Doc Watson: A Life in Music

Writer and photographer Huffman (John Prine: In Spite of Himself) presents a vivid portrait of the North Carolina musician Doc Watson (1923–2012), a straightforward, affectionate traversal of the life and creative expressions of a talented guitarist, banjoist, and vocalist. Huffman adopts a strict chronological framework, extending from the onset of blindness when Watson was just an infant, through the challenges of living through the Great Depression with a large family in the mountainous South, and the triumphs and tragedies with his son Merle as artistic partner. He continues through Watson’s acclaimed touring and recording, including appearances at the White House and Carnegie Hall and multiple Grammy Awards. Period photographs and source notes referencing print, audio, video, and online documents supplement the narrative. Although a few books about Watson were published over a dozen years ago, Huffman’s sourcing for this volume—including interviews with Watson himself and access to family members, musician colleagues, and industry folks—proves invaluable.