Doc

[F-2 Dave]

Hard to lose someone who's been so influential all of your life. Doc was one of the great ones. Few can be credited with doing as much with what God gave him as Doc can. Truly a profound loss. I miss him already.

[MikeEdgerton]

Doc Watson was one of a kind. Pure voice, pure picking.

[Santiago]

A great man has left us.

[Marty Henrickson]

RIP Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson.

I feel like I just lost one of my best friends. Doc's music has given me (and many others) so much joy over the years. I am sad because the world is now a poorer place, but I have peace in my heart because I truly believe that Doc is now in a better place, that he is in no pain, and that he is having a great reunion with loved ones that went before him. I am also grateful that Doc left such a treasure trove of music for us to enjoy for years to come. My heart aches for his family, especially his wife, Rosa Lee. I'm thinking now of their song, "Your Lone Journey".

We will miss you, Doc.

[John McCoy]

The streets of Heaven are full of angels with picks in their right hands tonight.

RIP, Doc.

[John McCoy]

There's a feature article about him right now on the New York Times website.

[jman72]

Thanks Doc for all you gave us. I'm honored to have seen you play and to have listened to you over the years. I'm sure you and Merle are pickin' just like the old days again. You'll truly be missed.

[Sergio Lara]

Doc's music will live forever. He was #1

Love you Doc........we will never forget you!

[chasray]

Thanks to Doc for getting me interested in acoustic music. So glad he was on Will The Circle Be Unbroken.

[Jack Roberts]

This hurts.

[J.Albert]

My heart aches for his family, especially his wife, Rosa Lee. I'm thinking now of their song, "Your Lone Journey".

God's given us years of happiness here
Now we must part
And as the angels come and call for you
The pains of grief tug at my heart

Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey

Oh the days will be empty
The nights so long without you my love
And when god calls for you I'm left alone
But we will meet in heaven above

Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey

Fond memories I'll keep of happy ways
That on earth we trod
And when I come we will walk hand in hand
As one in heaven in the family of god

Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey

Written by Rosa Lee, Doc's wife, many years ago. But today is the day it became reality.

Doc tells the story and sings it here at age 85:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugpejfhu9H8

[lukmanohnz]

There are a some musicians whose recordings never grow stale, even after dozens or hundreds of listenings. I could listen to any Doc recording a thousand times and learn something new with each listen. He was a singular talent, the most humble soul ever to carry such an enormous gift of technique and taste, a wonderful singer, one of the best flatpickers ever to hold a guitar. Rest in peace, Doc, and thank you so much for the music you left for us!

[Scott Tichenor]

I merged another thread into this one. No need for duplicate announcements.

Doc's passing is a time for me to reflect personally on how deeply his music influenced me back in the mid 70s and sticks with me today. At the time I was a finger-style guitarist and had no plan to ever play mandolin. When I heard Black Mountain Rag for the first time it permanently altered what I wanted to play and how I wanted to play. I sought out all of his recordings and dove in head first. Got to see him live at Winfield a few years later and what a thrill that was. Couldn't have picked a better role model. He was a great one, one of the greatest, and his music will live on.

[tburcham]

Rest in Peace Doc Watson. I am praying for the family during this time of loss.

[coletrickle]

From David Holt's Facebook page:

"I just got home from the hospital. It was a sweet, sad goodbye. Doc never wanted to sing Amazing Grace in concert...when we got to the "blind but now I see" verse he would always teared up. Tonight seemed like the right to to play it for him on the harmonica. He knew he was going to be able to see in the next world...and now he can."

[Joe Mendel]

RIP Doc. You made my life better with your music.
He was a huge influence on me too.

[Rosemary Philips]

This is a big loss...

[goose 2]

Doc was my inspiration to play acoustic music which has become one of my greatest passions, and which everyday gives me great joy. Thank you, sir. I am just so happy that you can now see!

[Plectrosaurus]

Listening to Doc pick Black Mountain Rag turned me on to Bluegrass music. I regret that I never saw him perform in person.

[almeriastrings]

I only got to see him live twice. Once in the very early 70's when he played in London, then again in 1975 or '76 at Winfield, when there was a fantastic jam with Doc, Dan Crary and Norman Blake. It was hearing Doc play "Beaumont Rag" though, that got me into picking in the very first place. It had such an impact. Changed my life. From then on I hunted down every recording I could find of his, and through him, discovered Bill Monroe, Earl, and many, many others. What a sad day. Doc was absolutely unique and his influence was huge. We all owe him an awful lot.

[Loretta Callahan]

He's given us a beautiful legacy. RIP, Mr. Watson.

[Fstpicker]

So sorry that he didn't make it through. But perhaps, he needs the rest now awaiting the call of the Life-giver.

Doc is one of the main reasons I came to want to learn to flat pick guitar. He had an authenticity and humble spirit that not a lot of famous, well-known people have in this world. His void will never be filled, but his music will live on forever, thankfully through the recordings and videos made of him.

May God be with his family and comfort them.

Jeff

[Eliot Greenspan]

RIP. A world treasure.

[jim simpson]

A live well lived is how I think of Doc. He gave us so much of his gift.

[Don Grieser]

Thanks for all the music and inspiration, Doc. Saw him several times, each one a treat and a lesson in what music is all about.