NORTH CAROLINA PEOPLE WITH WILLIAM FRIDAY {DOC WATSON AND B. TOWNES} (TV)
Summary
One in this series in which host William Friday, the president of the University of North Carolina, interviews successful people who reside in or hail from North Carolina. In this edition, Friday talks with the traditional folk musician Doc Watson, who discusses the following topics, among others: his parents' influence on his music; the musicians who influenced his respect for folk music; the banjo his father made for him; how he got his first guitar; how he uses a flat pick; how he learned old hymns; what led him to New York; his early performances; his trip to Africa at the request of the State Department; his favorite hymns; his Grammy awards; the future of folk music; his performing career; his relationship with his son, Eddy Merle Watson, who was a musician; performers he has worked with at memorial festivals for his son; the revival of traditional music in the country; and his work with children. B. Townes, the Dean of Development of Wilkes Community College, joins Watson to talk about the upcoming Eddy Merle Watson Memorial Festival in North Carolina and explains the purpose of the event and the economic impact of the festival. Also included in this program is footage of the following: the first memorial festival for Eddy Merle Watson, which includes a performance by Doc Watson; Watson's son playing the guitar; Doc Watson performing for President Jimmy Carter; and Watson singing "Amazing Grace."
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the William R. Kenan, Jr., Charitable Trust in honor of William C. Friday.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS North Carolina Public Television
- DATE: April 13, 1992 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:56
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:40982
- GENRE: Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Biography; Folk music; North Carolina
- SERIES RUN: UNC-TV - TV series, 1970-2012
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Maurice Talbot … Producer, Director
- Cindy Simoni … Associate Producer
- Rod Abernethy … Theme Music by
- William Friday … Host, Interviewer
- Doc Watson … Guest
- B. Townes … Guest
- Eddy Merle Watson