Bluegrass Legend Doc Watson Dies at 89

Legendary bluegrass musician "Doc" Watson died Tuesday in North Carolina, according to media reports. He was 89.

Watson died in a hospital in Winston-Salem, according to media reports. He had recently had abdominal surgery.

What are your memories of Doc Watson's music? Tell us in the comments below.

Arthel "Doc" Watson's mastery of flatpicking helped make the case for the guitar as a lead instrument in the 1950s and 1960s, when it was often considered a backup for the mandolin, fiddle or banjo, according to a report in the Huffington Post. 

Doc Watson's father, who was active in the family's church choir, gave his son a harmonica as a young child, and by 5 he was playing the banjo. He learned guitar chords while attending the North Carolina Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, and then his father helped him buy a guitar for $12, reports say.

Seven of his albums won Grammy awards. He also received the National Medal of the Arts from President Bill Clinton in 1997.

One of the attached videos shows Watson performing with the late banjo legend Earl Scruggs. Another attached video is of Watson performing "Peach Pickin' Time in Georgia."

Share your thoughts and memories of Doc Watson and bluegrass music in the comments below.

Compiled by Steve Burns.