Doc Watson In Nashville: Good Deal! CD

This release of folk-country artist Doc Watson's 1968 recording includes musical guests such as Floyd Cramer and Buddy Spicher.

The early and mid-1960s were good for Doc Watson in folk circles, but by the end of the decade, the folk boom was fading, and he gravitated back toward country audiences (even Joan Baez was cutting records in Nashville). This pleasant but unexceptional album was one result. Watson does genially sung, beautifully played covers of songs by Roy Acuff ("Streamline Cannonball"), Jimmie Rodgers ("Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia"), A.P. Carter ("I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes"), and even Blind Boy Fuller ("Step It Up and Go"), scattered among a handful of original and traditional numbers. The playing is more impressive than the arrangements, which have that trademark Nashville smoothness, bolstered by Merle Watson and Grady Martin on guitars, Tommy Jackson and Buddy Spicher on fiddles (they get a workout on "June Apple"), Floyd Cramer at the piano, and Buddy Harman on the drums. ~ Bruce Eder

After a successful career as a folk singer in the early and mid-60s, Doc Watson, like other folk artists including Joan Baez, recorded more country-orientated material as the folk boom dissipated. This 1968 album for Vanguard features a strong line-up of Nashville's finest session players including Buddy Spicher and Floyd Cramer.

Grady Martin (guitar, dobro); Merle Watson (guitar); Don Stover (banjo); Shot Jackson (dobro); Tommy Jackson, Buddy Spicher (fiddle); Floyd Cramer (piano);

Junior Huskey (bass); Buddy Harman (drums).

Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee in March 1968.

Personnel: Doc Watson (vocals, 6- & 12-string acoustic guitars, banjo);

Uncut (p.108) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[Watson] rips through a dizzying array of tunes on 12-string and banjo..."