Arthel Lane Watson was born in Stoney Fork, N.C., the sixth of nine children to General Dixon Watson and Annie Watson.
Due to eye infection as an infant, he lost his sight before his second year.
He grew up with music as both his parents were into music with his father being the lead in a local baptist church and his mother would sing the children to sleep at night.
Around 5-6 years old he received his first harmonica and at 11, his father gifted him with a homemade fretless banjo.
After teaching himself to play the banjo he started to learn playing the guitar. His father again gifted him with a $12 Stella guitar after he made a bargain with Doc Watson that he would get a guitar if he managed to learn to teach himself a song on the borrowed guitar.
1947 - Watson married Rosa Lee Carlton who was a daughter of the local fiddler.
He started playing the guitar and making albums with his son Merle in 1964. The duo produced 20 albums together until the untimely death of his son in 1985.
In 1953, Doc Watson started playing electric guitar with the band, Jack Williams and the Country Gentlemen. Watson learned to play the lead fiddle parts of songs played by the band on guitar. The technique that he later continued on the acoustic guitar had become a trademark of his flatpicking style.
Thoughout his career, he won many awards and grammys.
When you have the time do check his wikipedia page to read more about this awesome guitarist.