[triumphant music] - [Narrator] From playing music in the streets of Boone to touring the world's stages, Doc Watson spent much of his life on the road, but he always called Deep Gap, home.

Arthel Lane Watson wasn't a great stage name.

So when a fan yelled, "Doc!"

the name stuck.

Born in 1923, he was one of nine kids and blind at age one due to an eye infection.

At age 10, he headed to Raleigh and the Morehead School for the Blind.

But by 14 he was back on the farm.

His dad put a saw in his hands.

He made me know that just because I was blind certainly didn't mean I was helpless.

[bluegrass music] His dad also helped him buy a $12 Stella guitar and soon Doc was playing at fruit stands to earn money.

But it was his singing and playing with his family over the next 20 years that would lead to his big break.

In 1961, Doc was tuning pianos to support his wife and kids, and playing a Les Paul in a country swing band.

When musicologist, Ralph Rinzler, came to record Doc's family, he was so impressed with Doc's voice and flat picking style that he took him to New York City and then the Newport Folk Festival.

While Doc was traveling, his wife Rosalie taught their son Merle a few chords.

And five months later, Merle joined Doc touring the world.

♪ 'Cause your mommy and your poppy standing by ♪ [folk music] In 1985 when tragedy struck and Merle died in a tractor accident, Doc struggled.

But a strange dream helped him find a way forward.

A few years later Merle Fest was created to remember his son.

Honored in numerous ways for his many musical skills and contributions to American music, Doc never thought of himself as a celebrity.

He would say, "You have to be yourself otherwise people won't know who you are."