Doc Watson Dead

[rampside]

It's just like their amazing rendition, when I think of Doc and Merle Watson, "All I Have To Do Is Dream"

Thank you Doc.....you're the best

 

[rampside]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/29/us/north-carolina-doc-watson/index.html

Here's a great article also.

 

[killdeer43]

Tidbits about Doc's influence/inspiration on my music keep flooding back, especially since I'm playing my way through his book today, in his honor. So, a couple of things:

*I learned the sometimes-haunting power of minor chords (esp Am) by listening to and playing some of Doc's songs, like Omie Wise, The Call of the Road, and Shady Grove.
*The first song I ever played for Cindy was A-Rovin' On a Winter's Night. We're still together so I guess I picked a good one. :wink:

Thanks Doc,
Joe

 

[Bill Ashton]

Just a few minutes ago finished listeniing to a 1988 interview he did with Terry Gross on Fresh Air. Anyone who wishes to hear what the man is and was should go to NPR.com and download the interview. Should be required listening for acoustic guitar ownership. Good Lord, he did it all!

http://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/

Sad, sad day. Rest in peace, Doc.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Doc and Norman Blake were early influences on my love for acoustic music and especially flat picking guitar.
Together with Tony Rice they made several recordings that are among my all time favorites.
Doc Watson was an inspiration to many of us.
RIP Doc.

 

[markus]

Bill, thank you for that link!
Markus

 

[Scratch]

You were da man, Doc. And you still are. Thanks for the music...

 

[Bill Ashton]

Here is another little narrative...

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/feature ... hitchhiker’s-musical-memoir

 

[killdeer43]

That's such a great story and reminds me so much of my own pilgrimage to visit Doc in '74. I just might have to post it here one of these days....and see if anyone wants to read it.

I will, of course, do the condensed version. :wink:

Joe

 

[rampside]

A very big thanks for that story Bill...

and Joe....please tell us yours :!:

 

[Shady Wilbury]

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/feature ... cal-memoir

^ above link should take you to the article Bill Ashton posted.

 

[Scratch]

Thanks Casey! How ya been?

 

[Shady Wilbury]

Pretty well, thanks, Ken. Pretty busy too, but it's all in a good cause. Finally getting started on a project I've been dreaming about for the past five years.

Hope you're well.

Take care,

Casey

 

[killdeer43]

This is my story, and I'm sticking to it! I'll try to be brief, but......:wink:

In early 1974, I was living in Houston when my girlfriend and I started planning a 2-week hiking trip in early October on the Appalachain Trail, mainly in North Carolina and Virginia. Being a map geek/nerd/lover all my life, I started poring over everything I could get my hands on at the time (no internet).
Simultaneously, I had become a huge fan of Doc Watson and listened to him/played along with him every chance I got. He was my inspiration to play guitar in the first place.
As I looked over the myriad of maps, it dawned on me that I would be within a hoot and holler of Deep Gap, NC....Doc's home!

Trip planning shifted gears as I tried to balance a dream to hike on the Ap. Trail with a pilgrimage to see Doc. And in my heart, I just knew that he'd be glad to see me, too! While getting backpacking gear in order, I also worked feverishly on a few of Doc's songs, dubbing myself into a few tracks with him on my old reel-to-reel Sony tape deck.

We were traveling in my girlfriend's Toyota Corolla wagon and with all our camping gear, it took some effort to load my D-18 (sorry) in with everything else. But I did it and we left Houston early one morning and made it to Memphis the first night. We rolled into Deep Gap early the following evening and after the obligatory photos of me and my guitar in front of the Deep Gap sign on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we eased into the sleepy little town. Yes, I was as giddy as a schoolgirl.

I stopped at the general store to ask directions, which were handed out cordially by a smiling store keeper -- a smile that told me I wasn't the first one to ask where Doc lived. He almost broke my heart when he said that he didn't think Doc was home, that he was "on tour somewhere or other." But he said that I should go on up to the house anyway to make sure. So there was still a chance.

Cutting to the chase here, Doc was not home, but I got to meet Rosa Lee, who told me to come back anytime I was in Deep Gap. She looked just like the photos in the book and was a sweet lady. And like the store keeper, she smiled a smile that told me that many had come before me.

Well, I stood on Doc's front porch and took a deep breath, and told my girlfriend that I hoped that at the least, the trail was still there!
We hiked for most of the week and I still had a return to Deep Gap on my mind. If we hadn't planned to return to Texas by way of Missouri to see her folks, we would have given Doc another chance to meet me! :wink:

*This was the condensed version. PM me for the full-length version. :lol:

Thanks for reading this far,
Joe

 

[frailer5]

The Doc/David Holt 'set' recently bought will be all the more poignant now. Oh, great story killdeer43. Felt I was there.

 

[Scratch]

There's a song in there for sure, Joe. Nice recollection; I have it pictured...

 

[killdeer43]

There's a song in there for sure, Joe. Nice recollection; I have it pictured...

Yeah, I've scribbled a few notes over the years....now what did I do with them all? :shock:

It was a beautiful Appalachian fall that year, as I recall. Frost in the morning and brilliant, blue-sky days with outrageous colors. I'll have to dig into my old slides to find the Deep Gap shots and shake up my brain a little. :wink:

Joe

 

[frailer5]

Good tranny-scanners are cheap these days. Well worth it if you have a lot of trannys to convert over. Plus, digital storage is plentiful/cheap; not like the old days. If you do get around to it, would love to see the uploads to smugmug, or whatever you use. (yes, a plug for smugmug... :wink: )

 

[killdeer43]

Good tranny-scanners are cheap these days. Well worth it if you have a lot of trannys to convert over. Plus, digital storage is plentiful/cheap; not like the old days. If you do get around to it, would love to see the uploads to smugmug, or whatever you use. (yes, a plug for smugmug... :wink: )

I have approx. 35,000 slides and I've been working on whittling it down to a manageable number for scanning. I have scanners, backup storage, etc., etc. The tough part is finding the time! :wink:
I have a smugmug account and I've only just begun to work on it, even though I've had it for a couple of years. Again....time!

And then I have to play my Guilds as much as I need to for my mental well-being! 8)

Thanks,
Joe

 

[frailer5]

I have approx. 35,000 slides and I've been working on whittling it down to a manageable number for scanning.

Ok, I get the picture.... :lol: