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From: mkr@mmm.UUCP (MKR)
Newsgroups: net.music,net.music.folk,net.wobegon
Subject: Doc & Merle Watson at the World Theater
Message-ID: <811@mmm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-May-86 12:46:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: mmm.811
Posted: Fri May  2 12:46:42 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 8-May-86 08:13:44 EDT
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[ mama don't 'llow no line-eaters 'round here ]

	Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Doc Watson on stage
at the newly renovated World Theater in St. Paul (home of Prairie Home
Companion). Marvelous theater (and I've seen some of the best - including
the Bolshoi and the Drury Lane - the World isn't as gaudy as some, but
it is very taseful and an absolutely beautiful theater). For those of
you who saw the PHC telecast, you saw the theater. It looked a *lot*
bigger on TV. I sat in the 5th row, but there didn't really appear to be
a truly *bad* seat in the house. This concert was part of "opening week"
for the theater. But that's not what I wanted to tell you about...

	Doc was great, as usual. Accompanying him was his usual bassist -
T. Michael Coleman (great bass player) and Jack Somebodyorother, who
appeared to be a good old boy from South Carolina. He was indeed worthy
of sharing the stage with Doc.

	All in all, the show was very good. They all seemed relaxed and even
joked around a bit. Doc played Deep River Blues, Milk Cow Calf's Blues,
Summertime and a whole lot more. All of it was excellent. He dedicated a
few numbers and short little stories to Merle, and there were a couple
tears shed (I noticed my wife wiping her eyes).

	But the thing that really struck me is how much I missed Merle. Now
Doc is obviously great enough to stand on his own, and that Jack guy was
very good as well, but I've seen Doc & Merle together enough to be
familiar with what they could do. Doc & Merle just seemed to be two
very compatible players who blended and supported each other so beautifully.
Jack was good - and Doc was great - but Merle, we miss you. When you
played with your dad, it was heavenly.

--MKR