I met Doc Watson in a Walmart in Boone N.C. about twenty years ago while I was on vacation. He went by us with his wife, holding lightly to the buggy. I was 50 years old and was just awestruck. "That's Doc Watson!" I whispered to my wife, so excited I almost couldn't speak. "You should go up and say hi," she said, but I didn't want to intrude. Doc, with his amazing hearing, caught the whole exchange. "Son, step on up here." He introduced us to his wife and we talked for about five minutes about music and life. He asked how long we'd been married and when I told him 22 years he smiled. He shook both our hands and continued on with his shopping. One of the high points of my life.
thank you for sharing that beautiful story. i am so happy to hear he was as kind as he seemed from his voice... i love his music and warmth...bless his memory.
I met Doc Watson when I was 10 years old in 1961. This was before he became world famous. My father was his cousin and my grandfather lived just down the road from Doc. So my father took me up to Doc's house and we sat in his kitchen and as my father and Doc talked, he asked Doc if he could play something for him and me. Doc was happy to do so and he played and sang for me and my father. Doc was a wonderful man. Little did I know then, just how lucky I was. Something to remember.
That was my old man's favorite hymn...he's been home 20 years on 7 November...I always think of him when I hear this hymn.. RIP George A. Hyatt...the best dad a kid could ever hope to have.
Names mean something and stand for something and I'm glad you're free and unafraid to say George's name I've never been sorry either and I am not ashamed
I am from Greece. I heard Doc playing his music 28 years ago. Since then he is one my most beloved singers and song writers. From him i learned Bluegrass, from Howlin' Wolf the Blues and from Richman the light side of rock 'n' roll...Thank you Doc for all the great moments i had listening your music...may God rest your soul.
@@frankd.506 I must have been cursed. I was never fortunate enough to have an opportunity to see him. I'm on the wrong side of the Atlantic. It's amazing how Doc managed to keep on after losing Merle. He was not only his son, but a constant musical companion and travelling guide and helper. A bitter, bitter loss for him. It was great to see his grandson coming along and be able to take over his Merle's role as musical partner, helper, etc.
@@gynack Merlefest was really special, I've seen Tony Rice, Norm Blake and Bela Fleck to name a few, On your side of the pond you might try and catch Beppe Gambeta who was heavily influenced by American flat pickers and plays beautifully,from Italy if the name didn't give it away, good luck to you.
@@frankd.506 Thanks for your reply. I looked up Beppe Gambetta's website. He's touring mainland Europe at the moment, and is going out to the USA in the New Year and touring there. His calendar gives a detailed itinerary. You might be in luck - again. 😊
The best flatpicker EVER! I've heard them all and none achieve the cleanness and tone of his picking. His was a talent from God and I'm sure God has him picking for a heavenly concert every evening.
I can't believe your gone eight years, November 19, 2008. My life, will NEVER be the same without you, you were not only my Dad you were my BEST friend. I can't, go on anymore Daddy, I feel so lost without you in this cold world. Why, can't God let me be with you again? Rest in peace, my precious Angel I love you Daddy. Always know, you will NEVER be forgotten. I love you with all my heart.
Incredible Doc can still make those chromatic runs up and down the guitar at 90 years old. When he got real sick several years ago, Earl Scruggs flew him to a hospital in his private plane and stayed with him until he recovered. Both loved The Lord and were national treasures.
@@amygwenn4220 I bet if as many people as you believers made public comments about not believing in what you believe to be the Lord, your loving Father in Heaven, you'd all become very irritated. However, despite my lack of belief, I can still enjoy much religious music, and actually perform it often in my local choir. It is a staple of a lot of choral singing. And of course, there's the mandatory Christmas Carol concert in the local church in which I have to participate as a member of the choir... Ach weel, it's all music!
@@gynack I'm sorry Trevor, I don't understand what you mean. As a believer I can only speak for myself. I don't become irritated whether or not I share my faith with others. There's also no shame in loving music and enjoying it regardless of one's belief. So having said that I pray you find peace and happiness. :-)
@@amygwenn4220 Surely you've imagination enough to understand that it can irritate non-believers when believers continually go on about the goodness of a god they don't accept exists, at least not in any way like the major religions preach. It's hardly a meaningful profession of faith to assert on YT that god has blessed us with someone's singing ability. Non-believers don't tell people that a wonderful performance is nothing to do with god but purely hard work, inborn ability and maybe an element of luck. Actually, Steve's comment was one of he less irritating ones because he is telling us that Doc and Scruggs were religious, of some relevance because they did sing religious songs. However, he chose to put it such a way as to declare his own faith which is completely irrelevant to Doc's and Scruggs' religious convictions, and also irrelevant to critical appreciation of the music. I'm 100% that a lot of religious people would be annoyed by me if I always included comments about there's no god making these performers special. My belief is completely irrelevant to the critical appreciation of the merits of the music. And let us remember that there is just as much secular music that is as beautiful as religious music. And for the record, probably the most gorgeous piece of music I have ever sung in many years of choir singing, was Faure's Requiem, a setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead. Faure, ironically, was an atheist!
Rest easy brother Doc. A true source of divine inspiration,on the level of which very few will ever know. ....For the 87 folks that felt obligated to dislike this video, please show me just what it is that you're listening to?? I can say with supreme confidence it cannot hold a candle to any record that featured Doc in any capacity. May god have mercy on your troubled souls....
Doc was a trooper. I don't think he was feeling well the last few months of his life, but it didn't stop him from doing what he loved best, playing for the folks. R.I.P Doc.
I saw Doc perform on the streets of Lenoir, NC when I was a child. Our pastor, Gene Watson, was Doc's first cousin. Doc sang at Gene's mother's and father's funerals. I went to Merlefest (which is held about 15 miles from my home) many times and looked forward to seeing Doc. It's not the same without him. One year on Sunday morning, he sang "Wayfaring Stranger," and I cried because it was one of my mother's favorite hymns and she had died just the week before. There's a wonderful bronze statue of Doc sitting on a bench and holding his guitar; it's in downtown Boone, NC. Doc proved that being blind is a handicap only if one lets it be. He was a wonderful man.
Louise, thanks for your comment. I had the rare privilege of seeing Doc and Merle at a little place in Santa Cruz, Kuumbwa, back in the mid-70's. I probably sat no more than about 6 ft. from them. Doc was one of my first inspirations to get into bluegrass music. His music has had a lot of meaning for me over the years. RIP.
I'm in a wheelchair. I have a handy cap.. but I take it off in the house That's one of the places I learned it from.. I started trying to pick like him when I was 13.. been trying ever since.. and his dignity and strength were always in my mind.. and there when I needed it myself.. RIP brother 🙏 Peace ✌☮
Depuis la France merci pour toute cette beauté dans vos morceaux. Depuis l'age de 15 ans je vous écoute. 28 ans de bonheur, reposez en paix MONSIEUR DOC WATSON.
When a man gets to do what he loves until the day he dies is a truly wondrous thing to behold. I would say Rest In Peace but I wouldn't mean it - I imagine ol' Doc is sitting in that town square up there putting on quite a show.
Tony, that really hit home with me. I have two kids, and I can't think of what it would be like to not be able to see them. I'm sure they're picking together now.
May God bless us banjo and guitar players with the ability to bring love and music to all. Music saved my life years ago. Listening to Doc makes me realize how blessed we are to have his music in our world.
I have spent most of my life unaware of the greatness of bluegrass and its extraordinarily talented performers. Doc Watson was surely well in the top 5 of them. Wonderful voice and emotion, awesome guitarist.
Vous, les Américains, avez raison de dire que Doc Watson était l'un de vos trésors nationaux ! Même s'il est peu connu ici en France, ou en Europe, il représente pour tous ceux qui l'aiment, le meilleur de la culture profonde des États-Unis, pas la culture artificielle imposée par l'industrie du disque (qui fait des ravages dans le monde entier depuis des décennies...) J'écoute Doc Watson depuis 40 ans sans me lasser ; c'était un fabuleux guitariste, au jeu génial et en même temps incroyable de facilité, et surtout de naturel (Chet Atkins, extraordinaire technicien, semble en comparaison froid, sans vie : c'est la virtuosité pour la virtuosité. Idem pour Marcel Dadi, qui a eu le mérite de faire découvrir Doc aux français). De ce point de vue, et dans un tout autre genre, je peux le comparer à Manitas de Plata. Mais Doc Watson avait en plus une humanité charismatique, que renforçaient une solide foi chrétienne, un courage exemplaire face aux épreuves de la vie et un fabuleux humour. Toutes ces qualités rayonnent littéralement à travers les vidéos, nombreuses heureusement sur RU-vid, qui nous permettent de revoir et d'entendre encore et encore ce merveilleux artiste.
+Thierry Hatot Je ne parle pas français, mais compris (très peu) de ma connaissance de l'espagnol et latin. Il me plaît de savoir que quelques-uns à l'extérieur des États-Unis apprécient que nous ne sommes pas tous ce que notre culture de masse nous présente comme. La musique de Doc me réchauffe le cœur parce que ses influences sont similaires à la mienne, et les nombreux Américains rurales qui ne sont pas représentés dans les médias. Nous vous remercions de vos commentaires, et que Dieu vous et nos amis en France bénisse. (Traduit par la traduction de Google, pour le meilleur ou pour le pire :))
Vive La France! Si Doc a fait/joue seulement "Deep River Blues" cela seulement serait [enough] mais il a fait beaucoup encore/plus! Je suis heureux a comprendre que les Francaises entendre le "Doc"!
I am French ,and I have seen Doc in France in concert 3 times, I even spoke to him shortly after a concert where he signed a 33 RPM record for me ! this was about 44 years ago .Doc was a musical genius !
Woo son! Doc Watson has flown away but his music will live on forever. My God what a great treasure he was. Thank Goodness for the great folks that keep this kind of thing alive and well. People like Billy strings come to mind and I pray that the music industry of today doesn't corrupt their traditional roots.
What is art at its highest? "I have seen the David I've seen the Mona Lisa too I have heard Doc Watson Play Columbus Stockade Blues" Guy Clark, Dublin Blues
Like doc there.. I learned guitar first by,playing those ole gospel songs that we sang in church I still play them. I learned alot watching doc play We just good old mountain people,, And ain't nothing wrong with that I miss him. Im getting old too,,,
I met him - shook his hand! - around 1968 on Long Island NY at a concert that went to as a young man. It made me a Doc Watson fan. I'm still one to this day.40 some years later!
My grandfather was on dialysis most of his adult life. He had 3 kidney transplants. He decided he didnt want to suffer any more and quit dialysis. He was left with 7 days to live. We spent those 7 days in a hospice facility with him eating hot wings and listening to blue grass. He died to this song. It sure does always evoke emotion when i hear it!!!!
So I grew up in NJ and somehow my buddy and I became enamored with bluegrass and became huge Doc Watson fans in the late 70s. We saw him in Lincoln Center in NYC. To this day he inspires me like no other - the combination of his immense talent, authenticity and humility is singular. His rendition of Nothing To It is other wordly.
I first saw Doc Watson on a Saturday night variety show in the fall of 1963. He played Deep River Blues and I was knocked out. I didn't know his name and it took me a while to find out who he was--Not a lot of Doc fans in West Texas back then. When I got to college in Detroit in the fall of 1964, I went into a record store and there was Doc's first solo album: DOC WATSON. I bought that and ended up with thirty or so lps and cds. He still gives me the chills with his playing and I am 80 years old and have been listening for over 60 years. Saw him live a few times in L.A. at the Ash Grove.
My Dad was a friend of Doc and Merle. When he was in California we were at many of his concerts. He even showed up to our old folk music camp in the lower Calif. Sierra.
Doc singing "The Gospel Train is Coming" .. had great impact on me in the late 60's leading me to experience a saving relationship with Jesus Christ..someday soon hope to see him in heaven!
A national treasure. Thank you Doc, for all the hours of joy I had listening to you play guitar and sing. I know you are seeing things in heaven we can't even imagine here.
Rest in Peace! Seen him live, and I will see him again. On those celestial shores, or somewhere on the east side of Appalachia, which you may know is another part of heaven. Mr. Wayne Henderson must be proper proud too with that guitar being in the performance. Legends!
Was fortunate enough to be at this performance and I remember remarking to my wife that Doc was in really great spirits, joking and taking lots of solos. Wonderful memory.
I was there. Funny before this song they got all tuned up in F-sharp or some strange key and Doc said he didn't want to do that so he just started playing in whatever key he was in. The others had a pretty hard time. Haha. It was great.
I was there with my son and it was magical. Rest easy Doc, you deserve it, we miss you and we will see you again someday and you can see us. Your eyes have been opened and restored.
I remember watching the monroes and Doc Watson at Bluegrass jams in Tullahoma Tennessee when I was a kid, the music sounds every bit as good today as it did then Timeless and priceless I'll miss them forever God bless you. Doc Watson Semper Fi
I had the pleasure to meet many times shake his hand see him and Merle play many times , I was working in my shop one day when I heard what had just happened to Merle, and play before him a couple times a wonderful man and artist
Home on God's celestial shore now. Rest in peace Doc, your music has and will continue to inspire millions. I bet the angels have a guitar already tuned up for ya.
I was there. Such a blessing to see a legendary man play. It's very sad that the world has lost him, but he's up there pickin' with Merle now. He missed Merle very deeply and it's a solace to know that they're reunited.
zerblis I don't know whether this will cheer you up. Try to keep a sense of humour. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-W9sAV4FwIW8.html These guys were Irish, starting off in the late 50's, actually in New York. A lot of their material was Irish folk songs. They pre-dated the Dubliners who followed on after them, also singing a lot of Irish folk songs. I hope you enjoy. At 76 myself, I try to find things to laugh at. I have to be careful about politics though because I find myself getting wound up about the current UK government, aye and the American one, if I think about them too much.
Wow, beautiful. Hard to believe he's been gone a year. Doc and Merle and Earl are surely making a Joyful Noise to the Good Lord, and my ole man has got a new and beautiful voice. RIP Doc...not only were you one of the best guitarists to grace us with your presence, but one of the finest gentlemen to walk this earth.
I picked up my first guitar in 1972 and while practicing at my after school job a friend said “let me show ya how Doc Watson does it” and I’ve enjoyed every minute of Doc since!!! Met him once and he was just a great man.
The fact he could even still play at all at this age! He was 89 years old when he passed away. The only other person I heard play older than this was Elizabeth Cotton who was 90. Doc always was one of my favorite guitar players ever. I grew up trying to play guitar like he did and played more Doc Watson songs than probably any others when it came to folk and bluegrass. He left a permanent mark on American music and affected it forever. He set the standard for clean and fast flat picking everyone else followed.
You're so right about Doc setting the standard. And in terms of age, Doc was definitely "up there." But there have been others. There's a clip on RU-vid of Pete Seeger playing the banjo on the radio from June 2013, when he was 94. And the great Spanish classical guitarist, Andres Segovia, did his final American tour a few months before he died at the age of 94.
I saw Bill Monroe at the last Bean Blossom festival he played at. He was 95 at the time. Someone from the audience called out "Rawhide" (a breakneck tune of his). The audience laughed a little as did Mr. Monroe, who then proceeded to tear it up about 80% of the way he'd played in younger days, but still jaw dropping. Clean living.. I guess.
Patrick Farrell Funny about Bill Monroe! He maybe defined clean living. Pete Seeger, he also lived a full life and earned it. An amazing person. When I saw Elizabeth Cotton, it was Pete's son Mike who was traveling with her to take care of her.
I had the privilege to pick with Doc Watson at Bean Blossom, he invited me to sit down with him under a big oak tree , I had been learning his picking from record albums , he liked the sound of my D-28 because of it’s unique sound , it’s on several recordings at Muscle Shoals Sound
Bless your soul Doc. God needed someone to show Jimi Hendrix some new tricks. Besides George,Buck,Hank,Johnny C,Don Rich and the boys need you and Earl. Fly Away....but don't go too far. May you all be with the Lord.
