Doc Watson--What do you know?

Subject: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: bbc
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:22 PM

At the risk of showing my ignorance, I'm asking folks who are familiar with Doc Watson's music to share some of their knowledge & opinions. He will be giving a concert a week from this Sunday just 10 minutes from my home. Tickets are $35 each with open seating. Should I go?

Thanks,

Barbara

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:24 PM

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: pdq
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:24 PM

Doc Watson is a national treasure. Go, buy all means, go.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:25 PM

Definitely. One of the top pickers in the world, what more need be said?

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:25 PM

Yikes, three posts all at roughly the same time.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:28 PM

YES, YES, YES.

Doc Watson will blow you away. If you like music played by a man who's pro all the way, ya gotta treat yourself to this guy. I can't tell ya what he'll play, but I can tell you you'll enjoy it.

A bit about him.

I have heard Doc Watson in live performance a number of times. He is awesome. Now I'll shut up and let others have their say. Jus' go. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:29 PM

While I was typing my post I notice that four others responded. That's gotta tell ya something, bbc.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: lesblank
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:30 PM

A bargain at twice the price !!! You will not believe your eyes or ears !!! Listen for "Doc's Guitar" - a piece that he never announces by name "I ain't gonna tell what this is - I'll jest pick it !!"

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:30 PM

and watch the fingers of his left hand!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:31 PM

To play the way he does, he's gotta have at LEAST twenty fingers on each hand.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Wesley S
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:36 PM

I saw him just a few months ago. One of the best nights of music I've ever enjoyed. He won't tour forever - and he's a national treasure on a par with Pete Seegar. You MUST go.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: MissouriMud
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:42 PM

Absolutely go. Doc maybe a bit grayer and slower than the first time I saw him in the 60s but he is definitely worth seeing. Besides being someone who really pushed the art of guitar flatpicking (by essentially playing fast fiddle melodies on a guitar)he is a great overall musician, covering a broad spectrum of traditional American Applachian music including ballads and story telling, so its not just bluegrass. Plus he can play a mean banjo too.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:42 PM

Never mind all the guitar talk. He IS a genius. But the main deal is, he's a sweetie, a fine interpreter, and walking/talking history. No one like him, before or since. If you miss seeing him now and then later hear a song of his, or see a video, you're going to cry so hard you won't believe it, that you didn't see him while you could. And he's not going to be around (in the flesh) forever. Go on behalf of all of us who would love to be there.

I was privileged to see/hear him several times, and with his son Merle. Merle's gone-- can't say what I'd have missed if I'd missed him.

GO. Go with someone you love very much, because it will be a tremendous gift, that you gave that person THE Doc Watson.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Wesley S
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:51 PM

His grandson - Richard - is his second guitar player now. If David Holt is also on the bill then you're in for a real treat.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Big Mick
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:54 PM

Beebs (Spaw and I can call you that) you are not complete as a music fan if you haven't seen Doc. I was privileged to sit at his feet (literally) and watch him play. This man is a treasure, an amazing talent. One of the great albums ever is our own Jean Ritchie (kytrad) and Doc live at Gerdes Folk City. I think Smithsonian Folkways distributes it.

Take it from an old friend. This is one you must not miss.

Loveya,

Mick

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 04:56 PM

Convinced yet?

One of the many great things about Doc and his playing is that, after growing up totally immersed in traditional mountain music, he went on the road with a swing band, so his style incorporates almost as much jazz as bluegrass. In other words, he's a living repository of the entire spectrum of American music. And he's a virtuoso from a technical point of view. And he's a very engaging and endearing person as a performer.

Go!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 05:15 PM

You must go to see him.

One of my main reasons for visiting the States was to see him play live which I did (though only once).I will never forget that night.

He's eighty two now, and obviously won't perform for ever, so see hime while you can.

I just hope I can still play like that when I am his age ...

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: bbc
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 05:16 PM

Wow! All this is just a half hour?! Ok, you've convinced me. I'll check on tickets right now, but I'd still like to hear from others who've heard him--particularly in person.

Thanks!

Barbara

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Midchuck
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 05:29 PM

He is to flatpick guitar as Earl Scruggs is to bluegrass banjo.

He didn't actually invent it. He just put it together and gave it to the public.

He has slowed down some, yes. But if you've never seen him, you have to. Who knows how many more chances you'll get.

Meaning no insult to David Holt or Grandson Richard, you should see him in a gig with Jack Lawrence, who is a present-day master of the guitar in his own right.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 05:33 PM

Just got (late, I know) the 2-cd album by Doc Watson, Clarence Ashley and others (1960-1962 recordings issued by Smithsonian Folkways as a collection in 1994). Doc Watson's work on guitar and banjo is amazing, but he also sang a pretty mean bass in a couple of the tracks.

All-around great!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: bbc
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 05:35 PM

Alrighty, I'm gonna hear Doc Watson. Just bought a ticket. Wish I had someone to go w/. Ah, well.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 05:50 PM

Doc has made fairly regular appearances at the Walnut Valley (Winfield, KS) festival, and was having them billed as "Farewell Performances" and "Last and Final Appearance" at least 7 or 8 years ago. (It may have been 10 or 12 years ago.)

He's been back since, but it's obvious you've gotta hear him if you get the chance. NOW!

He's one of the few performers for whom we'll buy the CD - even at list price, when we spot a new one. (Without even looking to see what songs are on it.)

John

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: CarolC
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 06:15 PM

Definitely go. You will not regret it. And you might not even notice that you are there by yourself, he's that good.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 06:21 PM

All of the above. He's not getting any younger...I've seen him in person several times.....always worth it.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 06:22 PM

Don't go. Buy the tickets, send them to me, and I'll go and let you know how terrible it was. Do we have a deal? Huh?

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: bbc
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 07:04 PM

Sorry, Rapaire. Get out here & we can go together. ;)

Barbara

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: frogprince
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 08:18 PM

Amen to all of the above; saw Doc live just once years ago, would go again in a heartbeat.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: open mike
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 08:52 PM

hE IS A REGULAR ON Prairie Home Companion radio show
AND YOU CAN FIND HIM IN THE ARCHIVED SHOWS THERE..GO TO OLD SHOWS
AND SEARCH FOR DOC WATSON.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 09:13 PM

Doc does it all.

Art

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Fortunato
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 09:44 PM

Susette and I make the pilgrimage to see him every time he comes to town. He is the genuine article. I think you'll find it some of the best $$s you've invested. You'll come away with the true sound in your ears.

amazing to hear Doc for the first time, I envy you. Let us know how you like it.
cheers, chance

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Auggie
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 09:54 PM

Don't Just Go.

Go Early.

Sit close to the front and you can darn near feel the magic coming out of this guy. I saw him from the 7th row right after his 75th birthday and he had "slowed down" about as much as Stephane Grapelli had at age 75 (i.e. not at all). He was spellbinding. Now at 82, even if he's lost 50% of his chops, he's still going to be better than 99% of the rest of the world's fok/country/bluegrass pickers.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Auggie
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 10:01 PM

fok/country/bluegrass pickers

That would of course, be Folk, not fok. (He probably types better than I do too).

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: harpgirl
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 10:06 PM

I've seen him many times and never miss a chance to hear the man. He is such a good picker. Once I was in Hendersonville NC with my parents and I hopped on my bike to ride around. I rode right into a little festival on the edge of a mountain where he was the headliner along with his grandson. What a stroke of luck that was!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: number 6
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 10:08 PM

Don't miss Doc at all costs .... he is the best of the best!!

sIx

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 10:41 PM

A friend and I went to see Doc and Jack Lawrence at Washington University in St. Louis not too long after Merle was killed. There were rumors circulating that he was going to stop performing, which fortunately has not been the case.

But back to the story.   We were mightily disappointed as you could well imagine to get there and be informed that the performance was sold out! We figured we had lost our one chance to see him. Dave and I stood around a bit wondering what to do next, short of going home and one of the organizers seeing that the number of us unfortunates was no more than a dozen or so said, "Hang on, we'll see what we can do."

They got some chairs and put them in front of the front row of the theater, so there we were, feeling finer than any royalty could to hear two such masters making such wonderful music. Truly a night to be remembered as long as a person is able to remember.

So anyway ~~ I am glad you have your ticket. Get there early if there is open seating. You can't depend on being as lucky as we were!

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 10:57 PM

You shouldn't miss this!

This is THE MAN who set the "standard" for blue grass flatpicking
and his fingerpicking ain't too shabby either.
(That's kind of like saying ... the hope diamond isn't a bad lookin' rock.) :-)

Serioulsy. A no brainer. Go. You will not be sorry. :-)

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: bbc
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 11:08 PM

Ah, Michael, I was hoping to hear from you. I'll pull your cd's out & review. Thank you all for your comments. I'm really getting excited. Wonder how early I'll have to go?

Barbara

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: biglappy
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 12:09 AM

I'd say that Doc is the best performer in the entire traditional music world. I don't know who else even compares. He is the best Appalachian singer there is and no one even makes a big deal out of it because his guitar playing is so awesome. Go hours early and camp out as I have done more than once. A front row seat for a Doc Watson concert is the sort of thing that you remember all your life.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 12:14 AM

"I just hope I can still play like that when I am his age ..."

I hope I'm alive when I'm his age. If I can locate the guitar I will be happy. Lord knows waht I'll DO with it.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 09:50 AM

The first - and unfortunatley only - time I saw Doc was in Manchester, UK in 1965 ( on the same bill as Phil Ochs ). I'd only heard of Doc by reputation, and I think I was expecting a high-pitched Bill Monroe type singer. However, Doc's rich baritone - and fabulous guitar playing - blew me away. It remains one of my most treasured musical memories.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme again
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 10:16 AM

I first saw Doc in '62 at the second University of Chicago Folk Festival. He was part of the N. Carolina group consisting of Clarence Tom Ashley, Doc Watson, Gaither Carlton (Doc's father-in-law), and William Clint Howard. It was the very beginning of Doc Watson't presence in the folk music revival in the USA--and ultimately the world. It was the tip of the iceburg that would surface as DOC WATSON. This gig led to his ultimately doing, along with these same people, the influential old-time Music LPs for Folkways Wecords. Bottom line: Doc showed me just how good the music can be made!

Barb, you cannot go wrong!!!!!!

Arthur

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: bbc
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 10:44 AM

Your opinion means a lot to me, Art (as do the others!). Thanks for sharing it.

love,

Barbara

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 11:00 AM

GOOOOOOOOD music, pleasant and gracious in person, excellent taste in performance partners--the instantaneous release of all nasty tensions that comes whenever one hears him start up could conceivably put the whole psychiatric industry out of business. Sure as heck worth the time & money.       Tw

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Wesley S
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 03:49 PM

We talk about what an amazing guitar player Doc is - but lets also not forget that he is a wonderful singer of songs. His voice is an instrument that he plays as well as he picks guitar.

By the way - we expect a review - we want to get your impressions of the show. Let us know what you thought. Please ?

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Easy Rider
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 09:01 AM

Doc is one of my early guitar idols. I first saw him perform in the middle sixties, and it left a lasting impression on my young mind. I've seen him perform many times over the years and always been mightily impressed, ne, awed.

I have been wanting to learn "Deep River Blues" all my musical life, and this week I finally resolved to sit down and learn it, from the TAB and video put out by Homespun. It was too hard to play years ago, but now I'm finding it pretty straightforward. Yeaaaayyyy!

You MUST report back and tell us how you liked the show.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 11:27 AM

And he does it all without looking! Seriously, The man is a walkin treasure. A great old timey banjo player, also.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Arkie
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 11:41 AM

I am glad to see folks get around to mention his singing. Doc is not just a great guitar player. He is an excellent singer, and just as important is his selection of music.   Though anything he did would sound great his choice songs just adds icing to the cake.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Zhenya
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 12:15 PM

I'm another long time fan. Don't know what I can add to all of the above, but I'm happy to list another concert for NYC folks and anyone else who can get here.

Doc Watson will be at Lincoln Center Out of Doors on Sat 9/3/05 at 9:00. It's a free concert, open seating.

(I tried to make a blue clicky, but this one wouldn't work - it's one of those 10 line or so addresses. Go to the site for Lincoln Center and check the calendar for Lincoln Center Out of Doors for the rest of the info.)

And BBC, savor every note!

Zhenya

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 12:27 PM

"And he does it all without looking!" ...and not looking may be one of the keys to his speed and precision. I watched, thru binoculars, Doc, Norman Blake, Dan Crary and Tony Rice play together at Winfield in 1972 or so, and noted the flying fingers on the left hands...except for Doc! His fingers raised just enough to clear the strings, then were on to the next note. I guess when you can't see, the less distance to navigate, the better!

Anyway, he is a consumate *musician* and I'm glad I saw him several times.

Subject: RE: Doc Watson--What do you know?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 02:39 PM

No, Barbara, you shouldn't go. If you go, you will make me extremely jealous.

I once made a last-minute try to get into a Doc Watson / Davis Grisman concert in Sacramento. No luck - not one single ticket in the box office or for sale on the street. Not one - and there were all these young people going in the door to hear Old Doc, and not one of them had pity on Poor Joe Offer, who has never in his life had the chance to see Doc perform.

Just once in my life, I'd like to attend a Doc Watson performance. And if I could see Jean Ritchie and Pete Seeger, too, I could die a happy man...

-Joe Offer-