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"Fans of roots/folk music legend 'Doc'
Watson, as well as aficionados of the American
musical genre, will find much to cheer about in
this oral documentary of Watson's life.
...The easy, warm interplay between these two
artists will have listeners feeling like they're
enjoying a front porch visit with the duo. As
a bonus, the accompanying 72-page booklet includes
quotes from family, friends, peers and admirers."
June 3, 2002
Fans of roots/folk music legend Arthel "Doc" Watson,
as well as aficionados of the American musical
genre, will find much to cheer about in this oral
documentary of Watson's life. Musician and storyteller
Holt serves as interviewer, encouraging the 79
year-old Watson to relate the experiences and
influences that helped shape his eventually successful
career singing and playing guitar, banjo and harmonica.
Throughout, Watson intersperses his anecdotes
with songs and pieces of music that have special
meaning (Doc, how did the guitar come into your
life?" and "How did you go about learning the
chords?" are typical prompting questions from
Holt).
Watson's humble beginnings-growing up as a bright
blind boy in a family of nine children in rural
North Carolina - comprise the first CD. With humor
and fondness, he recalls learning to play a cat-skin
banjo made by his father and how his younger brother
first showed him how to hold his guitar pick.
On the second disc, listeners learn such tidbits
as how Watson got his nickname, how he met his
wife and his personal connection to the real-life
Tom in the famous folk tune" The Legend of Tom
Dooley." In addition, Watson chronicles his rise
from playing his guitar in front of a barbershop
in Boone, NC., in the early 1950s to winning his
first Grammy Award in 1973.
Disc three holds 18 live concert tracks by Watson
and Holt recorded in Asheville, NC. The easy,
warm interplay between these two artists will
have listeners feeling like they're enjoying a
front porch visit with the duo.
As a bonus, the accompanying 72-page booklet includes
quotes from family, friends, peers and admirers.
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