Doc Watson: A Life in Music

by Eddie Huffman

Arthel "Doc" Watson (1923–2012) is arguably one of the most influential musicians Appalachia has ever produced. A musician's musician, Doc grew up on a subsistence farm in the North Carolina mountains during the Depression, soaking up traditional music and learning to play guitar even though he was blind. Rising to fame in the 1960s as part of the burgeoning folk revival scene, Doc became the face of traditional music for many listeners, racking up multiple Grammys and releasing dozens of albums over the course of his long career. Eddie Huffman tells the story of Doc's life and legacy, drawing on extensive interviews and hundreds of hours of archival research. In making the most comprehensive biography of Watson ever, Huffman gives us an affecting and informative portrait of the man they called Doc.Full of fascinating stories—from Doc's first banjo made from his grandmother's cat to the founding of MerleFest—this promises to be the definitive biography of the man and how he came to be synonymous with roots music in America and shows how his influence is still felt in music today.

Genres: Music, Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

Published January 28, 2025

Reviews

[Cory Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great deep dive into the life of one of America’s best musicians. Well written and very informative. A must read for any fan of traditional music.

[Susan King · Rating 2 out of 5]

The information in this book was great. I had a hard time reading it, it jumped all over the place and I would have to go back a paragraph or two to figure out who the author was talking about or quoting. I feel like I sloughed through it.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a Doc Watson fan (and even attended my first MerleFest last year) so was curious to read this book selected by the North Carolina Humanities’ North Carolina Reads program. This certainly is a very comprehensive treatise on Watson’s musical career trajectory, almost down to detailing every venue he played! I admire the exhaustive research Huffman did for this biography. While it was interesting to learn the different ways individuals in Watson’s family figured into and influenced his life, each chapter is a string of artists’, producers’, and promoter names that gets a little weary to keep track of. I found Huffman’s writing to be a little childish at opening with the constant references to superheroes which seemed a non-sequitur. Additionally, there were some grammatical errors that should have been caught by the editor. The book could also have benefited from an appendix list of Watson’s albums. This is a deep dive into Watson’s life and worth a read if you’re a strong fan, but I can’t recommend this book for the cursory listener of Watson’s music where you’ll get what you need from the album notes.

[Mike Balsom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exhaustive and detailed account of the life of the legendary guitar and banjo picker who was responsible for bringing Appalachian mountain music into fashion in the 1960s and beyond. His early life in Deep Gap is described in great detail as is his travels with his son Merle and then his grandson Richard bringing old-time folk and country songs to audiences into the 2010s. This is a must read for anyone who loves to listen to country, folk or what is called Americana music. Thank you to the University of North Carolina Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a preview copy of this excellent definitive biography of this genius musician.

[Lori Baucom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summary of Doc's life and music. I wish I could go back in time and attend a Merlefest and see/hear Doc and Merle along with the others. I started ASU in 1987 but was always "too cool" to listen to old-timey stuff. That was my grandparents' music. I grew up right down the road. The author touched on local young people not appreciating this type of music. He was right. We didn't want to be looked down on or called hillbilly. As I have gotten older, I realize that I missed out on a lot of great things because of my pride.

[Brandon Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any fan of Doc Watson!

I really enjoyed this book! I read Blind But Now I see (which is also referenced in this book), but I feel like this one gave a little more in-depth look at Doc’s life. Again, if you love Doc’s music, you’ll most likely love reading this! I was not disappointed!

[Dana Kraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little too comprehensive for me. I could listen to Doc Watson interviews all day long but I just stick with the long list of shows and who played with Doc when and where. I’d rather listen to his music.

[Ike Lajoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book on the legendary Doc Watson.....a must read for fans of music.....but so damn sad at the end.....What a good, good, man Doc Watson was!

[Alex Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting look into the great musician's life and how he was able to overcome many hardships with love and being present in the moment.

[Rhonda Fonicello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too repetitive and and type setting made it difficult to read.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical background especially the changing of theSouth during Watson's lifetime.