It is only right that the High Country honors the late and legendary local roots music hero Doc Watson once a year, even as the greater music world still reveres him 14 years after his passing in 2012.
For most of his life, Watson lived next door in Deep Gap, and Boone was the nearest downtown area where he spent a lot of time, whether it was grocery shopping, buying tools at the hardware store, or playing his guitars and singing at shows on King Street going back to the early 1940s.
Watson, of course, is well-honored here in Boone on a 24/7 basis with his brass park bench statue residing on the corner of Depot and King Street. Annually, he is also remembered by the MerleFest music festival, named after his late son Merle, and by the Doc and Rosa Lee Watson Festival, which will return to Sugar Grove in 2027.
Every August, the Jones House Cultural Center and the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country host the Doc Watson Days celebration, and this year’s festivities feature a great lineup of performing artists and more.
On Friday, Aug. 14, the Jones House’s Doc Watson Day concert will feature the Nick Chandler and Delivered band, the duo of Noah Lanham and Elliot Smith, Olivia Phillips, and old-time string band masters Trevor McKenzie and Steve Kruger.
The live music presentation begins at the special time of 5 p.m., and it is free to the public. The show will take place outdoors on the lawn in front of the Jones House, rain or shine, so bring a camping chair or two or a blanket. The venue is located at 604 West King Street in Boone.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, the Appalachian Theatre will begin the day with a 2 p.m. screening of the documentary film Doc Watson — One of the People, which will be shown free with no RSVP required.
Later on that same Saturday evening one of the best guitarists in the world in Tommy Emmanuel will perform at Appalachian Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Reserved seat tickets range from $40 to $47, and special $127 VIP tickets will include premium orchestra section seats, a pre-show meet-and-greet with the legendary Tommy Emmanuel, an autographed photo and early access to merch and venue access before the crowd shows up.
The Appalachian Theatre is located at 559 West King Street in Boone, and more information can be found at apptheatre.org.
Nick Chandler and Delivered hail from Asheville, NC. Their latest singles to climb the bluegrass charts include “Hazel Creek” and “Follow The Leader.”
The members of the group include Nick Chandler on vocals and mandolin, Spencer Atkinson on guitar, Jake Burrows on banjo, and Gary Trivette on bass and vocals.
Gary Trivette is a veteran bluegrass musician based here in Boone. Before joining Nick Chandler and Delivered, Trivette also performed with the groups Southern Accent, Carolina Crossing and ClayBank.
“I love to play the bass; it’s my instrument of choice, and it is what I love to do,” said Trivette. “I believe the bass is there for the foundation of the music, and in bluegrass, that is so important. I just love playing the instrument, yet I can’t explain exactly why. I started playing when I was eight years old as my Dad had a little electric bass lying around the house. I’d pick it up and start playing it, then he’d tell me not to touch it, and when I’d come home, I’d put it under the bed, which made me want to play it even more.”
Trivette is happy to be recording and playing with Nick Chandler and Delivered because the group is determined to work hard to perform music at a high level under Chandler’s leadership.
“I guarantee that we can put on as good a show as any group out there right now because we got the best band that Nick’s ever had,” said Trivette. “For instance, we’ve got one of the best banjo players in the land with Jake Burrows. He’s from Randleman, North Carolina, which is NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s hometown. Jake, in my opinion, is one of the finest new, up-and-coming banjo pickers on the scene right now. He used to play with the Kevin Prater Band for years. Impressively, Jake studied the banjo under the great musicians Kenny Ingram and the late Jim Mills. In fact, he reminds me of Kenny when he plays by the way he holds the banjo and the way he stands when playing it, so that is a bit uncanny yet cool. But Jake is really good, and he plays a really old Gibson banjo, which is always sweet.”
While Nick Chandler and Delivered perform all over the country, Trivette is thrilled to play once again in his hometown of Boone, especially when it comes to an event honoring Doc Watson.
“I have a little bit of history with Doc,” said Trivette. “I was fortunate enough to sing and play bass with him on a couple of different occasions. One time, the band I was playing with called Southern Accent was fortunate enough to be invited to play with Doc at his 80th birthday party. He said that he wanted us to specifically be there to play gospel music. So, I got to sing tenor with him on a gospel song, and it was just me on bass and him and I singing together, and I was scared to death. I believe we sang ‘Where The Soul Never Dies.’”
Trivette and the rest of Delivered will have the legacy of Doc Watson on their minds when they perform at the Jones House.
“I’m just so proud to be able to come back to Boone and play bluegrass music, and I’m sure we’re going to try to incorporate some of Spencer’s guitar playing into Doc’s style a little bit so people can enjoy that while we’re there, because Spencer is a great guitar player,” said Trivette. I’ve been very blessed in my musical journey, and every dream I’ve had has come true for me. Now, my dream is to play until I’m old as death to where nobody wants me anymore. Meanwhile, the heritage and legacy that Doc Watson brings to this area is unparalleled and will never end.”
More information can be found at nickchandleranddelivered.com.