FOLSOI played host – virtually – to author Eddie Hoffman on Tuesday evening, June
26 th , at Barbee Library, as part of the final 2025 NC Reads book club program. More
than 20 people came to watch the live Zoom chat while enjoying the comradery of like-
minded readers and music enthusiasts. (And also the free cookie!)
Hoffman, author of the book Doc Watson; A Life in Music, was interviewed, via Zoo, by
Cecelia Thompson, NC Humanities Board Trustee and Executive Director of Action
Greensboro. Also joining the conversation was Mark Freed, a music teacher at
Appalachian State and Director of Cultural Resources for the Town of Boone, NC, Doc
Watson’s hometown.
Huffman’s book tells the story of Doc’s life and legacy, drawing on extensive interviews
and hundreds of hours of archival research. Doc Watson was blind from childhood yet
learned to master the guitar. Despite growing up in mountain poverty, he eventually
became one of the most sought-after musicians in the country, credited with ushering in
a unique style of guitar finger-picking and “blazing guitar solos.” During the height of the
1960s folk scene, Doc racked up numerous grammy awards. He went on to create what
is now one of the largest music festivals in the nation, Merlefest, as a tribute to his son
Merle, with whom he had a complicated relationship on the road.
Mark Freed, an expert on all-things-Doc, talked about modern day musicians like Billy
Srings, who site Doc Watson as a major influence in their musical style. Freed also
described the statue of Doc in Boone, NC, and the annual “Doc Watson Day” held on
the 3 rd Friday of August. Road trip anyone?
Doc Watson; A Life in Music is available in our library system.
You can watch the interview with Eddie Hoffman, or any of the past NC Reads book
talks, at: www.youtube.com/@NCHumanities_