In 1975 or '76, in the rain, I had the privilege of sitting about 3 feet from Doc and Merle Watson at a small bluegrass festival in the Cumberland Gap (not sure if we were in Maryland, West Virginia or Pennsylvania)! All my friends were damp and irritated and they went back to our camp, but I stayed with just a handful of people as Doc played his heart out for us for 45 minutes. It was one of the great musical moments of my life - they were both just full of joy and so talented.
Yes he was, I knew him my uncle used to play with him. He was the nicest most down to earth guy you'd meet if it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't play guitar today
You're absolutely right, there will never be another Doc Watson, but you should check out a young man called Billy Strings who does an amazing cover of this and many other Doc songs as well as other bluegrass standards and writes some great original stuff too!
I stumbled on Bluegrass in my late high school and college years; I didn’t like country music, but I knew Bluegrass was different: the precision, expertise, and tempo were at such a high level. I became a great fan. This performance by Doc Watson and his associates is staggeringly good 🥇🥇; much respect and props to them. Miss you guys.
As much as I love this song and this artist, it makes my heart glad to read so many admiring comments here, and to know that people still respond to great, honest music
Saw him myself about same time in Tallahassee in a bluegrass concert held out from town in what was just a wooded area. He was fantastic. Had about five or six other musicians sitting in half circle around him on stage but he was the star that evening.
Proud to say Billy Strings brought me here... Pretty badass that such a young cat introduced an even younger cat like myself to banger classics such as this... I'm a 23 year old metal head but I can't deny the sheer talent displayed here. (Edit, dont let my username fool you. I grew up originally a classic rock junkie. Aerosmith became my favorite band at aged 8, i named my account Aerosmith10Rocks at age 10, then slowly throughout the years I was introduced to Slipknot and Avenged Sevenfold and converted to metal head, but i still love and appreciate all the classic stuff)
Doc and my great grandfather Ivan Younce were best friends and played together many times. When my great grandfather passed away Doc came and played at his funeral. Doc is truly a great man.
I clearly recall the day that Merle died in the tractor accident that killed him. He was working on their farm. I heard the news on my radio very shortly after the tragedy. I was one of thousands of Doc and Merle fans who were terribly saddened by this. I held great sorrow in my heart for Doc. I sure do miss both Watsons and that special sound,but I bet those boys are picking in Glory!
What a pleasure to listen to Doc. A man and his guitar, telling a story. One of the simpler pleasures of life, listening to Doc Watson. What a marvelous talented man. Wow...
omg. just listening and not watching i recognized the skillful playing of that mandolin as none other than Marty Stuart! i know that man & his music. just great.
This has to be one of my favorite song performances of all time.... I remember when I first heard Doc singing this way back in the 1970s on the local FM station in Tucson, Arizona. That was a great station.... used to play all different genres of music and comedy. Good times.
I work at a thrift store and came across a couple of his albums today. Curiosity got the best of me, so I looked him up on Pandora. Needless to say, his channel is one I plan on keeping around.
Being blind never held Doc back. The man was a musical genius, and that's no lie. He could play just about any instrument he set his mind to and was equally-adept at writing songs, doing arrangements, or telling stories and jokes. He was such a wonderful vocalist, too - always told a story and took his listeners along. His sense of time was superb, as was his sense of pitch. If he didn't have perfect pitch, he came darned close. And talk about taste in his selection of songs, delivery and just the way he presented a song! There will never be another Doc Watson. Seeing him in concert a couple of times was one of the highlights of my musical life. Sure do miss you Doc!
A great story about a horse come's alive with Doc's chording-phrasing, meledy-note picking, little observation comments in certain bars, thunmping on sound board with horse hoofs sound, just such an entertaining personal performance. He was a master of telling stories with guitar accompanient. My grandad use to tell me the story about the strawberry roan horse, I just loved to listen to it.
When I bought my Epiphone Jumbo in Boulder, CO in 1974, Doc & Merle came into the store while I was trying it out - so I played with them (or rather, played along while they were playing). Fond memory; I still have the guitar.
I danced around to this song on repeat from my dad's record player in my living room. There is no better song in American history. I'm going to go have the same adventure and get my girl no matter how long it takes.
What a great man. He was friends with my Dad, I remember when he came to our house for dinner, I was such an impressed lil girl by Doc. Such a kind guys. Rest In Peace Doc.
I noticed he left out the first part of the last verse: "Stirrup to stirrup and side by side we crossed the mountains and the valleys wide We came to big muddy and we forded the flood on the Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud" Then continues with Pretty little baby on the cabin floor.... I never get tired of hearing this song. Brings back such memories.
Don't know how to explain this but I'll try. I'm from Memphis, the capital of the Mississippi Delta. I'm a Deadhead, learned in the ways of Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. This is a great piece of Americana. Incredible. When I was following the Dead some girls would love my (our) accent (which are really negligible) and we'd always say we're from "Memphis," no need to include the state because Memphis is a state unto itself. The lyrics about the Tennessee stud and Tennessee mare, whippin' her brother and slappin' her 'paw, man, that's just great stuff. And then the little foals to cap it. It's that outlaw flavor combined with earnestness and tenderness - imbued throughout so many Dead songs - that connects this Memphian to the broader bluegrass/country flavor here in TN. Our state is backwards politically in many ways, but just think about the cultural impact of two Tennessee cities, Memphis and Nashville. World changing. Amazing stuff. Sorry for rambling
I saw Doc and this exact band back in the 70's. That's Marty Stewart on mandolin. Doc is at the top of his game in this clip. This song was written by Jimmy Driftwood who also penned "The Battle of New Orleans". Thanks for posting.
I went to school at App State in Boone, NC - he played near there quite a bit. Unfortunately, at the time I was not a fan of bluegrass and didnt even know of him. Many years later, I became a fan of this style of music and learned to play quite a bit of it on guitar, learned of him, but he had passed away by that time. I wish I had the opportunity to see him live.
I'm learning this piece on guiitar and just stumbled upon this. Wow! This version is crackling with energy. Full throttle pickin from start to end. Amazing.
I was in the front row at Maryville college on a Friday night at the Steve Kaufmann’s Flatpicking Camp I’m thinking it was 2002. Doc was there with Jack Lawrence and Docs grandson. They were tuning up by ear when I overheard Doc tell his grandson son that E string is a little off. His grandson was tuning and Doc said now you have it. I was shocked this was before battery tuners. And the show was the best I ever seen. Amazing! Rest in piece Doc Watson you are missed.
I love how he talks to the horse, there was a mutual understanding between the pairing of them. Respect, both man and horse understood that their fate was entwined.
I've heard a lot of versions of this song, but I think I can say this without much argument, this is the definitive version of the song. Doc is still going and performing. He is an American Treasure.
Beautiful man, beautiful music. The first three times I saw Doc and Merle was 3 nights in a row at the Riverboat in Toronto in 1969. American folk music aficionados all over the world are playing Doc's and Merle's records tonight. RIP two fine pickers
Gone but will NEVER be forgotten as long as I am around anyway!!!! Had the pleasure of seeing him play live once at Bogart's in Cincinnati Ohio !! Great show small place with great acoustics!!
\o/ Yay, love it!! It's some kicka** stuff, for sure. Have loved this song since back in the day when my friends used to jam all night. Doc's the best!
I noticed on replaying this fabulous footage, again & again .. there are some beautiful camera angles in this on-stage performance. I particularly like those side-angle shots interspersed thru'out, from both LHS + RHS .. showing 2, 3 or all 4 pickers at various times, all tapping their feet solidly together, in time & to the great rhythm / beat. This is one of the best things about being a performer & jammimg with other band-members.
