Doc Watson Has Died. RIP
1923 Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson born in Stoney Fork Township, near Deep Gap, North Carolina, on March 3, 1923
1947 Doc marries Rosa Lee Carlton
1949 Son Eddy Merle Watson born (Named after Eddy Arnold and Merle Travis)
1951 Daughter Nancy Ellen Watson born
1953 Doc gets a job playing electric lead guitar in Jack Williams’ country and western swing band
1960 Doc is “discovered” when Ralph Rinzler meets him while in North Carolina to record Clarence “Tom” Ashley
1961 Doc, Gaither Carlton, Tom Ashley, Fred Price, and Clint Howard travel to New York to perform a concert sponsored by Friends of Old Time Music
1962 Doc’s first solo appearance, at Gerde’s Folk City
1964 Merle starts learning the guitar; in June he plays backup guitar for Doc at the Berkeley Folk Festival
1973 Doc receives his first Grammy award. This is followed by five more Grammys over the years
1985 Merle Watson dies tragically in a tractor accident on the night of October 23rd
1988 Doc is awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts
1988 The first Merlefest is held in remembrance of Merle Watson
1997 Doc receives the the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton
2004 Doc is awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences at their 2004 Grammy Awards show