Bill Monroe and Doc Watson -- "East Tennessee Blues"
Some of the recently departed (and already sainted) Doc Watson's studio recordings are a little overproduced, but this song, from a Smithsonian collection of live duet recordings featuring Watson, one of the greatest and most authentic purveyors of old time, playing alongside Bill Monroe, the founder of bluegrass, brings out the best in both musicians. Monroe tends to skew a little closer to the spotlight on most of the recordings the two did together, but this particular track allows Watson a chance to toss off a pretty astounding lead as though it were simply second nature. Even Watson's rhythms are more complicated than most players' leads. Legend has it that Watson, blind since a very young age, used to diagnose and repair automobile and tractor engines by listening to them. Listen to this track, and you won't find that to be too unbelievable.
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