Black Mountain Rag

Doc Watson (Artist), Merle Watson (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder / Umgd
• ASIN: B000H5VF2A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,169 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #77 in Music > World Music > North America > Appalachian

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Bluegrass
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 19-SEP-2006

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doc Watson Is a Musical Treasure, October 30, 2006

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Black Mountain Rag (Audio CD)

This is the companion album to 2004's SITTIN' HERE PICKIN' THE BLUES. That album expanded 1985's PICKIN' THE BLUES by adding a handful of tracks from RED ROCKING CHAIR (1981) and DOC AND MERLE WATSON'S GUITAR ALBUM (1983). All three of those albums were from Doc's association with the Flying Fish Label.

Now, two years later, Rounder puts out BLACK MOUNTAIN RAG, which includes the remaining eight tracks from RED ROCKING CHAIR and the remaining 9 tracks from GUITAR ALBUM. In addition, there are two tracks ("Leaving London" and "Bye Bye Bluebelle/Smiles") from the 1996 compilation WATSON COUNTRY, as well as "Blackberry Blossom" from 1990's NORMAN BLAKE & TONY RICE 2.

Quite simply, Doc Watson is one of the best flat-pick guitarists--period. And his son Merle (who tragically died in 1985) is an equally talented guitarist, especially his slide guitar playing. I was first introduced to Doc Watson on the Dirt Band's WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN and have been a fan ever since. Doc is incapable of putting out a bad album, and his albums for the Flying Fish label in the early Eighties are all excellent. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent cd overall, October 18, 2006

By 

MusicoParticular "-il musico" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Mountain Rag (Audio CD)

"Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette. Puff, puff, puff, but if you smoke yourself to death tell St. Peter at the golden gate that you hates to make him wait, but you just gotta have another cigarette."
-<u>Smoke, Smoke, Smoke</u>, Track 2

Just recently got this album, and am only just beginning to appreciate it. The guitars are all very crisp, and the other instruments compliment the simple old-time and bluegrass tunes nicely. An extremely wide variety of tunes, all of which are masterfully played by the contributing musicians. Particular tracks to look for are "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke", "Below Freezing", and "Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar", the last of which has a particularly interesting chord progression, making interesting use of a diminished chord to make for a curious but well-chosen closer. Black Mountain Rag deserves my stars for having strong performances all around and moreover, for being a well-mixed final product.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Doc & Merle Watson, March 8, 2007

By 

Ronald G. Jordan "blue-72" (Sugar Grove OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Mountain Rag (Audio CD)

This repackaging of classic cuts just before Merle's death has excellent sound quality, with Doc at his musical peak. Mark O'Connor fiddle backup is awesome. Some of the most important Doc songs, a great example of an American legend.