue of the time: Gerde's Folk City. Following his appearance at Gerde's, Doc's son Merle began learning how to play the guitar.

Over the next several years, Merle toured with his father playing backup guitar, until his death due to a tractor accident in 1985.

Known primarily for his flatpicking and fingerpicking styles, Doc Watson is revered for his masterful guitar playing, and has inspired artists in country, folk, bluegrass, and old time music.

This was his first lp for Vanguard in 1964.

http://lix.in/23db0b

Peace

Posted by Joski at 7:17 PM |  
Labels: Doc Watson