I don't know how many of you have ever heard of Doc Watson but he is surely one of the most influential musicians ever in the southeast U.S.
He was blinded at the age of one and his father gave him a harmonica at 5. Although mountain guitar music was his bread and butter he did play very good harp.
The first video he actually gives the first lesson his father taught him.
The second is fun hambone with harmonica.
I hve never met a more humble, appreciative musician than Doc.
I didn't know he played harp but he was one hell of a picker and Vocalist.I Once caught a show where he and Ricky Scaggs were on stage along with lester Flat. Doc may be gone but he will live on thru his music. Most every one should remember the show " Oh brother where art thou" He sang on the sound track. Not sure but I think he sang " Oh death", a very chilling song. Rest in peace Doc.
He's an icon in the folk music genre. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
One of my most treasured albums is Doc and Merle Watson's "Pickin' the Blues." I bought it from them at a folk festival in the summer of 1985. Merle was killed a few months later.
Doc lost his mother and his son all in one year, 1985. Then he went on to the next 27 years of his career. There's a lesson in all this. He was born blind, lived that kind of life, and managed to have a very long, amazingly influential career while surviving a tragedy that would have taken many of us right off the road.
Never say die. Just make your music to the best of your ability. It's easy to give in to depression. It's better to figure out a way of getting past that and living the best life you can.
My father--my late father--introduced me to the music of Doc Watson. He had a couple of his records. That husky, honey-smooth voice really got me. It gets under your skin.
I learned his harp licks on milk cow blues many years back...played it tonight....great musician named son merle after merle travis,guitar player who did 9 pound hammer and dark as a dungeon
