“Watson Blues,” also titled “Watson’s Blues,” is a composition by Bill Monroe, written in honor of his friend, the flatpicking guitarist Doc Watson. Monroe and Watson recorded together, and the tune stands as a tribute from one tradition-bearer to another.
The piece is a bluegrass instrumental with a blues inflection — a melodic showcase rather than a flat-out breakdown. Its connection to Doc Watson has kept it a meaningful part of the flatpicking guitar repertoire.
This recording features the mandolinist David Grisman and the guitarist Tony Rice, longtime collaborators whose acoustic duets brought a refined, conversational quality to traditional material. It appears on their album “Tone Poems.”
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