The Guitar Artistry of Doc Watson Vestapol - 2014
This video was released in 2014 and is a compilation of Doc's performances over the years. It is wonderfully organized into sections with introductory comments by Doc from prior interviews. Sections include music in Doc's family, early radio influences, how he developed his flatpicking style, the 60's folk revival, memories of playing with Merle, and many more. This is a terrific DVD for both long-time and new Doc Watson fans to see and hear Doc playing throughout his long career. View Full Details and Availability
Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest - The Stanley Brothers and Doc Watson Shanachie - 2005
This video is of Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest TV show from the 1960's. Doc appears with Clint Howard on guitar and Fred Price on fiddle. This video offers a rare look at Doc's playing from his earlier years. The DVD also contains another Rainbow Quest show featuring the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys. At this time the band included both Carter Stanley and George Shuffler on guitar. Carter Stanley died within a year of filming this show. The second show also features some segments with Cousin Emmy. View Full Details and Availability
Legends of Traditional Fingerstyle Guitar Vestapol Videos - 2003
This video is a collection of filmed and videotaped musical performances by some of America's greatest fingerpicking guitarists. Besides Doc Watson, artists appearing on the video include: Merle Travis, Merle Watson, Elizabeth Cotten, Roscoe Holcomb, Josh White, Sam & Kirk McGee, Mance Lipscomb, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and Rev. Gary Davis. Each of these artists is a master of fingerstyle guitar, whether two- or three-finger picking. View Full Details and Availability
The Three Pickers Rounder - 2003
For one historic evening, American music legends Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs joined forces as The Three Pickers, to film a concert for Public Television. The music they made before a North Carolina audience is as relaxed as a front porch picking session, informed by the skill and good humor of three master musicians who contributed so much to the creation and evolution of bluegrass music. With special guest Alison Krauss. Includes bonus documentary. View Full Details and Availability
Doc Watson and David Grisman In Concert Vestapol Videos - 2002
Doc Watson has known David Grisman since David was a teenager performing in New York City folk clubs in the 1960s. Aside from the pleasures of picking with an old friend, the reward of playing with Grisman is simple: "He knows music," Doc says, "That’s your nutshell answer. He knows what it’s about." Coming from a master musician for whom the gift of music is the only reason worth leaving the sweet comforts of family and home, that is the highest praise. In this unique concert video Doc and David with their friend Jack Lawrence present their unique blend of country, jazz, bluegrass and folk-music. View Full Details and Availability
Legends of Old Time Music Vestapol Videos - 2002
During the folk music revival which spanned the late 1950s to the 1970s, legendary old-time traditional artists were rediscovered, and previously unheard exponents of this tradition were found and brought to perform at folk festivals. It was an exciting epoch which coupled "living legends" like Clarence Ashley and Tommy Jarrell with younger incarnations of the old-time spirit (New Lost City Ramblers, Red Clay Ramblers, etc.) This rare video collection presents some of the finest old-time musicians playing in a variety of styles. Artists appearing include: Clarence Ashley, Roscoe Holcomb, Tommy Jarrell, Doc Watson, Clint Howard, Fred Price, Pete Steele, Sam McGee and Jean Ritchie. View Full Details and Availability
Legends of Country Guitar Vestapol - 1997
This video brings together rare footage of four legendary figures in the story of country guitar. It features Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Mose Rager and Doc Watson. Most of the footage dates from the 1970's and 80s, and was filmed at various performance and private venues. View Full Details and Availability
Doc's Guitar Jam Vestapol Videos - 1996
Recorded at the 1992 Merle Watson Festival in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, this incredible jam session brings together five masters of flatpicking guitar -- Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Dan Crary, Jack Lawrence and Steve Kaufman. Together they harmonize, improvise and burn the strings on a set of fiddle tunes, country classics and hot guitar instrumentals. Two bonus tracks are also included of Doc playing with his friends David Grisman, Mark O'Connor, Tim O'Brien, Roland White, Jerry Douglas, T. Michael Coleman and others. All in all, an amazing 60 minutes of great picking. View Full Details and Availability
Doc Watson: Rare Performances 1963-81 Vestapol Videos - 1995
This collection of rarely seen video performances is from the earlier part of Doc's career. The video illustrates the power and range of Doc's talents and the evolution of his performance style. His music ranges from flatpicking guitar instrumentals, a harmonica solo, a cappella gospel singing, frailing banjo to fingerstyle guitar and warm vocals. The tapestry of sounds Doc wove during his first two decades performing outside North Carolina unfolds in these enduringly and inspiring performances. View Full Details and Availability
Doc Watson: Rare Performances 1982-93 Vestapol Videos - 1995
By the time of this video's opening performance, Doc Watson had already been performing for urban audiences for more than 20 years. Doc's accompanists as well as his songs presented here are an eclectic group ranging from his 1950s musical partner, pianist Jack Williams, to his son Merle (seen playing exquisite slide guitar), to Ricky Skaggs (singing and playing mandolin in a Monroe Brothers style set) to a stellar stringband featuring Mark O'Connor, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, David Grisman and Jerry Douglas. This collection ends with a solo set from Doc which brings his music full circle. View Full Details and Availability
Doc and Merle Watson In Concert Vestapol Videos - 1992
Doc is joined by his son Merle on guitar and banjo and T. Michael Coleman on bass in this concert recorded in 1980. Their performance is a showcase of native folk traditions and a display of distinctive stylistic inventions. Doc and Merle Watson's repertoire encompasses country ballads, bluegrass, gospel, jazz standards, contemporary songs and blues. A visit with Doc and Merle at home in Deep Gap, North Carolina and in concert in Rock Hill, South Carolina is also included. View Full Details and Availability
Legends of Flatpicking Guitar Vestapol Videos - 1986
In this 90 minute video Doc Watson appears in a half dozen performances, ably supported by the late Merle Watson in one segment and by Jack Lawrence in the others. Norman Blake & the Rising Fawn String Ensemble play both Celtic roots and country branches with equal conviction, while Dan Crary, the eclectic Californian of this crowd, makes even the 'squarest' tune (Turkey in the Straw) an adventurous new experience. Tony Rice appears in a variety of settings, ranging from an evocation of the old-time country 'brother duo' (Ricky Skaggs plays mandolin and sings high harmony) to a kicking contemporary bluegrass ensemble (Tony Rice Unit) to a cooking all-star jam on the 'new acoustic' fringe (jamming with Tony are Sam Bush, mandolin, Mark O'Connor, fiddle, Bela Fleck, banjo, and Jerry Douglas, dobro). View Full Details and Availability
Doc and Merle - An Intimate Documentary Vestapol Videos - 1980
This documentary is a rich mixture of music, informal interviews, old photographs and rare film footage. The wide range of musical influences the Watsons' embraced is clearly shown through concert footage and less formal at-home picking sessions. Doc & Merle reaches deep into the relationship between Doc and Merle Watson. It gives an historical overview of their evolution as musicians and explores the special bond between them and the North Carolina mountains they call home. During their 21-year career, the Watsons' mastery of guitar and their unique blend of traditional, bluegrass, country and western, blues and gospel music won them an international audience. Originally produced as a 60 minute VHS tape, this video was re-released in 2013 as an 85 minute DVD. The expanded material includes bonus material from the TV show Homewood filmed in 1970. View Full Details and Availability
If you've been inspired by listening to Doc Watson, but haven't seen him play, you owe it to yourself to watch one of the many videos on this page.
This page lists videos of Doc performing in concert, on television shows, in concert and in documentary films.
Detailed information about the songs in each video can be viewed by clicking on the title link provided.
Looking for instructional videos? see our instruction videos page.