Doc Watson

Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (born 1923 in Deep Gap, North Carolina; died 2012 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina) was a virtuoso acoustic guitarist and singer who fundamentally reshaped American folk and country music. Blind from an early age, Watson absorbed a vast repertoire of Appalachian fiddle tunes, gospel hymns, and country blues from his family and early field recordings. He famously translated rapid-fire fiddle melodies to the acoustic guitar, pioneering a clean, blindingly fast flatpicking technique that became the gold standard for bluegrass guitarists. Watson was thrust into the national spotlight during the early 1960s folk revival, frequently recording for Vanguard Records.