Doc Watson's obituary

Heretic

I noticed in an obituary that Doc Watson was a listener of Django's.

klaatu

I'm saddened to hear of Doc's death. He was one of the all-time greats. Sort of the Django of American flatpicked guitar, in the sense that he was a pioneer, hugely influential on those who followed. And like Django, no matter how many hot pickers came along afterward and went beyond him technically in some ways, there's still nothing so satisfying as listening to the original.

I was fortunate to see him and his son Merle (who predeceased him) in concert in Boston decades ago. He came across as a genuinely warm and down-to-earth person. He will be sorely missed for many reasons.

HCQ

I am very saddened to hear of Doc's passing. He was the real deal as a musician and a kind hearted soul.

I got to jam with Doc in 1978 in Stumptown, W.V. It was an impromptu post festival thing late on a Sunday night. The only folks left at the site were mostly members of The Pagans biker gang. Anyway, Doc stopped being lead there by Peter Rowan. He related a great many things, one of them his being a member of a swing band. His guitar's neck was copied from his Les Paul that he was playing during his tenure with the big band.

He related his influences, stories behind his music and various songs, and played wonderfully musically quoting his influences for a couple of hours. It was my first master class from one of the greatest. Very humbling and I'm very grateful.

I miss him.

Lango-Django

I'm glad to see these postings honouring Doc. I'd been thinking about starting a thread myself, but foolishly feared he might not be loved or accepted by Django partisans... but when you think about it, I think most Django lovers also love to hear the guitar played well in any style... classical, flamenco, bluegrass, folk, blues, rock, fado, whatever...

Doc was my very first guitar hero back in the sixties when I was a teenager... god, the hours I spent learning "Black Mountain Rag" off his first record. I never did manage to keep up with his superfast fingerpicking on the same record called "Doc's Guitar" (apparently done with just thumb and forefinger!)... but I can take consolation in that I never met anybody else who could manage that, either. We all played the "Deep River Blues", though!

Okay, upon reflection, Doc may have been a minor deity compared to Django and his Zeus-like status, but Doc was one hell of a musician, and the world will be a little sadder place without him.

I'm an atheist, but it is nice to think of him up there in heaven sitting on the front porch jamming with Earl Scruggs, who predeceased him earlier this year.

RIP, Doc.

klaatu

Lango-Django wrote:

I'm an atheist, but it is nice to think of him up there in heaven sitting on the front porch jamming with Earl Scruggs, who predeceased him earlier this year.

RIP, Doc.

Same here, but it's a lovely thought nonetheless. Bill Monroe would be joining in.