Remembering Merle Watson
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MerleFest 2014 33 REMEMBERING MERLE In the dark dawning hours of and his legendary father, Doc, October 23, 1985, Eddy Merle would tour the U.S. many times Watson rolled his farm tractor performing in all but two states. down a steep hillside near his They performed in Africa, home, ending the life of one of Japan, Canada, Mexico and the world’s great musicians in most European countries. The a tragedy worthy of the blues Watsons took pride in sharing ballads he loved. Some knew their musical talents and her- Merle Watson well; others made itage on celebrated theatre acquaintance with him through stages from the world’s largest coincidental brief interactions; cities to the dusty, remote vil- some witnessed him perform- lages of the South African bush ing his musical wizardry on and everywhere in between. stage or by listening to one or more of his many recordings. At age six, Merle fell victim Everyone loved and respected to the polio epidemic and was Merle. paralyzed from the waist down for almost two months. The Merle touched lives worldwide illness left him with hip and as shown by the more than joint damage and a bad limp. 700 cards, letters and other Howard Campbell, a friend of written condolences as well as Doc, gave Merle a used bicycle. the numerous phone calls and The therapy of riding signifi- personal visits received by his cantly reduced Merle’s limp. family after his tragic accident. As a consequence of his child- This tremendous outpouring of hood illness, Merle would often Eddy Merle Watson support was not engendered by experience pain throughout a love of Merle’s music alone but his adult life, but his spirit and endary father’s blossoming father to concerts in Berkeley also by the way his charisma determination allowed him to career that Merle, at home and San Francisco, C.A., per- and kindness transcended persevere in a musical career with his mother and sister, forming for the first time his fundamental shyness and that delighted fans of acoustic made a momentous decision. before an audience of 12,000. silence on stage. He won hearts music time and time again. In November 1964, he and Doc with his exquisite musical finger “Mama,” he said, “I’ve decided recorded their first LP album, work and gentle smiles. Merle was 14 years old in 1963 what I want to do.” “Doc Watson and Son.” when Doc Watson took the stage On a beautiful spring-like at the Newport Folk Festival. “What’s that, honey? Play Merle grew up quickly. He day in February 1949, Arthel The folk community enthusi- the drums?” RosaLee asked married at age 16 and became “Doc” and RosaLee Watson astically embraced Doc. The since Merle had received a a father at 17 with the birth of welcomed infant Eddy Merle Newport performance and a set of drums the previous his first child, Richard Eddy to their family. During Merle’s historic concert with the father Christmas. Watson. Two years later, Merle 21-year career, he traveled of bluegrass, Bill Monroe, at welcomed his daughter, Karen more than four million miles Town Hall in New York City in “No. I’ve got nobody to play Annette Watson, to the world. by automobile in addition to 1964, catapulted Doc Watson to drums with except a George Merle was devastated when his the many thousands of miles the forefront of the folk revival. Jones record. I want to play the marriage broke up several years by plane. Ultimately, Merle It was at this point in his leg- guitar,” Merle said. later and never truly recovered from the loss of his family. “Mama,” he said, “I’ve decided Hearing that, RosaLee took what I want to do.” out a guitar and taught Merle Despite his personal pain, Merle his first basic chords. In June was excelling professionally. In - Merle Watson of 1964, he accompanied his Continued on Page 34 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.