The music of North Carolinian Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson is as influential now more than a decade after his 2012 death as at any time during his long career. During that time he was arguably America’s most beloved folk musician. Today, Watson is viewed by artists and fans as one of the greatest guitarists of American roots music.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 1993 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine and was excerpted for the the September/October 2020 issue | By Stephanie P. Ledgin For more than three decades, Arthel “Doc” Watson has been America’s most renowned and influential folk guitar stylist. Now about to turn 70, he’s mostly retired, staying off the road except for a…
Doc Watson’s popularity and influence came from his virtuosic guitar playing, powerful voice, broad musical taste, folksy storytelling and lack of pretense.