08 June 2012

Vale Doc Watson

Arriving home from work last Wednesday I got online as usual to cruise the newspaper websites and was saddened to see that one one the great folk musicians had passed away. Arthel 'Doc' Watson was a legendary performer and one widely credited as being a key driver of the American folk music revival in the 1960's. He won seven Grammy Awards and was officially regarded as an American National Treasure by the US government.

I first heard Doc's wonderful guitar and rich baritone voice in my early teens and was immediately entranced. I remember catching the train from Lilydale to the city to pick up some of Doc's records from the great and now defunct shop 'Folk'n'Word' in Fitzroy. I (and countless other young guitarists around the world) spent the next few years trying to emulate what Doc was doing on guitar.

I was lucky enough to meet and interview Doc prior to a show he did in Carnegie Hall, Lewisberg, North Carolina in 1998. He was generous to a fault and invited me to pop back to see him for a chat after the show. We had a great time and he told me how as a child he often used to use his ham radio to listen to broadcasts from Australia. I treasure the memory of that chat (as my long suffering friends know) and still raise a smile when I think of it.

Doc lived a rich and long life, although he was touched by tragedy in the mid 1980's when his son Merle was killed in a tractor accident. He was married to Rosa Lee Carlton whom he told me was his 'Shady Grove' for 66 years. He bought joy and finger-busting challenges to myself and probably millions of others. Whilst I only met him the once, he had a major impact on my playing and life, and he will be missed.

Bruce Williams
Newport Folk and Fiddle Club

1 comment :

Rick Sidgwick said...

Sad news indeed Bruce...I didn't realise you'd actually met Doc...what a great memory..he made it all sound so easy..one of the first to play fiddle tunes on the guitar..great stuff
I picked up a couple of double cassette tapes on the Vanguard label of his years ago..there are some wonderful definitive versions of traditional songs on them..hopefully by now they've been reissued on cd..the tapes are wearing out and I need to replace them..!!
Rick Sidgwick

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