Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!

Subject: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: outfidel
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:53 AM

Hey Folks -

Just a heads up that the great Doc Watson turns 80 (!!) on March 2.

As an aside, my review of Doc's "Legacy" album just got published in Rambles. Rambles is a free cultural e-zine that Mudcatters might enjoy.

Take care!
Michael

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Tiger
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 12:42 PM

Happy birthday, Doc. Amazing! What can you say - he just keeps doin' it.

I was fortunate to see Doc on his 'farewell' tour, about 12 years ago.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Michael S
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 04:22 PM

I don't think Doc's ever made a bad album.

I once heard someone refer to someone else's music, positively, by saying it sounded "about as contrived as the weather." I've always thought that applied to Doc, as well.

Peace,
Michael

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Felipa
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 04:52 PM

I saw him this summer playing and singing with grandson.(so much for farewell 12 years ago) Doc was in great form, age doesn't seem to have hurt his voice or his fingers.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Jim Krause
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 09:38 PM

So I've heard. I remember seeing him at Winfield way back in the '70s. Ah, those were the days.
Jim

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:50 PM

Hard to believe he's that old..............good on ya, Doc, and thanks for the music.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 12:00 AM

He sure sounded good on the Latest Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands Will The Circle Be Unbroken III. Let me see, 35 more years to practice, myabe I'll be able to play that well at his age. (Yeah, right).

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 01:52 AM

That's awesome! Congrats to Doc and to Michael for his review being published!

All the best, Doc!

kat

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: BlueJay
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 03:59 AM

good for Doc. I haven't seen him in a long time, but his concerts are the absoulute best. He's always been one of my main inspirations to (attempt) to play guitar.

Though it's probably not his birthday, I just have to put in a plug for an old fiddler, Vassar Clements. When I saw him a couple of years ago, he was better than ever.

Maybe music prolongs your life, if you can avoid the drugs and booze. Keeps the mind sharp, clarity of purpose and all that. Happy birthday, Doc.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 04:03 AM

I was just talking about St James Infirmary in another thread, and I love his version of the song, amoung many others. Hope he stays around awhile more to grace us with his music. Happy Birthday Doc.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: outfidel
Date: 02 Mar 03 - 12:20 PM

Bump - today is Arthel's 80th birthday. Happy b-day to one of the true "living legends."

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: karen k
Date: 03 Mar 03 - 12:05 AM

Happy Birthday, Doc!!! Hope you remember the IN Coffeehouse in New Britain, CT from way back in the 60's. You are as great now as you were then. Glad you are not slowing down.

Karen Kobela

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Fortunato
Date: 03 Mar 03 - 10:08 AM

Happy Birthday, Doc. Mine is 2/27 just 3 or four days before, and my mom's is the March 4th, makes it easy to remember yours. Many happy returns. Chance Shiver

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 03 Mar 03 - 12:20 PM

I saw him for the first time this January. If I'd just heard his playing I'd have had no idea of his age. I'm glad I had the opportunity.

~ Beck in Tucson

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 07:20 PM

Just heard on our local radio that Doc turns 86, today! Still going strong, too.

Happy Birthday, again, Doc!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: topical tom
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 11:29 PM

Happy Birthday, Doc! Keep on "keepin' on" with that great music and those wonderful songs!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: Acorn4
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 03:28 AM

Happy Birthday, Doc.

One of the true all-time greats!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: nickp
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 07:00 AM

Here's to many more.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 06:42 PM

Well, Welcome to the Club, Doc- Now you're as old as I am! Much love to you, to Rosalie, your daughter and all the grand-younguns....
Jean

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: Jayto
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 07:39 PM

Happy Birthday Doc!!! One of my lifelong musical heros. I have been listening to Doc since I was 5 and my Dad had me listen to him on a radio. I am 35 now and love his music more now than I ever have. For 30 yrs I have been a die hard Doc fan and that will never change.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: Fortunato
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 06:09 AM

Happy Birthday, Doc. Thanks for another year's opportunity to see you perform at the Birchmere here in the DC area. I hope to see you again here or somewhere down the road.

My wife and I performed at Fiddler's Grove last year, and knowing that you had sung on thea stage, as well as Jean Ritchie, was thrilling for us. My Gallagher DW felt mighty good in my hands that day.

Thank you for the inspiration and the hundreds of hours of enjoyment of your music, live and recorded.

Chance Shiver

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: karen k
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 11:17 AM

Happy Birthday again Doc. My admiration for you gets stronger every time I listen to your albums, which is very often. You are my favorite. I know how lucky I was in the 60's to see you so many times in person and to have you in my home.

Happy Birthday.

Muh love,
karen kobela, New Britain, CT

Subject: Abrazos - Burnished Age & Hereafter, Doc Watson 86
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 12:15 PM

I often say that age distills us-- that as we age, we become, more and more evidently, who we always really were. The pretenses of youth, the rough edges of our working years-- all the outer trappings-- burnished off until the real character gleams through. The shine of what was always there underneath the momentary impressions we might have had of the person, at whatever age they were when we first started to know them.

I think Doc Watson particularly exemplifies this.

When a "burnished" person of such an age eventually passes on to the other side-- whatever that side may be or whatever one's individual conception about it may be-- there is so little of the worldly, fleshly person left that the only way they COULD live any longer would be to simply slide effortlessly into that state of permanence where spirit continues, unfettered. They "graduate" to really living forever-- as whatever they always were, inside.

Theologically, this is one way to approach an understanding of pre-destination and other tantalizing wonderments of spirituality.


But for one who has had the pleasure of seeing Doc several times, and knowing some of the people whose music sprang from their experience of Doc, it's not theological. It's palpable. And it reminds me to know and bless those old folks in whose midst I live and move and have my being, in my own backyard.

That's another way Doc will live forever-- through his musical grand-babies of course. But also through all of his age-mate peers who never heard him sing or play a note: people who have that same tough gentleness burnished by age, and the people they've affected in some of the ways Doc Watson affected us music-types.

I know that there's pain and inconvenience mixed into the aging process, but when I think of Doc I hope I'm getting burnished, too.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: pdq
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 01:41 PM

Perhaps I'm a day or two late but Doc Watson is too important, so...

Happy Birthday!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: pdq
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 02:01 PM

Doc will perform some shows this year but not real far from home.

The West gets him for one day at Rocky Grass, 24 JUL 2010...

                                                          this year's tour dates

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: Acorn4
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 02:02 PM

Those two double Vanguard LPs released round about the 70s are probably just about my favourite music of all time.

Happy Birthday from the UK, Doc.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson is turning 80!!! Update - 86!!!!
From: pdq
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 02:21 PM

"...double Vanguard LPs released round about the 70s..."

If you convert to CDs or others storage method, be sure to copy Doc's version of "I'm Movin' On", the Homer and Jethro send-up. It was left off the CD version because of space limitations.