7#!!$ DDDD N XXRxD" Bk*k\kkkkkkkkMUSIC/DOC/5.05 hed: The Doctor is still in dek: Doc Watson just cant find the time to retire FACTS: WHO: Doc Watson WHERE: The Bijou Theatre WHEN: Sat., Mar. 18, 8 p.m. HOW MUCH: Sold Out by Chris Barrett Its the early 60s, and theres a folk revival going on, folks. College kids were cutting class to play their new banjos and secondhand guitars on Washington Square. Unbreakable pocket combs were lovingly applied to freshly sprouted goatees. Bobby Dylan was still working on his Woody Guthrie imitation when folklorist Ralph Rinzler struck gold in the hills of western North Carolina. Rinzler and colleagues had traveled there to record old-time banjo picker Clarence Ashley. Killing time of an evening, they happened upon a country swing band in a hotel lounge. The guitar player, blind since early childhood, was settin fire to a Les Paul. Rinzler changed his plans. Without stretching the truth, you could say that Rinzlers tapes of Doc Watson changed music as we know it. Those tapes and the concerts that followed them dropped the real deal into the laps of dilettantes whod never had a drink straight from the well. Watson remembers his first trips out of the hills as if hed taken them last week. The good down-to-earth music was what they wanted, he recalls. I didnt have any problem with that. I just couldnt imagine people sittinquiet to where you could hear a pin droplistening to good old-time music. But they sure did it. Watson doesnt travel with anything so simple as a repertoire. He does not merely draw from a body of work, or dip into a song bag. Between his graying sideburns resides a veritable Fort Knox of musicfolk and contemporary, American and European, gospel and secular, blues and bluegrass. With a weathered, honey-sweet baritone and deft, singularly skilled fingers, he sets that music free. On record and in concert after giving up his lounge gig, Watson rescued song after song from obscurity. Scotch-Irish fiddle and harp tunes, Delta blues gems, and countless old-time mountain songs that had never been recorded, or were abandoned with the 78-rpm format, once again set toes to tapping. Watsons career is one of a handful that redeems the music industry from its money machine rep. He first announced his retirement in 1987, the year after the tragic death of his son Merle, a virtuoso instrumentalist in his own right and the best sideman a father could ever hope for. But retirement doesnt come easy to Watson. Eight years later, the tour schedule he claims is modest would tire a man half of his 72 years. I am officially retired, says Watson, but Ive got to pick a little. For a man whose livelihood was made of hoedown bluegrass, courtship reels, rocking railroad blues and the like, youd expect retirement to call for something a little down-tempo. Fat chance. His forthcoming new release, Doc-a-billy (Sugar Hill), prominently features music thats way up-tempo, and fast-moving friends like Duane Eddy, Marty Stuart and Junior Brown. Its not all rockabilly, its 50s material, says Watson. I hate that kind of album, where people just play a string of one thing. I couldnt do that. Ive listened to a lot more music than just Carl Perkins and them boys. Youll find that this 50s record encompasses music from rockabillylike Johnny Cashs Train of Lovebut also some blues and sentimental songs. For the blues I used Walking After Midnight, Heartbreak Hotel and a couple others. Wait till you hear me do Heartbreak Hotel! That is a blues, of the first magnitude. Ill still be playin my old acoustic, but itll be beefed up to where peoplell know what Im a-doin. I got some great help on the sentimental songs. Larry Knechtell can play that piano so sweet you can just hear the sugar on it. As far as future plans, beyond his Knoxville visit and the April release of his new record, Watson is sitting on a fence. But for him and his fans, either way he tips means good news. Hes considering putting together a 40s theme album, with music from diverse styles to show the roots of rock-and-roll. Another option is non-working retirement. I hated the title Doc-a-billy, Watson admits, but they say itll sell it. And Id like for this record to sell. Maybe Ill quit the road, period. I like to stay at home awful good, you know? Im 72 and I ought to settle down a little. uabmo.a.k.km.p.a.sc/rwaaakravdrobbak/tfnoldn{iseht#aeiot@b3A3e,Qo?t@rCivet cYCcidt emo\iHt maePleedr r Jtt;ayJ&rr7QN(ajg3cej> taDtc?uez'eeiʾ<moo$ut 8 DDO!$ @@+^_fvVp; h  Z T1 !!!!!!!! !!h!a$ !  ,]q, - _ 8 \]+-//02HH(FG(HH(d'@=/R@H-:LaserWriter 8.0 New YorkESE