I was in a children's home when I was younger and Doc would come every Christmas and play for us. I even got to sing with him a couple of times and never realized I was singing with a legend. RIP Doc.
@@EliazMusicJuggling not much. Destroyed my vocal chords in the military and have never been really comfortable in front of crowds. But I have the memories.
Singing on the beat and picking across the beat: you don't really appreciate just how hard that is to get right until you sit down and try it yourself. Country blues is one of the most unforgiving styles to learn, but also one of the most rewarding.
I am a guitarist for 26 years let me tell you Doc is a alien seriously people scoff at country blues or old time music because it sounds simple but, no sir I respect Jazz and such but, I will never get over how beautiful Doc Watson and Mississippi John Hurt were.
Doc Watson was born in 1923! His songs are still being played, thank heavens. Though he was blind he was showed wonderful remakable skills in his guitar playing. RIP Doc! Larry Davies.
My wife and I were fortunate to hear Doc play in an old historic high school in Coleraine MN. He was in his 80s and sang and played like he was twenty. Doc was humble and pleasant. It's too bad more talented performers aren't like him. RIP Doc you made our lives richer in many ways.
This version is really special, since there’s a lot of variation thrown in. I think my favorite version might still be the one from his fingerpicking DVD but that’s probably just because it’s the version I heard first. Definitely gotta learn me some of the licks from this. Took me about 6 months to really get the other version down lol. Didn’t help that it was one of the first Travis picking songs I learned, oh well. I’ve definitely gotten better, just gotta stick with it and refuse to quit.
I saw Doc open for Commander Cody in Boston in 1974. His son Merle was getting tired of playing the country music with Dad and had his own rock band. Dad and Merle made a deal that Merle could bring his band along and play a set during their show. Doc came out and sat in with the band and played one of the most incredible rock leads I've ever heard.
Another true story about Doc: he refuses to receive disability checks from the government. He just says, "Send that money to someone who needs it more than me". Classy indeed!
I'm a Brit that moved to the US almost 8 years ago. I'd never really listened to much folk, bluegrass, country until I moved to the US.. I now feel it in my soul. Doc was truly a gifted musician. I felt like the guitar alone did all the talking. What an incredible talent the world lost when he died.
Saw Doc at Club 47 (now Passim) in Cambridge, Mass in 1965. I was sitting in the front row, maybe ten feet away from him. When he did one of his low string chromatic octave runs between lines of a verse, I gasped and this devilish grin played over his face. Guess I made his night!,
I grew up in western NC and my dad went to his concerts and met him, Bill Monroe, and Merle many times. We saw him perform in Lenoir, NC. When I worked at a college radio station I found one of his albums “ on praying ground “ I think and gave it to my dad. He played it every Sunday before church. What a great man.
I was born in Hendersonville and still have family in Brevard, N.C. I've been in Florida for 54 yrs now, but still love those western North Carolina mountains and the music!!!
I moved just in time to see you perform in N.C. I regret I didn't get there sooner. It was an honor. RIP. One of the finest folks the U.S. has ever turned their ears to.
A guitar picker myself, I took a rocker friend who played drums, to see Doc in the mid eighties at the perot theatre in Texarkana, Tx. He was quite apprehensive and tried hard not to enjoy the show at first, but by the time Doc finished up my friend was cheering louder than anyone in the place. I realized then and there, that talent/ability transcends preferred musical style. What a wonderful lesson. Thanks Doc. R.I.P.
I grew up on stuff like Nirvana and Metallica, and still love it. I couldn't stand the country I heard on the radio, but I loved Johnny Cash and the blues. Come to find out, I didn't hate county music. I just didn't like what was getting airplay. The last few years I've been completely taken by all the different types of old country and blues, jazz, Cajun and Zydeco. You can hear the inherent rock and roll trying to bust out of all that music. It's really the foundation of modern pop
I am so glad that Doc lived long enough to be immortalized by this thing we call UA-cam. The world will miss this artist, but many to listen will never remember that he lived long enough to die - how cool is that?
He lived long enough and close enough to the present that we can hear him through youtube and other sources after he has died. Some of us were lucky enough to hear him in person in Cambridge, MA: Chicago, IL; Fayetteville, NC and Merlefest in Wilkesboro, NC
I sat right at his feet once. We applauded a song and he said: "I love ya'll!" I had my chance. I piped up: "We love you too, Doc!", and was rewarded with a smile. But I saw him lose his temper a little another time when folks were talking down front. He had just played the best Working Man Blues I ever heard, at least for me, including the original Merle's version, and I wanted to hear every sound he made. He left that gig in a black Rolls. You came a long way, Doc.
Damn! I first heard this played by a man when I was 17. It turned my whole style of playing on it's head. I began to get serious about practicing daily, and this was the one I practiced most. At 55, I'm still pickin' and still learning - God help me if I stop, I might have to die. And God Bless the Martin Guitar Company! The D-16 RGT is grand! First really good guitar I ever bought, and it has opened up it's voice like an angel....
Being from the foothills of NC, Doc was a big part of the music I grew up listing to. The music of Appalachia is something all its own, and it is a big part of the culture in the mountains. Doc will never be forgotten, and MerleFest every April commemorates this amazing man and his family along with the music!
The fact that they put Jack White at 17 on the top 100 guitar players of all time and didn't even put this guy on the list shows you that Rolling Stone has either, A, no idea what they are doing, or B, care more about guessing what there audience likes than actually acknowledge the talent of real musicians. Frank Zappa and Mark Knopfler is are two other great examples of drastically under rating fantastic guitar players to please the reading audience.
those 'best 100' things are always a joke. Jack White is hardly what any musician would call a 'real' guitar player, but he's a great character and I know he loves the art. The only thing Rolling Stone is good for is keeping up with Katy Perry and the like, and serious political reporting... musically speaking RS has been lost for years.
ya they also had that worst solos every and they put sympathy for the devil on there which might be a short and simple solo but its not always about how intricate you can play the guitar but if it sounds good and isnt sloppy, i agree though never heard of doc watson and didnt realize he was blind im always watching leo kottke , john fahey , chet atkins but you never really hear about them that much anymore either and they plat guitar way better than anyone today, country sucks rap sucks, metal sucks and now day rock sucks, and pretty much everything thats on the radio, even bob segers new shit sucks, good music is all dying
I have worked for two years in USA, and I had the unique chance to attend a Doc Watson concert in a small church in Berkeley, Ca where I lived (in 89, before the quake!). This was one of the greatest concert I went ! I love deep river blues. I still blow the them drivin' to work here in France. Thanks for the vid !
Been to two Doc Watson live performances, and they were among the musical highlights of my life. Sadly, never got to see him perform with Merle, but have many albums of them together... tragic, no father should lose a son that way. Doc is a giant of American music, and a sure-enough genius in the old-time traditional style.
I am thankful for Doc Watson, for preserving and carrying on so much of American heritage that otherwise may have been lost. This music is a time machine. I feel like I'm on a raft with Huck Finn.
There is a memorial to him in Boone, NC, down the road from where he lived in Deep Gap, a bronze memorial of him on a bench playing his guitar titled Doc Watson,"Man of the People" - well deserved. Such a talented musician and singer. When I saw it, it took me back to all his great music.
Great singer and player. Doc's a multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist and a true gentleman. His style crosses over many genres of traditional roots music.
I saw Doc in 1964 when he was sponsored by the Columbus Folk Music Center, a place I worked while going to Ohio State. He was young and so was I. Made me put down the banjo and pick up a guitar. Thank you doc, you're a great inspiration on so many levels...
Doc I will miss you so much! I do look forward to one day finally meeting you good sir in that sweet by and by! God Bless your sweet soul and thank you for the music, the love, and the Legacy! God Bless your sweet soul!
Listening to Doc speak is just as enjoyable as listening to him play. This guy was truly one of a kind and God obviously broke the mold after making him. What a legend. Rest In Peace Doc, and Merle.
Most that knew Doc,or know Docs abilities often say he is genius...I was friends with Merles boy Richard,who was also exceptional when it came to music,naturally...But an example of what Doc means to folks here in the Gap...well,one day I take off up the Cat(Wildcat rd),to the place at the end of the road,where folks take trash,and recycling...I pull in, in my old bumpside 3/4 ton...Elvis,his ears dragging the pavement,his tongue beating his head in...he had been blowing the leaves off the trees on the ride up...I get out and see Doc putting some milk jugs in the container,as I approach with my various recycling,Doc turns to me and says,"Boy,that Bluetick shore has a pretty voice"...Doc had never met my Elvis...Doc cannot see...with his eyes at least....I was too floored to ask him how in the world he knew Elvis was a Bluetick...I've been around coondogs most of my life and I can tell my dogs from others,but only guess at their breed...Doc knew,without a doubt....So when I see a video,or when I saw him pick live,and he does something extraordinary...I reckon folks got used to him being so common,nobody was shocked when he displayed the humble genius he was....I'm happy to see,those traits shared with the rest of the world...we're proud of Doc here in Deep Gap.
Forty six years ago, in Portland, OR, I went to see Doc and Merle, and a couple of friends of Merle, play at the Euphoria Tavern. We got there after the good seats were taken, but my girlfriend had some friends who asked us to sit with them up front of the stage. Doc was taking requests and I asked several times for When The Work's All Done This Fall, but it did not get played. I didn't mind. As a picker only ten years into learning I was overjoyed at seeing/hearing one of my heroes so close. After the show while using the men's room I bumped into one of Merle's buddies and asked him to please tell Doc how much I loved their performance. As I left the restroom my girlfriend was chatting with the same gentleman I had spoke to and he said to me, 'hey come on back and give your message to Doc yourself. We stepped into the dressing room and Merle's pal said, 'hey Doc, this young man wanted to meet you'. Doc stuck out his hand, shook mine, and said, 'say there, young fella, I wanted to do that song for you but the other guys didn't know that tune. You come see me again and I promise I will do it for you'. Needless to say, I was stunned that he recognized my voice. And six months later when the same girl and i went to see them at the Bottom Line in NYC, we met Merle. The circle was complete. If one ever gets to feeling a bit down, just get Doc doing Deep River Blues at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with David Holt in '08. He was 85 years old at that time.ua-cam.com/video/qQ_aeax2eHA/v-deo.html
@@antonewilliam7627 I mentioned Doc to a guitar playing friend who said "if he's so good how come I never heard of him?",well I was floored!Showed him this video and he says "wow,he never looked down at his guitar!",I still get a chuckle!
@@giannirocco7492 This world if full of wonderful songwriters/pickers/singers that we unfortunately never get to see/hear. It's even possible to miss, like your friend did, one of the truly great ones like Doc. Doc was much more than one of the truly great musicians. He was great in who he was as a kind and humble man.
Yes Old Doc was the master flatpicker but this tune shows he had a pretty good grasp of Travis finger style as well! What a singer he was as well! Had the great fortune to see him live many times and evey one was a great show!
My god, what a gem this is, and what an incredible talent he was. And he's playing this wish just his thumb and forefinger. Crazy. And that swing feel is so hard to do and get it right.
I think you missed the point brother. Lots of guitar players can play this tune but almost no one can play it with the soul Doc puts in it. Listen to Tommy Emmanuel's version for example. It's all flash No substance. It's not all always what you do it's how you do it
I feel like I've lost a friend. His music and his larger-than-life personality have been a part of my life for over 50 years. I'm grieving, and feel that a major light has been taken away. I remember going to the Fiddler's Convention at Union Grove in 71 0r 72, and he was there. Such a treat to be with him in that kind of setting. He always reminded me of my grandfather, who played guitar, fiddle, and harmonica, and sang those old country blues. It makes me cry.
I have been working on this song for quite awhile, and I still have not mastered it. So beautiful, Doc made it look so easy. Talent like this is so rare, Doc is sorely missed. A true inspiration.
A guitar player that guitar players look up and aspire to. What a smooth, smooth player. On one clip he talks about starting out performing on a Les Paul. Believe it. He said it. Wonderful player, performer, a real American treasure like Pete Seeger. Thanks dealer.
He is/was SO good. There is something sweet about him but still very masculine.. I love Deep River Blues and associate it with him-for over 50 years now.
I heard him in the '60s and that one concert completely turned my sense of good music on its head. Up til then it was all Beatles, pop and rock. Doc put the solo voice and guitar into music for me, and I felt as if I had just discovered a new world. I never stopped being a huge fan of his and have loved folk and blues acoustic music ever since. His time was up, but I will also grieve a little.
Dude I had the same idea. I discovered Doc (along with Travis picking) around quarantine and became obsessed. I learned from watching the version from his flatpicking and fingerpicking DVD you can find on youtube. I was able to sort out the notes in a month or two but it really took me about 6 months to really get it down, especially the speed. Just gotta keep at it and refuse to quit. With enough practice you’ll get it down. The sense of accomplishment is totally worth it. Now I’m pretty much obsessed with any Travis style songs and this is the most consistent my guitar playing has been. I used to always play off and on but after finding Doc I’m determined to keep playing even if I don’t feel like it. There’s always something else to learn.
The Great Doc Watson... inspiration to millions of guitarists. Listen to those fingers pick that thing and the voice....Wow! Met him a number of years ago southbound on an airliner to North Carolina. What a Gentleman. The real thang, Doc Watson.
Only got to see this legend once at a festival in Concord CA, probably in the 80's (memory fades when you're old). His son Merle was playing with him. At the end of their amazing set they played a medley of Chuck Berry/Little Richard songs that rocked harder than most full on electric rock bands I've seen (and I've seen a lot, starting with Cream and Hendrix in '68). That medley tore me up and I'll never forget it. RIP Doc and Merle. You are missed.
I was lucky to see Doc and Merle play in Sonora CA. At a place called raspberries. I got my courage up and walked backstage and met Doc and Merle. He shared how when as a kid he got stung on the temple by a hornet.I was flabbergasted that he shared with me some of his life. I shook their hands and went and watched the show. A memory I will treasure forever.
I was lucky enough to catch the man down at Merlefest this year...really special. I am in no way a religious man, but i did see him do his gospel service sunday morning...I'll be sad when he goes.
I m glad this video is still here I was learning from it how to play with my thumb and fingers like 10 years ago :D. Doc Watson was/is and will remain Legend ! At least to me anyway :D
I saw Doc and Merle at an outdoor bluegrass/music festival in August 1972 near Dahlonega, GA. My first bluegrass concert! Doc and Merle appeared lated and brought the house down with 'Deep River Blues'. The ladies in the audience were going crazy, almost as if Elvis had been sighted!
thank you, wings of pegasus, for showing me the light. lol. I always wrote off country. but seeing his enthusiasm for talent for all genres really opened my ears. :)
As good a player as Doc Watson is its hard to believe that anyone would dislike this. But you've got to remember that no matter who you are or what you do regardless of how good it may be, someone is not going to like you. The reasons may be hairbrained but no matter what you do, you can't please everyone. So you might as well do your best and then sit back and enjoy life.
I grew up in a musical family, and my grandfather was friends with Doc and Merle, i was around him for a long part of my life and loved to hear him pic and sing, this song, another called Dig a little deeper, and an old Irish folk tune he would do as a duet with his wife and on e with Dolly was That was the last thing on my mind were my favorites.
I was in a children's home when I was younger and Doc would come every Christmas and play for us. I even got to sing with him a couple of times and never realized I was singing with a legend. RIP Doc.
That's crazy! Do you still sing now?
@@EliazMusicJuggling not much. Destroyed my vocal chords in the military and have never been really comfortable in front of crowds. But I have the memories.
What a memory
Thats freaking amazing to have a legend play for you...its unfortunate it was under shitty circumstances...but mad respect
Awesome story thanks for sharing.
Singing on the beat and picking across the beat: you don't really appreciate just how hard that is to get right until you sit down and try it yourself. Country blues is one of the most unforgiving styles to learn, but also one of the most rewarding.
Very true! There's no room for forgiveness when playing this type of music. There's no hiding lol
Good luck to anyone who tries! Most of us just smash our guitar or burn it,..
100% agree. When I think I have reached “perfection” I throw on doc or Chet and realize how wrong I am. Lol
and he was blind.)
good point he sings too
Guitar lovers know the majesty of this man and his lasting impact on his instrument.
I am a guitarist for 26 years let me tell you Doc is a alien seriously people scoff at country blues or old time music because it sounds simple but, no sir I respect Jazz and such but, I will never get over how beautiful Doc Watson and Mississippi John Hurt were.
Yes, we do. Among us guitar players, Doc is pure royalty.
100%
Absolutely. I've only recently understood this. I've been playing guitar for years but just started learning bluegrass. Doc Watson is underappreciated
Doc is one of the best flat pickers, and finger pickers of all time!!!!!!
Doc Watson was born in 1923!
His songs are still being played, thank heavens. Though he was blind he was showed wonderful remakable skills in his guitar playing.
RIP Doc!
Larry Davies.
My wife and I were fortunate to hear Doc play in an old historic high school in Coleraine MN.
He was in his 80s and sang and played like he was twenty.
Doc was humble and pleasant.
It's too bad more talented performers aren't like him.
RIP Doc you made our lives richer in many ways.
um, shall we just agree this is the best version on the internet and call it a day?
Fair enough.
This version is really special, since there’s a lot of variation thrown in. I think my favorite version might still be the one from his fingerpicking DVD but that’s probably just because it’s the version I heard first.
Definitely gotta learn me some of the licks from this. Took me about 6 months to really get the other version down lol. Didn’t help that it was one of the first Travis picking songs I learned, oh well. I’ve definitely gotten better, just gotta stick with it and refuse to quit.
Gotta listen to Tommy Emmanuel's version... Respect
I like doc's version he did on TV when he was a little older. A little funkier.
I saw Doc open for Commander Cody in Boston in 1974. His son Merle was getting tired of playing the country music with Dad and had his own rock band. Dad and Merle made a deal that Merle could bring his band along and play a set during their show. Doc came out and sat in with the band and played one of the most incredible rock leads I've ever heard.
Another true story about Doc: he refuses to receive disability checks from the government. He just says, "Send that money to someone who needs it more than me". Classy indeed!
This comment deserves way more likes than one every 14 years! Well said from a fellow Nathan
I'm a Brit that moved to the US almost 8 years ago. I'd never really listened to much folk, bluegrass, country until I moved to the US.. I now feel it in my soul. Doc was truly a gifted musician. I felt like the guitar alone did all the talking. What an incredible talent the world lost when he died.
Saw Doc at Club 47 (now Passim) in Cambridge, Mass in 1965. I was sitting in the front row, maybe ten feet away from him. When he did one of his low string chromatic octave runs between lines of a verse, I gasped and this devilish grin played over his face. Guess I made his night!,
would have made mine too!
Aww, damn he must've been like, "yeah I thought that sounded awesome too when I came up with it"🤣
What a time
Beautifully said friend
I grew up in western NC and my dad went to his concerts and met him, Bill Monroe, and Merle many times. We saw him perform in Lenoir, NC. When I worked at a college radio station I found one of his albums “ on praying ground “ I think and gave it to my dad. He played it every Sunday before church. What a great man.
I was born in Hendersonville and still have family in Brevard, N.C. I've been in Florida for 54 yrs now, but still love those western North Carolina mountains and the music!!!
"We turn to Blues now..."
Professor Watson's classes are the bomb!!
I moved just in time to see you perform in N.C. I regret I didn't get there sooner. It was an honor. RIP. One of the finest folks the U.S. has ever turned their ears to.
Hi Kathy💐💐
A guitar picker myself, I took a rocker friend who played drums, to see Doc in the mid eighties at the perot theatre in Texarkana, Tx. He was quite apprehensive and tried hard not to enjoy the show at first, but by the time Doc finished up my friend was cheering louder than anyone in the place. I realized then and there, that talent/ability transcends preferred musical style. What a wonderful lesson. Thanks Doc. R.I.P.
It's true. I mainly listen to Hip hop and Metal but love Doc Watson.
I realized then and there, that talent/ability transcends preferred musical style. Amen! and Doc had such transcendent talent.
I grew up on stuff like Nirvana and Metallica, and still love it. I couldn't stand the country I heard on the radio, but I loved Johnny Cash and the blues. Come to find out, I didn't hate county music. I just didn't like what was getting airplay. The last few years I've been completely taken by all the different types of old country and blues, jazz, Cajun and Zydeco. You can hear the inherent rock and roll trying to bust out of all that music. It's really the foundation of modern pop
Funny thing is, when Doc was “discovered,” he was playing electric guitar in a rockabilly band.
It's a beautiful thing what music can do. Thanks for sharing
I am so glad that Doc lived long enough to be immortalized by this thing we call UA-cam. The world will miss this artist, but many to listen will never remember that he lived long enough to die - how cool is that?
doesnt everyone live long enough to die?
@@zachwilson4166 facts
He lived long enough and close enough to the present that we can hear him through youtube and other sources after he has died. Some of us were lucky enough to hear him in person in Cambridge, MA: Chicago, IL; Fayetteville, NC and Merlefest in Wilkesboro, NC
Well, he lived long enough to be captured on videotape, anyway. Which was later converted to digital and uploaded to UA-cam.
He would even if he died 20 years earlier, the wonders of UA-cam, and the stuff people sometimes upload :)
I sat right at his feet once. We applauded a song and he said: "I love ya'll!" I had my chance. I piped up: "We love you too, Doc!", and was rewarded with a smile. But I saw him lose his temper a little another time when folks were talking down front. He had just played the best Working Man Blues I ever heard, at least for me, including the original Merle's version, and I wanted to hear every sound he made. He left that gig in a black Rolls. You came a long way, Doc.
Damn! I first heard this played by a man when I was 17. It turned my whole style of playing on it's head. I began to get serious about practicing daily, and this was the one I practiced most. At 55, I'm still pickin' and still learning - God help me if I stop, I might have to die. And God Bless the Martin Guitar Company! The D-16 RGT is grand! First really good guitar I ever bought, and it has opened up it's voice like an angel....
Flawless performance.
Being from the foothills of NC, Doc was a big part of the music I grew up listing to. The music of Appalachia is something all its own, and it is a big part of the culture in the mountains. Doc will never be forgotten, and MerleFest every April commemorates this amazing man and his family along with the music!
When music gives you goosebumps you know its something special :)
It might mean you're special too! :) neurosciencenews.com/music-chills-neuroscience-6167
Try Tyler Childers.
Absolutely dude !
What a great performance!!
The fact that they put Jack White at 17 on the top 100 guitar players of all time and didn't even put this guy on the list shows you that Rolling Stone has either, A, no idea what they are doing, or B, care more about guessing what there audience likes than actually acknowledge the talent of real musicians. Frank Zappa and Mark Knopfler is are two other great examples of drastically under rating fantastic guitar players to please the reading audience.
those 'best 100' things are always a joke. Jack White is hardly what any musician would call a 'real' guitar player, but he's a great character and I know he loves the art. The only thing Rolling Stone is good for is keeping up with Katy Perry and the like, and serious political reporting... musically speaking RS has been lost for years.
How does Knopfler always get in with the "underrated" crowd?? I think his low ratings are pretty hard-earned to be honest.
Many ppl don't even know Frank played guitar to start with. (A lot of them haven't even HEARD of Frank)
ya they also had that worst solos every and they put sympathy for the devil on there which might be a short and simple solo but its not always about how intricate you can play the guitar but if it sounds good and isnt sloppy, i agree though never heard of doc watson and didnt realize he was blind im always watching leo kottke , john fahey , chet atkins but you never really hear about them that much anymore either and they plat guitar way better than anyone today, country sucks rap sucks, metal sucks and now day rock sucks, and pretty much everything thats on the radio, even bob segers new shit sucks, good music is all dying
Derek Costen Bob Brozman was badass
I have worked for two years in USA, and I had the unique chance to attend a Doc Watson concert in a small church in Berkeley, Ca where I lived (in 89, before the quake!). This was one of the greatest concert I went ! I love deep river blues. I still blow the them drivin' to work here in France. Thanks for the vid !
Been to two Doc Watson live performances, and they were among the musical highlights of my life. Sadly, never got to see him perform with Merle, but have many albums of them together... tragic, no father should lose a son that way.
Doc is a giant of American music, and a sure-enough genius in the old-time traditional style.
I am thankful for Doc Watson, for preserving and carrying on so much of American heritage that otherwise may have been lost. This music is a time machine. I feel like I'm on a raft with Huck Finn.
There is a memorial to him in Boone, NC, down the road from where he lived in Deep Gap, a bronze memorial of him on a bench playing his guitar titled Doc Watson,"Man of the People" - well deserved. Such a talented musician and singer. When I saw it, it took me back to all his great music.
This is what a steel string acoustic guitar is born to do.
My 10 year old granddaughter loves this, she sings along with it as she knows all the words and whenever I hear it she's there with me.
If Billy Strings loved him, we should too!!
Yep and he loves Monroe too
Outstanding-Forever in your debt forever your apprentice!
Completely effortless. Beautiful.
His right fore finger is putting in some serious overtime there 😮
Great singer and player. Doc's a multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist and a true gentleman. His style crosses over many genres of traditional roots music.
I saw Doc in 1964 when he was sponsored by the Columbus Folk Music Center, a place I worked while going to Ohio State. He was young and so was I. Made me put down the banjo and pick up a guitar. Thank you doc, you're a great inspiration on so many levels...
This right here is what you CAW.. down right Pure Character Elegance,, such control and finesse.. and Soulful honesty.
He is a legend, he will live forever inside our hearts. Whenever I play guitar, I feel Doc's warm presence behind me.
Doc I will miss you so much! I do look forward to one day finally meeting you good sir in that sweet by and by! God Bless your sweet soul and thank you for the music, the love, and the Legacy! God Bless your sweet soul!
Listening to Doc speak is just as enjoyable as listening to him play. This guy was truly one of a kind and God obviously broke the mold after making him. What a legend. Rest In Peace Doc, and Merle.
Most that knew Doc,or know Docs abilities often say he is genius...I was friends with Merles boy Richard,who was also exceptional when it came to music,naturally...But an example of what Doc means to folks here in the Gap...well,one day I take off up the Cat(Wildcat rd),to the place at the end of the road,where folks take trash,and recycling...I pull in, in my old bumpside 3/4 ton...Elvis,his ears dragging the pavement,his tongue beating his head in...he had been blowing the leaves off the trees on the ride up...I get out and see Doc putting some milk jugs in the container,as I approach with my various recycling,Doc turns to me and says,"Boy,that Bluetick shore has a pretty voice"...Doc had never met my Elvis...Doc cannot see...with his eyes at least....I was too floored to ask him how in the world he knew Elvis was a Bluetick...I've been around coondogs most of my life and I can tell my dogs from others,but only guess at their breed...Doc knew,without a doubt....So when I see a video,or when I saw him pick live,and he does something extraordinary...I reckon folks got used to him being so common,nobody was shocked when he displayed the humble genius he was....I'm happy to see,those traits shared with the rest of the world...we're proud of Doc here in Deep Gap.
WOW!! What a COOL story-----------love hearing stuff like that----much thanks!!
Forty six years ago, in Portland, OR, I went to see Doc and Merle, and a couple of friends of Merle, play at the Euphoria Tavern. We got there after the good seats were taken, but my girlfriend had some friends who asked us to sit with them up front of the stage. Doc was taking requests and I asked several times for When The Work's All Done This Fall, but it did not get played. I didn't mind. As a picker only ten years into learning I was overjoyed at seeing/hearing one of my heroes so close. After the show while using the men's room I bumped into one of Merle's buddies and asked him to please tell Doc how much I loved their performance. As I left the restroom my girlfriend was chatting with the same gentleman I had spoke to and he said to me, 'hey come on back and give your message to Doc yourself. We stepped into the dressing room and Merle's pal said, 'hey Doc, this young man wanted to meet you'. Doc stuck out his hand, shook mine, and said, 'say there, young fella, I wanted to do that song for you but the other guys didn't know that tune. You come see me again and I promise I will do it for you'. Needless to say, I was stunned that he recognized my voice. And six months later when the same girl and i went to see them at the Bottom Line in NYC, we met Merle. The circle was complete. If one ever gets to feeling a bit down, just get Doc doing Deep River Blues at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with David Holt in '08. He was 85 years old at that time.ua-cam.com/video/qQ_aeax2eHA/v-deo.html
@@antonewilliam7627 THIS story makes MY day, thank you
@@antonewilliam7627 I mentioned Doc to a guitar playing friend who said "if he's so good how come I never heard of him?",well I was floored!Showed him this video and he says "wow,he never looked down at his guitar!",I still get a chuckle!
@@giannirocco7492 This world if full of wonderful songwriters/pickers/singers that we unfortunately never get to see/hear. It's even possible to miss, like your friend did, one of the truly great ones like Doc. Doc was much more than one of the truly great musicians. He was great in who he was as a kind and humble man.
Yes Old Doc was the master flatpicker but this tune shows he had a pretty good grasp of Travis finger style as well! What a singer he was as well! Had the great fortune to see him live many times and evey one was a great show!
Love it now. Nice memories with this song. Nice to hear it again
So smooth and clean. A very gifted man indeed
Amazing tune, amazing singer, amazing player, amazing blues!
Head banging to this in 2024, goes incredibly hard
My god, what a gem this is, and what an incredible talent he was. And he's playing this wish just his thumb and forefinger. Crazy. And that swing feel is so hard to do and get it right.
Doc was a genius, pure and simple!!!
With all due respect... Pure, I agree... But simple...? My ass...!
this is actually a pretty simple song to play. it sounds like there's a lot going on but, there's really not.
I think you missed the point brother. Lots of guitar players can play this tune but almost no one can play it with the soul Doc puts in it. Listen to Tommy Emmanuel's version for example. It's all flash No substance. It's not all always what you do it's how you do it
+urbanflow101
BS. Git yer box tuned up and let's hear it.
Did he write the songs?
Who better to learn this song from, then Doc!!! 😀
Doc represents some of the truest American music ever recorded..with natural talent and a sweet honest voice. Love it.
A true master of the instrument...R.I.P. Doc
I feel like I've lost a friend. His music and his larger-than-life personality have been a part of my life for over 50 years. I'm grieving, and feel that a major light has been taken away. I remember going to the Fiddler's Convention at Union Grove in 71 0r 72, and he was there. Such a treat to be with him in that kind of setting. He always reminded me of my grandfather, who played guitar, fiddle, and harmonica, and sang those old country blues. It makes me cry.
One word... BRILLIANT!
I have been working on this song for quite awhile, and I still have not mastered it. So beautiful, Doc made it look so easy. Talent like this is so rare, Doc is sorely missed. A true inspiration.
They don't come any better than Doc Watson
saw him many times, with merle too before the tragedy, he was a very very special person
Enter Billy strings😉
They sure as hell don’t.
Agreed, doc always seems like he was such a kind, gentle soul in video clips. Just also happened to be a legit guitar GOD yo😳
Billy strings has received the passed torch! Please check him out! 😍
Absolute genius...I love you Doc
A guitar player that guitar players look up and aspire to. What a smooth, smooth player. On one clip he talks about starting out performing on a Les Paul. Believe it. He said it. Wonderful player, performer, a real American treasure like Pete Seeger. Thanks dealer.
Billy strings brought me here and am so very grateful 🙏 True American roots music
This is too awesome 🔥 A true guitar genius! Greetings from Sweden! 🇸🇪
He is/was SO good. There is something sweet about him but still very masculine.. I love Deep River Blues and associate it with him-for over 50 years now.
Doc is one of the true jewels of Americana. For guitarist, a master to be studied.
Doc is wonderful singer! It is amazing how good he was playing his guitar although he was blind!
RIP Doc!
Larry Davies
Saw Doc once in Berkeley in about "65. He played this then and I've been listening to it and loving it ever since. Thanks Doc. We'll miss you.
I heard him in the '60s and that one concert completely turned my sense of good music on its head. Up til then it was all Beatles, pop and rock. Doc put the solo voice and guitar into music for me, and I felt as if I had just discovered a new world. I never stopped being a huge fan of his and have loved folk and blues acoustic music ever since. His time was up, but I will also grieve a little.
He was great, effortless finger picking. Saw him in concert whenever I could. Thanks for the post. More please.
Wow, this is gold. Gonna have to try to learn this during lockdown.
Update - can't play like him but I'm kinda getting the gist of it... loving it
Dude I had the same idea. I discovered Doc (along with Travis picking) around quarantine and became obsessed. I learned from watching the version from his flatpicking and fingerpicking DVD you can find on youtube. I was able to sort out the notes in a month or two but it really took me about 6 months to really get it down, especially the speed.
Just gotta keep at it and refuse to quit. With enough practice you’ll get it down. The sense of accomplishment is totally worth it.
Now I’m pretty much obsessed with any Travis style songs and this is the most consistent my guitar playing has been. I used to always play off and on but after finding Doc I’m determined to keep playing even if I don’t feel like it. There’s always something else to learn.
One of the greatest guitar tunes that every guitar picker should know. I'm still working on it with mine, but nobody does it like Doc did. :-)
I like this guy. He is one of my favorites.
What a great musician
Doc was the Best ever. He and Merle were so Great. He played this old Delmore Brothers number to Perfection.
If I manage to garner just half of this man’s quality/ability on the guitar then I’ll have really accomplished something special in life.
This man embodied dedication. To be blind and be able to play like this, and also to sing at the same time. It's amazing.
Happy to see the legend of Doc Watson was somewhat honored at the most recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
Doc... was... a monster. No doubt.
This is one of the most amazing musical performances I've ever seen
The Great Doc Watson... inspiration to millions of guitarists. Listen to those fingers pick that thing and the voice....Wow! Met him a number of years ago southbound on an airliner to North Carolina. What a Gentleman. The real thang, Doc Watson.
RIP Doc. His flawless flatpicking has been an inspiration to countless guitarists.
I will always love you mister Watson.
I met Doc at MerleFest a few years before he passed away. He was one humble guitar legend.
Only got to see this legend once at a festival in Concord CA, probably in the 80's (memory fades when you're old). His son Merle was playing with him. At the end of their amazing set they played a medley of Chuck Berry/Little Richard songs that rocked harder than most full on electric rock bands I've seen (and I've seen a lot, starting with Cream and Hendrix in '68). That medley tore me up and I'll never forget it. RIP Doc and Merle. You are missed.
Great performance by the greatest folk singer North Carolina ever produced ... the one, the only! DOC WATSON!
Truly unique artist.....what precision in his guitar work.
I'd give this film 10 stars!
Thank you.
I was lucky to see Doc and Merle play in Sonora CA. At a place called raspberries. I got my courage up and walked backstage and met Doc and Merle. He shared how when as a kid he got stung on the temple by a hornet.I was flabbergasted that he shared with me some of his life. I shook their hands and went and watched the show. A memory I will treasure forever.
a good life lived, a great contribution made. we should all strive to do so well.
This song always reminds me of my grandfather. Rip to the greatest man I've ever known
I was lucky enough to catch the man down at Merlefest this year...really special. I am in no way a religious man, but i did see him do his gospel service sunday morning...I'll be sad when he goes.
I m glad this video is still here I was learning from it how to play with my thumb and fingers like 10 years ago :D. Doc Watson was/is and will remain Legend ! At least to me anyway :D
I saw Doc and Merle at an outdoor bluegrass/music festival in August 1972 near Dahlonega, GA. My first bluegrass concert! Doc and Merle appeared lated and brought the house down with 'Deep River Blues'. The ladies in the audience were going crazy, almost as if Elvis had been sighted!
thank you, wings of pegasus, for showing me the light. lol. I always wrote off country. but seeing his enthusiasm for talent for all genres really opened my ears. :)
Excellent chan, WoP. It makes you watch musicians you normally wouldn't. Made me realize that Miley Cyrus is actually quite talented, for one.
Brilliant.
Doc was a treasure! RIP Doc!
great playing and great sounding guitar
As good a player as Doc Watson is its hard to believe that anyone would dislike this. But you've got to remember that no matter who you are or what you do regardless of how good it may be, someone is not going to like you. The reasons may be hairbrained but no matter what you do, you can't please everyone. So you might as well do your best and then sit back and enjoy life.
Reminds me of fishing on the Cumberland river during late May, early June...
This is an American icon, human greatness. Sadly there's 15 people out there that don't understand greatness.
Deep Gap, North Carolina.
@@MrPennystyle01 Doc Watson was from Deep Gap, and lived his entire life there.
Apart from amazing playing and singing, that guitar sounds beautiful
I love this groove, it never gets boring
I grew up in a musical family, and my grandfather was friends with Doc and Merle, i was around him for a long part of my life and loved to hear him pic and sing, this song, another called Dig a little deeper, and an old Irish folk tune he would do as a duet with his wife and on e with Dolly was That was the last thing on my mind were my favorites.
Genuine talent and heart. God bless this man! Won't ever be another like him.
OMG... that's incredible...
my dad was a folk singer and used to sing this all the time. wonderful song
Beautiful performance. It is inconceivable to me that 13 people clicked "dislike."
there are folks that would dislike a free ticket to heaven