Then and Now was released in 1973 by Poppy Records (PP-LA022-F). Doc Watson and his son Merle recorded it in Nashville in 1972 at Jack Clement Recording, with Clement as producer and Kevin Eggers as executive producer; Milton Glaser designed the cover. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording in 1974.
Doc plays guitar and harmonica and sings; Merle plays guitar and banjo. The other players are Norman Blake on dobro, Vassar Clements on fiddle, Bobbe Seymour on steel guitar, Joe Allen on bass, Jimmy Isbell on drums and Kenny Malone on percussion, with string arrangements by Charles Cochran. The eleven tracks include Tom Paxton’s “Bottle of Wine,” Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You,” Merle Travis’s “That’s All” and Kokomo Arnold’s “Milk Cow Blues,” along with the traditional “Frankie & Johnny” and “Corrina, Corrina.” “Rain Crow Bill,” the last track, is an instrumental with Doc on guitar and Merle on banjo.
Tracklist
- 1 Bonaparte’s Retreat alt version 3:32
- 2 Milkcow Blues 2:16
- 3 Bottle Of Wine 2:06
- 4 Match Box Blues 3:34
- 5 If I Needed You alt version 2:36
- 6 Frankie & Johnny 3:10
- 7 That's All 2:58
- 8 Corrina, Corrina 2:49
- 9 Meet Me Somewhere 1:58
- 10 Old Camp Meetin' Time 2:12
- 11 Rain Crow Bill 1:30
