Watson Country Explained

Watson Country
Type:	compilation album
Artist:	Doc Watson, Merle Watson
Cover:	WatsonCountry.jpg
Released:	June 1996
Recorded:	Dec 1980 – Nov 1984
Genre:	Folk, blues
Length:	48:13
Label:	Flying Fish
Producer:	Mitch Greenhill, Merle Watson
Chronology:	Doc Watson
Prev Title:	The Vanguard Years
Prev Year:	1995
Next Title:	Doc & Dawg
Next Year:	1997

Watson Country is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1996.

This collection is taken from the albums Watson recorded for Flying Fish between 1980-1984. It contains two previously unreleased tracks: "Bye Bye Bluebelle/Smiles" and "Leaving London".

Reception

Writing for Allmusic, music critic Rick Anderson wrote of the album "It has the smooth Nashville production characteristic of his albums of the time, but that's not really a flaw — even if it takes some of the leather out of his playing, having a full backing band extends his appeal beyond the hillbilly curtain, and to many ears, that's a good thing... Doc recorded many albums in this style, but for newcomers this is a nice sampler of his middle years."

Track listing

1. "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke" (Merle Travis, Tex Williams) – 2:49
2. "Along the Road" (Dan Fogelberg) – 2:53
3. "Sheeps in the Meadow/Stoney Fork" (Traditional) – 2:56
4. "Blue Ridge Mountain Blues" (Traditional) – 2:55
5. "California Blues" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 3:22
6. "Down Yonder" (Traditional) – 2:24
7. "Any Old Time" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 2:29
8. "Bye Bye Bluebelle/Smiles" (Travis) – 2:15
9. "Leaving London" (Tom Paxton) – 2:32
10. "Red Rocking Chair" (Traditional, Watson) – 2:06
11. "Black Pine Waltz" (Traditional) – 2:35
12. "Freight Train Blues" (Traditional) – 2:48
13. "Hobo Bill's Last Ride" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 3:47
14. "Jailhouse Blues" (Sleepy John Estes) – 2:52
15. "Sadie" (T. Michael Coleman, Byron Hill) – 2:31
16. "Fisher's Hornpipe/Devil's Dream" (Traditional) – 1:45
17. "Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues" (Coleman, Watson) – 3:15
18. "Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar" (Alton Delmore, Rabon Delmore) – 2:32

Personnel

• Doc Watson – vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Merle Watson – guitar, dobro, banjo
• T. Michael Coleman – bass, harmony vocals
• Herb Pedersen – harmony vocals
• Ron Tutt – drums
• Gene Estes – percussion
• Hank "Bones" Kahn – bones
• Al Perkins – pedal steel guitar
• Charlie Musselwhite – harmonica
• Byron Berline – fiddle
• Sam Bush – fiddle, mandolin
• Pat McInerney – drums, percussion
• Mark O'Connor – fiddle, mandolin
• Tom Scott – clarinet
• Joe Smothers – harmony vocals

External links

• A Doc Watson discography