Let’s all vote for N.C. to celebrate ‘Doc Watson Day’

Born 100 years ago in 1923, the late Doc Watson became one of North Carolina’s music industry trailblazers. 

Now, a century later, a quartet of state legislators from the mountain region introduced H.B. 480 in the North Carolina General Assembly to honor Doc Watson by celebrating his March 3 birthday as “Doc Watson Day”…every year going forward.

 

Kudos to lawmakers Ray Pickett of Blowing Rock, Caleb Rudow of Asheville, Jerry Elmore of North Wilkesboro and Hugh Blackwell of Valdese for introducing this important piece of bipartisan legislation in the state House of Representatives. 

Doc Watson was born in 1923 in Watauga County’s Stony Fork community near Deep Gap. His given name was Arthel Lane Watson. His parents, General Dixon Watson and Nancy Annie Greene Watson, operated a family farm and were musically inclined. He directed the local church choir; she was a talented gospel vocalist. 

Arthel suffered a rare eye infection as an infant that caused him to go blind. He would later say: “I’d think learning to play the guitar would be very confusing for sighted people.” 

He got the nickname Doc early in his career. During a live radio show performance, the announcer suggested that “this musician named Arthel needs a nickname.” 

Someone in the audience shouted” “Call him Doc!” – as in Doctor Watson, the sidekick of detective Sherlock Holmes of Scotland Yard (fictional characters created in 1887 by British author Arthur Conan Doyle). 

Obviously, the name stuck with Doc Watson for his entire life. (He died in 2012, at age 89.)

 

This photo of a younger Doc Watson appeared in Our State magazine.

H.B. 480 applauds Doc Watson as “a guitarist, banjoist, singer and songwriter of bluegrass, country, folk, roots and gospel music, renowned for his fingerpicking and flatpicking skills.” 

“Doc Watson’s musical career spanned more than half a century and is most positively identified with his promoting and preserving Appalachian and old-time folk music.” 

Doc Watson won seven Grammy Awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. 

David Holt of Gatesville, Texas, who accompanied Doc Watson on stage from 1998-2012, commented: “If I had to choose one mentor who I have learned the most from it would be Doc Watson. I consider him my ‘musical father.’”

 

David Holt with Doc Watson

“Doc Watson was an American folk legend who left an amazing legacy of music and stories. Hailed as one the country’s greatest folk musicians, Doc carved an indelible mark into American music and culture,” Holt said. 

“To be recognized as a national treasure by President Jimmy Carter, honored with the National Medal of the Arts by President Bill Clinton and given an honorary doctorate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill” attests to him being a fine musician and entertainer,” he said. 

“Doc Watson received these accolades not only for his talent but for the honor, integrity, humility, grace and dignity that he displayed throughout his long and distinguished career. While there are many, many great guitar players and singers; there was only one Doc Watson,” Holt concluded. 

Doc Watson married Rosa Lee Carlton of Deep Gap in 1947. Her father, Gaither Wiley Carlton, was a big-time fiddle player. He and Doc hit it off, and they often performed together.

 

Doc and Rosa Lee had two children. Daughter Nancy Ellen was named “within the family,” but son Eddy Merle Watson was named after music industry titans who Doc admired most – Eddy Arnold and Merle Travis. 

The boy went by Merle Watson. He was the heir apparent who died too young. As a tribute, Doc and Rosa Lee created MerleFest. We need to go there.