Visiting With Doc Watson

Yesterday afternoon, as I was using the spindle sander to straighten the edges of the headstock of my ukulele and who should shuffle into the shop but Doc Watson. He came with Jarrell Little just to visit a while.

After Harper happily greeted him and he told us a few stories about his pets from his life, my dad asked him if he wanted to try out the new guitar I had just finished. He said yes, so I ran and fetched it from its new, clean case.

"It sounds like a Henderson" he said after picking a few notes. He played several beautiful songs, singing the verses he remembered. I am impressed with how many songs he can still sing at 88. I think if I had as many songs rolling around in my head as he, I wouldn't be able to remember any one in particular. Between songs, and saying things like, "This is a beautiful cutaway"and, "This is the best sounding guitar I have ever heard. Well, maybe the one Wayne made for me sounds a little better, but it is a big body style!" he talked about his wife Rosalee.

I think of all the people I know, I have never heard anyone talk about their significant other like he speaks of Rosalee. He says they met when he was 20, and she was 14 and at that moment he was "bitten by the love bug." I think it is so amazing that there is love like that out there, and that he has it. And that he shares it with people like me.

 

So, yes it is awesome that he came and shared amazing music with the few of us who were in the shop yesterday and had only the kindest things to say about my work, but I appreciate so much how he shares his feelings as well. I love that when he comes in, I know he will say exactly what he is thinking; he is not a sugar coating kind of fella.