Doc & Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest in Sugar Grove July 12 - 13 2013

Jens Kruger, Richard Watson, Joel Landsberg, Charles Welch & Uwe Kruger

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2012 - present
All Rights Reserved
See links to article references at the end of the article.

The MusicFest in Sugar Grove has been renamed to honor both Doc and Rosa Lee Watson, both of whom died in 2012.

According to the MusicFest website (see link below):

"A celebration of Appalachian music and cultural heritage, the Doc & Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove will take place July 12 and 13, 2013 on the grounds of the Historic Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove, N.C., featuring world-renowned recording artists.

"MusicFest has had a close association with Deep Gap native Doc Watson since its inception in 1997. The much admired flat-picking guitarist performed at the inaugural MusicFest and headlined many times in following years."

This is the second year of the festival since Doc Watson's death and the tribute to the whole Watson family continued. His good friend Charles Welch even acknowledged a quiet passage for Doc to take a "lick" while the other players muted their instruments. The audience members were quiet and still and they played their own memories of Doc Watson's flatpicking.

The MusicFest in Sugar Grove is not only still alive and kickin' but has considerable momentum for the future.

Amantha Mill:

The main tent:

The Snyder Family including the newest on-stage member 7-year old Owen:

The Dashboard Hula Boys: ASU professors Tom Whyte, Ed Midgett, Bob White:

Listen to the Dashboard Hula Boys:

Spirit Fiddle (left) from New Hampshire and Jim Avett(right) from Concord NC:

Links related to this article:

• Historic Cove Creek School
• Jim Avett Website
• Spirit Fiddle Website
• Acoustic Guitar Magazine article about Doc Watson
• The Carolina Chocolate Drops
• The Kruger Brothers
• Snyder Family Band Website
• Doc and Merle Watson Folk Art Museum
• Amantha Mill