Doc Watson and related artists

When Doc Watson was growing up blind in Deep Gap, North Carolina it probably seemed unlikely that he would grow up to become a legendary bluegrass figure, winning multiple Grammies and a National Medal of the Arts. But that's been the fate for the pr...more

When Doc Watson was growing up blind in Deep Gap, North Carolina it probably seemed unlikely that he would grow up to become a legendary bluegrass figure, winning multiple Grammies and a National Medal of the Arts. But that's been the fate for the prolific virtuosity of Doc Watson. Born in 1923 and losing his eyesight before his first birthday, Doc was given a harmonica every Christmas growing up and received a homemade fretless bango at age 10 from his father. At 13, Doc began playing guitar. A finger-picking genius he was destined to be, and from then on, he was hot on the bluegrass circuit, playing on radio programs and publicly around North Carolina and beyond. In 1964, Doc and his son Merle began playing together, and they survived the fallout of the folk boom, retaining their loyal fan base. When Merle died in a tragic farm accident in 1985, Doc stopped performing for a while but made a comeback alongside two old friends and collaborators. Past his 80th birthday, Doc continues to perform and record, and he hosts the annual MerleFest, one of the most popular acoustic festivals in the world....less