Doc

[Denny Gies]

This is another man who will be sorely missed. He had such an influence on our music, in so many ways. Our thoughts to his family.

[Glassweb]

Doc and Bill... Bill and Doc... does it get any finer? I think not! Enjoy!

OOPS! First time doing this... see below!

[Glassweb]

Doc and Bill... Bill and Doc... does it get any finer? I think not! Enjoy!

[Billgrass]

That video is a show stopper!

Doc is really responsible for my fledgling musicianship as well, although I only begin to realize how much. My mother sang me lullabies from before I can remember. The more I listen to Doc, the more I realize where she got them: Shady Grove, Summertime, Sitting on Top of the World, and of course, Crawdad Hole and Froggy went a Courting. The list goes on and on.

Of course others did these, but it seems like Doc did them all.

Bless you, Doc. Thanks for the memories and the inspiration.

[mandolirius]

"Kind of sad to note that mainstream media (network TV) seems to have pretty much passed over Doc's passing."

Might be just as well. Our national broadcaster here in Canada did what appeared to be a nice tribute. They accurately pegged Doc's role as a founding father of the flatpicking style of guitar, said a bunch more nice things then played "Deep River Blues", a finger-picking piece.

[justkaron]

Rest in peace, Doc. You were a giant and gave us so much.

[journeybear]

I dunno, mandolirius. At least it was something. (And there is always joy in noticing irony. ) I've seen nothing, maybe a brief head shot with dates on one station. Granted, I don't watch much network news, but usually something seeps through. Earl got a fair amount of airplay, Levon a bit less, but Doc ..... Well, I expect CBS Sunday Morning will have a nice piece on him. They did a real good job on Levon, also Earl. And all of this doesn't matter much. Those who know, know. Same as it ever was. I just always wish the people felt I hold in high esteem would get more recognition during their lifetime and at their passing.

[JEStanek]

I would not be surprised if CBS Sunday Morning did a segment on him this coming Sunday. Few of my heroes, musical or scientific, get much press. I'm kind of used to it. Celebrity, fame, and talent are rarely intersecting. I don't even feel curmudgeony about it. I would rather share my remembrances of Doc, and people like him with my friends and maybe play a song or sing one for him. I like to think he might have preferred it that way.



Jamie

[Vigee]

I've seen nothing, maybe a brief head shot with dates on one station. Granted, I don't watch much network news, but usually something seeps through.

It's big news here in the Piedmont, so I can't gauge national reaction. I did see some segments on CNN and Headline News; Brook Baldwin even interviewed Ricky Skaggs on Doc.

My own feelings are that his importance hasn't been well presented. Calling him an innovative flatpicker isn't something that will make him interesting to a general audience. Moreover, it seems to box him in: Skaggs related him to Clarence White, then Tony Rice, ..., going down the like of Bluegrass/Progressive Acoustic guitar players who would be obscure to a general audience.

Personally, I regard his passing as losing another Leadbelly: a figure who brought traditions and practices that had been little known outside of one region to an audience that would innovate popular genres of music. He was certainly much more than a picker.

[Caleb]

Today's edition of NPR's Fresh Air is featuring a remembrance of Doc Watson, including a replay of Terry Gross' interview with Doc in 1988. The audio for this program is now available for on-line streaming here.

Excellent interview. The host seemed truly in awe of Doc. Of course that was a long time ago, but she's normally ever so cool and collective. Thanks again Ed. I would've missed that one for sure.

[Mandolin Yogi]

ALmost everyone loves Doc. RIP

[Dave Gumbart]

Lucky to have seen Doc a few times - but not at Telluride. None the less, the first of my two trips to that festival was 1991, and they were selling posters from previous years. I was immediately drawn to this fine poster of Doc, from the 1986 festival, done by artist WC Matthews. It would have been the first year Doc performed without Merle.

[luckylarue]

Dave - I too bought that Doc poster in T-Ride. Rainbow doves flying out of his Gallagher guitar....The first time I heard Doc Watson was when I was an 18 yr-old punk rocker. It was his version of Tennessee Stud on the Will/Circle Be Unbroken album. That guitar sound hit me in the gut like few other sounds. I still get chills up my spine when I hear it. I saw him a few times live - met him once after a show in Denver. Very gracious man. I'll also never forget seeing him at a bluegrass fest in Maine where he did an amazing version of the Moody Blues' Nights In White Satin. RIP Doc.
NPR did a couple of nice stories on his musical legacy.

Man, many musical heroes lost this year - Earl, Levon & now Doc...

[Jim]

Changed how I wanted to sound and what I wanted to hear. R.I.P. Doc

[journeybear]

I would not be surprised if CBS Sunday Morning did a segment on him this coming Sunday.

Nope. Surprised and disappointed. They usually are up on these things and do a good job with them. But I'll live, as will Doc, in my memory, and in those of millions. Just as so often happens, I want more, for those whom I feel are deserving.

[JEStanek]

Yeah, CBS let me down today...

Jamie

[journeybear]

Let us all down. When these things happen, I can't help feeling insignificant. You know? Like what I do, and the things that I love and are important to me - heck, what we do and the things we love and are important to us - just don't matter very much in the great realm of things. It shows or at least implies what a small small small segment of humanity we are. I mean, I know that anyway, but I don't need it brought to some conscious level. Eh. It's OK, life goes on and we do what we do and love what we love and all that, it just sucks sometimes. The people who knew Doc and his music loved him and it and will continue to do so and pass this along to future generations, and that surely matters more, or at least enough, hopefully. And anyway, it will have to do. It's all we've got, now.

Well, maybe there'll be something on 60 Minutes.

[Russ Jordan]

I did not see it, but was told Doc was included in last week's CBS Sunday Morning.

Doc Tribute/medley on last night's Prairie Home Companion:
http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/

[journeybear]

He was mentioned in the news roundup at the start of the show, as being in critical condition. This guy does a decent job of publishing a synopsis of the broadcasts. Anyway, it doesn't change anything, it's just baffling. Doc was a major league musician. And his kind of music touched a lot of people's hearts.

[Ed Goist]

Great old pic of Marty Stuart with Doc Watson:

[AlanN]

Cool pic. Marty knew of Doc's greatness, as he had him on at least one of his records, maybe Busy Bee Cafe, playing Watson's Blues, with the great guitar lick.

[tree]

That is cool - wonder if that's the mandolin that Marty has had so many people sign. Doc signed it in Braille, I think the story goes.

I watched a couple of programs produced by UNC-TV (the NC public television station) on Friday night. Both were very good (and obviously pre-empted regular programming in dedication to his memory); one included a clip of Black Mountain Rag from the Homespun DVD with Jack Lawrence. Nothing at all against David Holt, but I've always liked Jack as his pickin' partner (after Merle).

[journeybear]

Signed in Braille? That's gotta hurt! On the other hand, it would be permanent ...

[F-2 Dave]

The photo I saw of Doc's 'autograph' on Marty's mandolin looks like a short piece of old label maker tape that was embossed in braille, stuck to the backside of the headstock. Pretty painless when you see the other names scratched and gouged into the wood.

I too was surprised and a little saddened by the media buzz, or lack thereof, at Doc's passing. After having a few days to consider it though, a quiet departure without a lot of fanfare probably would have suited Doc just fine.

[Fretbear]

That look's like the Loar Marty used to have before he moved it on....