"Pickin' the Blues," released in 1985 on Flying Fish Records (FF 352), is a tribute by Doc and Merle Watson to the rural country blues 78s that shaped Doc's childhood in Deep Gap, North Carolina. Merle Watson (slide guitar) and T. Michael Coleman (bass) support the elder Watson through a set ranging from Mississippi Delta blues to Tin Pan Alley, revealing the pre-war blues foundation beneath the bluegrass and folk identity Watson had become known for. The album is one of the last recordings Doc and Merle made together — Merle died in a farm accident later in 1985 — making it a poignant final document of their partnership and one of the most emotionally resonant entries in the Watson catalog.
Tracklist
- 1 Freight Train Blues 2:45
- 2 Hobo Bill's Last Ride 3:45
- 3 Mississippi Heavy Water Blues 2:54
- 4 John Hurt 2:30
- 5 John Henry / Worried Blues 2:26
- 6 I'm A Stranger Here 3:15
- 7 Talking To Casey 2:29
- 8 Blue Ridge Mountain Blues alt version 2:52
- 9 Any Old Time alt version 2:39
- 10 Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues 3:12
- 11 Stormy Weather 3:54
- 12 How Long Blues 2:50
- 13 Honey Babe Blues 3:27
- 14 St. Louis Blues 3:08
- 15 Carroll County Blues 2:55
- 16 California Blues 3:20
- 17 Going To Chicago Blues 4:06
- 18 Jailhouse Blues 2:48
- 19 Windy and Warm 2:11
- 20 Deep River Blues alt version 3:12
