The Resume

(March 3, 1923-May 29, 2012)
Born in Deep Gap, North Carolina
Birth name was Arthel Lane Watson
Folk, bluegrass and country singer, songwriter and musician
Played guitar, banjo and harmonica
Known for his flatpicking style of playing guitar
Recorded the albums 'Doc Watson' (1964), 'Doc Watson and Son' (1965), 'Home Again!' (1966), 'Ballads from Deep Gap' (1967), 'The Elementary Doctor Watson' (1972), 'Then and Now' (1973), 'Memories' (1975), 'Doc and the Boys' (1976), 'Live and Pickin' (1979), 'Pickin the Blues' (1985), 'Songs for Little Pickers' (1990), 'Docabilly' (1995), 'Third Generation Blues' (1999) and 'The Three Pickers' (with Earl Scruggs and Ricky Skaggs, 2003)

Why he might be annoying:

The family cat was euthanized so its skin could be used to make the head of his first banjo.
He was given the nickname 'Doc' during a radio show after the announcer said 'Arthel' was too odd a name.
Until his recording career took off, he had to supplement his income by tuning pianos.
He was playing in a rockabilly band when the folk revival took off and had to borrow an acoustic guitar for his first folk music recording.

Why he might not be annoying:

He went blind in infancy due to an eye infection.
He said one of the proudest moments of his life was when he informed North Carolina's Services for the Blind that he no longer needed financial assistance.
He was married to Rosa Lee Carlton for 65 years until his death.
North Carolina's 'News and Observer' wrote, 'Watson plays guitar like Joe DiMaggio played baseball -- better than almost anyone ever has, but without calling undue attention to himself.'
His son and frequent musical collaborator, Merle, died in a farming accident (1985).
Bill Clinton, presenting him with the National Medal of the Arts (1997), said, 'There may not be a serious, committed baby boomer alive who didn't at some point in his or her life spend a few minutes at least trying to learn to pick a guitar like Doc Watson.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Banjo Strummers
• Blind Musicians
• Bluegrass Musicians
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 42]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [March] (Ranked: 3031923)
• Country Music Stars
• Folk Singers
• Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album (Ranked: 1974)
• Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album (Ranked: 1975)
• Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album (Ranked: 1987)
• Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album (Ranked: 1991)
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (Ranked: 2004)
• Harmonica Players
• I Covered a Bob Dylan Song
• I Covered 'Frankie and Johnny'
• I Covered 'Stagger Lee'
• I Did Not Graduate High School [T-Z]
• I Died in 2012 (Ranked: 89)
• I Outlived My Child
• I Performed with the Chieftains
• I Recorded 'Summertime'
• Look at Me, I'm Playing Cards
• Look at Me, I'm Wearing a Cowboy Hat
• Look at My Album Cover
• My Nickname is Part of My Name [M-Z]
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2006)
• Profiles 32751-33000 (Ranked: 32978)
• Visually Impaired
• We Celebrated Our Golden Anniversary

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 62 Votes: 45.16% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 49 Votes: 44.90% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 48 Votes: 47.92% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 200 Votes: 51.00% Annoying