Welcome to Doc's Guitar, a site dedicated to the guitar and music of Doc Watson. A master at both flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar, Doc's skills are legendary.

Doc Watson has had a profound influence in traditional, folk and bluegrass music ever since coming to national attention in the early 1960's. His recordings and performances have inspired generations of aspiring guitarists to explore the mysteries of his phenomenal playing.

Here at Doc's Guitar you will find biographical information about Doc, along with a listing of the honors and awards he has received. We also feature a complete discography of Doc's recordings, as well as a bibliography of instruction materials and performance videos.

We also have a search engine that allows you to look up a tune and see a list of Doc's recordings, instruction books and videos where it appears. If you're interested in free tablature of tunes performed by Doc Watson, be sure to visit our tab page.

So sit a spell, have a look around and enjoy yourself!

Doc's Health
On July 2nd Doc underwent minimally invasive surgery to remove a small cancerous growth in his right lung. Doc looks forward to resuming his concert career, following a recovery period that is anticipated to last for several weeks. Get well soon, Doc!

New Tab
We've just published a tab of "Twinkle Twinkle" on our tab page. This old time Texas style fiddle tune was only recorded by Doc once, on Doc & Merle Watson's Guitar Album. It also appears on the newly released Black Mountain Rag album mentioned below. We hope you enjoy it!

New Retrospective Album: Black Mountain Rag
This new album is a retrospective from Doc's Flying Fish Records period in the early 1980's. It features 19 of the best examples of Doc and Merle's work from that period. There's also a bonus track - "Blackberry Blosssom" - from the Norman Blake and Tony Rice album Blake and Rice 2.

Doc and Bryan Sutton Receive Grammy Award
Congratulations go to Doc and Bryan Sutton for winning a Grammy at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. They won Best Country Instrumental Performance for "Whiskey Before Breakfast" on Bryan's album Not Too Far From the Tree. This is Doc's seventh Grammy. To see a complete list of his awards click on the link above.

Lawson Family Murder Book
One of the songs that Doc sings on the Ballads from Deep Gap album is called "The Lawson Family Murder" and is based on a true event that happened in 1929. For many years, much information about these murders and the motive behind it was hidden, but a recently released book entitled The Meaning of Our Tears by Trudy Smith finally reveals the truth. Both music lovers and history buffs alike will find this book a fascinating look at rural North Carolina in the early 20th century. Visit the the book's web site for more information.

Doc's Performance Schedule
Get the latest information on where Doc is performing. The link above is to the web site of Folkways Productions, Doc's agents.

Booking Inquiries
If you would like to inquire about booking Doc, please contact Folklore Productions. Follow the link above for more information.

Merlefest
Started in 1988 to remember Merle, Merlefest has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the country.

MORE LINKS
Visit our Links Page for more links related to Doc.