Remembering Doc Watson

34 MerleFest 2014 MerleFest 2014 35 Continued from Page 33 REMEMBERING “Merle was one of the kindest musicians on the road. The precision of his and Doc’s guitars was DOC incredible and Merle’s slide work was Arthel “Doc” Watson, who the time he was a year old. Doc passed away on May 29, 2012, always referred to his blindness impeccable. Truly a masterful player at the age of 89, spent over half only as a hindrance, not a dis- and a down-to-earth guy.” of his lifetime as America’s ability. He said that one of the most renowned and influential very few regrets of his long and - Joe Smothers folk guitar stylist. After more productive life was not having than five decades entertain- been blessed with the ability to 1985, Merle won the Best Finger around in the pocket for the key ing fans around the globe, his see the smiles on the faces of his Picking Guitarist-Folk, Blues to his farm tractor, and left to performances showed no sign loved ones. or Country award from Frets seek help. Merle went to the that age dimmed his enormous Magazine to accompany the houses of three of his neighbors, talents. He always shined on Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson Grammy Awards he had earned all of whom knew him well, but stage. At any given Doc Watson was born on March 3, 1923, in his young career. no one came out to help. Seeing concert, fans would not only see in the Stony Fork Township, a lighted house at the summit of and hear a guitar player of the near what is now Deep Gap, On the night of October 22, a steep hill, Merle continued in finest caliber, but they also saw N.C. His father, General Dixon 1985, Merle was restless and that direction, hoping for better an intelligent, witty, down-to- Watson, was a day laborer and unable to sleep. Sometime luck. The people who lived earth “man of the mountains” farmer who actively sang in the after midnight, he went to there were afraid to attempt who loved to share the music Baptist church and played banjo. the basement, tied on his nail to remove the embedded wood of his heart and home. Doc was His mother, Annie, would often apron, and proceeded to trim from his arm. an extraordinary entertainer gather the family to sing hymns some red beech paneling that who never failed to capture or read from the Bible. Doc’s had been misgrooved, thus “Maybe I can get it out,” Merle the admiration and affection family members were musically making it ready to panel his said. “I’ve got to have my arm. of his audience. His concerts inclined. He said, “There was basement walls. The saw blade I have to pick the guitar. Have were filled with hot flat-picking the old phonograph around the Merle and Doc Watson hit an undetected fault in the you got a knife and something tunes, slow romantic ballads, house, and, of course, I heard Doc Watson grain and a good-sized piece for the pain?” They didn’t have fully removed the huge splinter. person in the world that’s gutsy blues numbers, delicately the singing at the church, and of hardwood splintered off and anything for the pain except for The couple wrapped a bandage worthy to talk to you about this, picked melodies and an old- my mother sang a few of the old the animal. I never petted it. guitar. One of my brothers had embedded itself in the muscle of some wine. Merle sterilized the around his arm to cover the but how is it between you and time gospel song or two. Each ballads when she’d be knitting I never heard it howl or any- borrowed one from a cousin, Merle’s upper arm. He grabbed knife with the wine, drank some wound. Despite being weak God?” song was sung with unmatched some of the boys’ overalls or thing that I remember of it. It and I was foolin’ with it, and his all-weather jacket, fumbled as an anesthetic, and success- from the trauma and loss of clarity and each tune played cooking or something or other. just got old and decrepit and Dad just says, ‘If you’ll learn to blood, Merle left on his tractor. Merle assured his father, “Dad, with a dexterity that inscribed Never heard Dad, except when couldn’t eat and was blind, play a song on it by the time I you don’t have to go to church Doc Watson’s name in the music he was singing the good old and it was miserable. Dad get in from work this evening, As Merle drove down the steep to make it right. I’ve been on history books. gospel songs. He was singing persuaded my brother to put we’ll go into town and get you incline of his neighbors’ drive my knees in the woods, and I’ve when I was in church from the it out of its misery. And he did one.’ Well, I knew some chords, on his way back home, the made my peace with God, and Doc did not set out from his time I could remember, up until it without making it suffer.” and I just played the rhythm tractor brakes locked, sending if I have to die, I’m not afraid.” Appalachian mountain home to he made that little old home- chords to ‘When Roses Bloom it over the high embankment. Neither man could know how become a world-famous musi- made banjo and taught me a While Doc attended the North in Dixieland.’ I had some money Merle was thrown off and the soon those fateful words would cian. In fact, if given a choice, few tunes on it.” Carolina Morehead School for saved in my piggy bank, so we large tractor landed on him, become relevant. he never would have struck it the Blind in Raleigh as a young took that and he finished it up killing him instantly. The life of out on the road to make a living Doc’s first instrument was a har- teenager, he learned a few and got me a $12 Stella, which one of acoustic music’s bright- As a testament to Merle’s popu- as a performer. Undoubtedly, monica, a gift from his father, guitar chords from a friend. was a pretty good little guitar est and most beloved musicians larity and musical accomplish- music would have been a signif- that he started playing when he This accomplishment created at the time.” came to a tragic end. ments, one of the world’s most icant part of his life regardless was about five years old. Doc’s the impetus for his father renowned gatherings of acous- of his vocation. Nonetheless, musical talent was growing eventually buying Doc his Later in his teenage years, Doc Three weeks before the accident tic musicians began two and a Watson’s calling of choice would and at age 11, he picked up the first guitar. As Doc recalled, earned enough money sawing that ended his life, Merle was half years after Merle’s death have been carpentry, electrical banjo, made with the help of his “My real interest in music was wood to buy his own guitar coming home from Nashville and continues today, 27 years work, mechanics or even engi- grandmother’s cat, whose skin the old 78 records and the from Sears and Roebuck. He with Doc after finishing a later, to honor the memory of a neering. Sadly, a childhood eye became the instrument’s head. sound of the music. I loved it began playing music with his segment of a Nashville Network great talent silenced too early. infection, exacerbated by a con- Doc’s conscience is clear on that and began to realize that one older brother, Linney, in the show with David Holt. “Son,” genital vascular disorder near point, however, because as he of the main sounds on those style of the old-time brother Merle and Doc Watson - Early years Doc said, “I know I’m the last his eyes, took Doc’s vision by remembered, “I never knew old records I loved was the Continued on Page 36 36 MerleFest 2014 MerleFest 2014 37 Continued from Page 36 Continued from Page 35 “There may not be a serious, “I often say if people find out when committed baby boomer alive you’re on the stage not putting on an who didn’t at some point in his act, when you’re just being who you or her youth try to spend a few are … they’re gonna like you. And if minutes at least trying to learn to they like your music, well good!” pick a guitar like Doc Watson.” - Doc Watson - President Bill Clinton (2006) … He learned more in two be a serious, committed baby duets, like the Blue Sky Boys, model guitar with pianist Jack months than I learned in my boomer alive who didn’t at the Monroe Brothers and the Williams. During this period, first five years.” some point in his or her youth Delmore Brothers. “I just loved he continued to play the tra- try to spend a few minutes at the guitar when it came along. ditional acoustic music of his Doc and his guitar In spite of a surge in the pop- least trying to learn to pick a Doc and Richard Watson I loved it,” Doc recalls. “The home with friends Clarence blossoms, bringing the sounds got to where it’s automatic; you ularity of rock music and a guitar like Doc Watson.” ing clarity.

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