The Watson family of Watauga County includes some of the state's most extraordinary traditional artists. Among them are string band musicians, singers, song leaders, songwriters, dancers, quilters, woodcarvers, and storytellers. They have brought national and international attention to North Carolina's culture.

Arthel L. "Doc" Watson born in the Deep Gap section of Watauga County near Boone, NC on March 23, 1923. Through numerous sound recordings and public performances, he has become one of North Carolina's best-known musicians. Blind from infancy, Doc learned his first tunes on a harmonica by the time he was six years old. His father made Doc a little wooden banjo when he was ten. After Doc learned to play "When The Roses Bloom In Dixie Land", a Carter family song, on a borrowed guitar, his father bought him a $12 Stella guitar when he was thirteen.

Doc was discovered purely by accident during the 60's folk revival by folklorist Ralph Rinzler. Rinzler came to the Blue Ridge Mountains to look for Clarence "Tom" Ashley. Doc was playing electric guitar in a Rock-a-billy band. Ralph and Doc were riding in the back of a truck on the way to find Tom. Doc picked up the banjo Ralph had been playing and Ralph made the discovery of the century. Doc not only played banjo and guitar, but had an unbelievable singing voice. In 1961 Rinzler convinced Doc to play acoustic, rather than electric guitar and to follow him Tom, Clint Howard and Fred Price to New York City for a Friends of Old Time Music concert. The next year Doc performed solo at Gerdes Folk City in Greenwich Village.

Doc is still enjoying one of the most distinguished careers ever experienced by a traditional folk artist. He's earned five Grammy awards and the National Medal of Arts.

Although Doc stopped performing for a period of time in 1985 when his son Merle was killed in a tractor accident, he still does a limited amount of touring and hosts the Merle Watson Memorial Festival in Wilkesboro, N.C. each year on the last weekend of April.

Media by Doc Watson:

Ballads from Deep Gap

Doc & Merle

The Doc Watson Family

The Doc Watson Instrumental Collection

Rare Performances..1963-1981

Rare Performances..1982-1993