In 2023, BGS was invited to Bryan Sutton’s Blue Ridge Guitar Camp in Brevard, North Carolina. Sutton is one of the most prominent proselytizers for Doc Watson in the 21st century, so it’s no surprise his annual camp just up the mountains from Watson’s hometown of Deep Gap is usually dripping with Doc’s music.
That year, one of Doc’s most famous guitars, “Ol’ Hoss” – a 1968 G-50 Gallagher Guitar that Watson played in the late ’60s and early ’70s and on many recordings – was also “in attendance” at Blue Ridge Guitar Camp. The instrument was one of the first of a few Gallaghers that Doc owned. BGS made the trip to Brevard to capture special video performances and interviews with many of the event’s instructors and pickers, each of whom played Doc tunes and shared stories and memories while picking Ol’ Hoss. It was a magical week in the mountains.
Now, for the very first time, we’re making select songs from these tapings available in a new series, the Ol’ Hoss Sessions. Three sessions pulled from the shoot celebrate our Doc in December series. The first featured Bryan Sutton – watch here. The second found Ol’ Hoss handed off to singer-songwriter Courtney Hartman – watch here. The third is one of the most special from the series, as we were in the room with cameras rolling when bluegrass phenom Billy Strings first held and played Doc’s guitar.
“It’s so cool to play this thing,” Strings gushes before playing his song. “It really tripped me out earlier. I’ve been playing it for an hour now, I think I’ve finally come down. But I about had a panic attack when I first checked it out. Shed a few tears, and felt like Doc was in the room.”
That hour of communing with Ol’ Hoss included many tunes and songs, and a phone call to his mom and dad to share the excitement that he was holding Doc’s Gallagher Guitar. Strings shared many stories, memories, and inspirations of and from Doc Watson as he got to know the instrument and took it through its paces warming up. That time culminated in this performance, Strings tearing through “John Henry” in the mountains of Brevard, North Carolina, paying tribute to perhaps his all-time hero. There are moments of Strings-style shredding, but you can tell he’s playing more reserved and intentionally, aiming to pull as many of Watson’s own licks and turns of phrase out of the instrument as possible.
It was a decidedly special, cosmic feeling being in the room with Billy Strings playing Doc Watson’s Ol’ Hoss for the first time and we’re incredibly proud to bring you a glimpse into the taping.
Stay tuned as we have plenty more tape from the Ol’ Hoss Sessions in the archives and we’ll be continuing to share clips, sessions, and tidbits from our time at the Blue Ridge Guitar Camp right here on BGS and on our YouTube channel in the future.
Video Credits: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner and Juan Soria.
