Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton LP

Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton is a new album of old-time music produced from archival recordings by two legendary musicians.

These largely unheard tapes were recorded at Doc Watson's two earliest concerts, presented in New York City's Greenwich Village in 1962. Those shows were among the rare appearances Doc's father-in-law, fiddler Gaither Carlton, made outside of North Carolina. The instrumental pieces, including Gaither's signature tune "Double File", include intricate musical interactions developed through years of family music-making. On the songs and ballads, Doc's instantly recognizable baritone voice is accompanied by his own guitar and Gaither's fiddle, or by the traditional combination of fiddle and banjo.

Shortly after these recordings were made, Doc Watson embarked on a career as one of America's premier acoustic guitarists, earning the National Medal of Arts and eight Grammy Awards.

Watson's flat-picking style elevated the acoustic guitar to solo status in bluegrass and country music, and his interpretations of traditional American music profoundly influenced generations of folk and rock guitarists.

For almost 50 years, Doc Watson was the most illustrious name in traditional American folk music. A superb, original guitarist and a singer of warmth and simplicity, he set countless musicians on the road to careers in folk music. Probably no folk performer of his time has inspired greater admiration and affection.

Through [Peter] Siegel's smart microphone placement, we get every last pluck and squeak of their instruments and can clearly hear how the songs groaned to life as they settled into a comfortable, well worn groove. My favorite element of this is hearing the voice of the late Watson - strong and rich when singing; spry and warm when urging Carlton on or quietly addressing the crowd. The new vinyl release comes, as all good Smithsonian LPs do, with copious program notes, including the history of each song and rough sketch biographies of Carlton and Watson.