Doc and Merle Watson's Guitar Album | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1983 | |||
Recorded | December 1982, Scruggs Sound Studio, Nashville, TN | |||
Genre | Folk, country blues | |||
Length | 32:41 | |||
Label | Flying Fish | |||
Producer | Mitch Greenhill | |||
Doc Watson chronology | ||||
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Doc and Merle Watson's Guitar Album is the title of a recording by American folk music artist Doc Watson and Merle Watson, first released in 1983.
The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe's 3.9 million square miles. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the largest city by population is New York City. Forty-eight states and the capital's federal district are contiguous in North America between Canada and Mexico. The State of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west. The State of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, stretching across nine official time zones. The extremely diverse geography, climate, and wildlife of the United States make it one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries.
Folk music includes traditional folk music and the genre that evolved from it during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted orally, music with unknown composers, or music performed by custom over a long period of time. It has been contrasted with commercial and classical styles. The term originated in the 19th century, but folk music extends beyond that.
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's fingerstyle guitar and flatpicking skills, as well as his knowledge of traditional American music, were highly regarded. He performed with his son, guitarist Merle Watson, for over 15 years until Merle's death in 1985 in an accident on the family farm.
It has been released on CD by Vanguard Records and Flying Fish Records.
Vanguard Records is an American record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York City. It was a primarily classical label throughout its heyday in the 50s and 60s, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal jazz, folk, and blues musicians. The Bach Guild was a subsidiary label.
Flying Fish Records was a record label founded in Chicago in 1974 that specialized in folk, blues, and country music. In the 1990s the label was sold to Rounder Records.
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The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that usually has six strings. It is typically played with both hands by strumming or plucking the strings with either a guitar pick or the finger(s)/fingernails of one hand, while simultaneously fretting with the fingers of the other hand. The sound of the vibrating strings is projected either acoustically, by means of the hollow chamber of the guitar, or through an electrical amplifier and a speaker.
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, rock. There are many types of harmonica, including diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, octave, orchestral, and bass versions. A harmonica is played by using the mouth to direct air into or out of one or more holes along a mouthpiece. Behind each hole is a chamber containing at least one reed. A harmonica reed is a flat elongated spring typically made of brass, stainless steel, or bronze, which is secured at one end over a slot that serves as an airway. When the free end is made to vibrate by the player's air, it alternately blocks and unblocks the airway to produce sound.
Slide guitar is a particular technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues-style music. The technique involves placing an object against the strings while playing to create glissando effects and deep vibratos. It typically involves playing the guitar in the traditional position with the use of a tubular "slide" fitted on one of the guitarist's fingers. The slide may be a metal or glass tube like the neck of a bottle. The term "bottleneck" was historically used to describe this type of playing. The strings are typically plucked while the slide is moved over the strings to change the pitch. The guitar may also be placed on the player's lap and played with a hand-held bar and is then referred to as "lap slide guitar" or "lap steel guitar".
Production notes
Reflections is the title of a recording by American guitarists Chet Atkins and Doc Watson. The two musical legends team up on ten songs.
Doc Watson is the self-titled debut album by Doc Watson, released by Vanguard Records in 1964. The musical supervision was credited to Ralph Rinzler.
The Elementary Doctor Watson! is the title of a studio album by the American country music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1972.
Doc Watson & Son is the self-titled début album by Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1965.
Southbound is the second studio album by American folk music artist Doc Watson, released in 1966.
Memories is the title of a studio album by American country music artist Doc Watson, released in 1975. It was originally released as a double-LP by United Artists Records. It peaked at No. 47 on Billboard Country Albums charts and No. 193 on the Pop Album charts.
Lonesome Road is the title of a recording by Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1977.
Live and Pickin' is the title of a recording by Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1979.
Red Rocking Chair is an album by Doc and Merle Watson, released in 1981 on the Flying Fish label.
Down South is the title of a recording by American folk music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1984.
Pickin' the Blues is the title of a recording by American folk music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1985. In 2006, it was re-issued on a limited edition, 180 gram all-analog virgin vinyl record from Analogue Productions.
Remembering Merle is the title of a recording by American folk music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1992. The songs were all recorded live between 1970 and 1976.
The Best of Doc Watson: 1964–1968 is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artist Doc Watson, released in 1999. It contains tracks from Watson's early years on the Vanguard label plus four previously unreleased tracks.
The Vanguard Years is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artist Doc Watson, released in 1995.
'Round the Table Again is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artist Doc Watson and Frosty Morn, released in 2002. The group, Frosty Morn, was formed by Watson's son Merle shortly before his death in 1985.
Watson Country is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1996.
The Essential Doc Watson is the title of a recording by Doc Watson, released in 1973. It was originally released as a double-LP.
Trouble in Mind: The Doc Watson Country Blues Collection is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artist Doc Watson, released in 2003. It contains recordings by Watson in the country blues style.
Black Mountain Rag is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 2006. It contains songs taken from albums that Doc and Merle recorded on the Flying Fish label in the 1980s.
Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 2004. It contains songs taken from albums that Doc and Merle recorded on the Flying Fish label in the 1980s. It contains all the songs from Pickin' the Blues, three from Doc and Merle Watson's Guitar Album, three from Red Rocking Chair and a live version of "Deep River Blues".