Customer Reviews

Doc Watson

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I think every guitarist I knew bought this record - including me. Watson had been on several other records by this time including the legendary "Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley's" where he got his start, but had never sat down alone with a mic and a guitar before. This record turned him into a folk superstar.
The first time I saw Watson at Club 47 the room was crowded. That was before this record was released. The next time he played Cambridge they had to clear the place between sets as half the guitarists in the greater Boston area were lined up on Mount Auburn Street.
He has recorded a lot of albums since but the straightforward simplicity and his superbe musicianship has made this one an essential part of my collection for more than 40 years now. I don't think you can find a better Watson record. I own a lot of them and I haven't.

One Saturday Afternoon in 1964, I looked at the record bins in EJ Korvette's store in Hartford, CT and found this back when it was a new record. This is Doc Watson's first solo Album.

He had been recorded by folkways since 1961. This was all on folklore oriented recordings of Doc Watson with Clarence Ashley and various pickers from their home area on the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina, in the great Old Time Music at Clarence Ashleys which is now out in a nice two-CD set with more stuff on it than the original records. Then there was a great recording by folkways called The Watson Family, recording Doc, his wife Rosalee, his father in law the great old time fiddler Gaither Carlton, his brother and his mother and other relatives, but with Doc on most recordings. That recording is also one for everyone (Don't confuse it with the nice, but not nearly as good Vanguard CD of The Watson family at Newport).

This is Doc Watson's first album on his own. It also represents a decision he made to go out as a solo act, and not to continue performing as part of the Watson Ashley band or to join the New Lost City Ramblers in which he had been offered the spot of replacing Tom Paley.

This is a clear folk album. Of course, it has the great Black Mountain Rag which is a guitar masterpiece. It also has his Chet Atkins influenced Doc's Guitar. But the heart and sould of this recording is the old time songs. I was really taken by his harmonic solo Momma Blues and his banjo version of Doc Bogg's Country Blues. Then there was I'm Born about 6000 years ago, an old novelty pop song from the turn of the century that my grandfather used to sing in Hartford Connecticut.

There is sincerity, fun, and a real mastery of both voice and instrument. A nice album. Since all the various Vanguard collections only have selections, you really need this first CD if you want all the Doc Watson, or if you are me, just trying to keep bring what you discovered that afternoon in 1964

Note: This review is for the album advertised here and not the 4-CD set with the same cover.

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, has made me want to smash my guitars against a pole more than listening to Doc Watson. Simply the best flatpicker there is; the inspiration and the frustration of thousands.

Here's his first album and while it has its moments where you can take it or leave it, the talent that Ralph Rinzler saw is quite evident.

Check out "Doc's Guitar," as played by the guy who made it up. Yowza. Nice singing voice, too. I've owned this album nearly 25 years and it's still one of my favorites.

This album is a great introduction to Doc Watson, and has some of his most catchy songs. These are many of the songs he still plays live today, which can bring a tear to the eye when heard live.

I've loved this album since I first became familiar with it thirty years ago. I wish someone, say Cisco Records, which has released several of Doc's albums on audiophile quality vinyl, would issue a quality LP. I searched for years before I found an original vinyl pressing of this album. On a decent sound system, a forty three year old vinyl LP blows the CD away. This is such an amazing album; I just hope everyone can get a chance to hear it as I have, rich, wonderful analog!

A legend? Of course, Doc is a legend. I've been listening to him since this came out, and treasure the time I got to see both Doc and Merle.

He is simply the best guitarist in a lifetime, a warm and wonderful singer, and seems a sincerely likable and nice man.

There aren't words than can describe the magic in his guitar and his playing. Surely, the Almighty is involved somehow, or it wouldn't be so fantastic.

No matter my mood, my day, or the time ... I can put this album or any of the 50+ others on and my spirit is lifted, my soul fed.

Start with this one. It's where it all began.

This man is a legend and lets face it some day he will not be with us. get to know his music.