Died On This Date (June 1, 2015) Richard Watson / Guitarist; Grandson of Doc Watson
themusicsover Richard Eddy Watson
DOB Unknown – June 1, 2015
Richard Watson was an accomplished guitarist who was born into American folk music royalty. His father was the last Merle Watson, after whom the yearly MerleFest music festival is named, and his grandfather was the late great Doc Watson. A regular fixture at MerleFest throughout the years, Richard joined countless acts on stage. He regularly performed with Doc as well, both at the festival and beyond, until Doc passed away in 2012. In 1991, Richard produced Third Generation Blues by him and his grandfather for the Sugar Hill label. Richard Watson was 49 when he passed away on June 1, 2015. Cause of death was not immediately released.
What You Should Own
Doc Watson was an influential American singer, guitarist, and songwriter whose vast catalog of songs influenced several generations of folk, country, and bluegrass musicians. Born in Deep Gap, North Carolina, Watson lost his eyesight before his first birthday due to an infection. But that by no means stopped him from picking up whatever instrument was handed to him. First it was the harmonica around age five, then the banjo at age 11, and ultimately, the guitar on which he mastered a style of flat-picking that the world had yet to hear and would seldom be matched since. Although Watson was a popular draw wherever he played throughout the ’40s and ’50s, it wasn’t until the storied folk revival of the ’60s – when college kids took to the music like never before or since, that his popularity reached new heights. Throughout his career, Watson received countless awards which included seven Grammys, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a National Medal Of Arts from President Bill Clinton. In 1988, he launched Merlefest to honor his son and music partner, Merle Watson, who was killed in a tractor accident in 1985. The Wilkesboro, North Carolina festival has grown to be one of the premier music gatherings in the United States with Watson playing host and sharing the stage with the likes of Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, 
