Bryan Sutton releases “Working Man Blues” with Doc Watson

Bryan Sutton and Doc Watson’s “Working Man Blues”  A Rare Duet Unearthed
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​“It just came out of nowhere,” remembers Bryan Sutton of the unforgettable day, some twenty years ago, when he and American music legend Doc Watson sat down to record what would become the very first session in Sutton’s From Roots to Branches guitar duet series. “Doc just launched into ‘Working Man Blues.’ I was thinking, I hope I caught all that  I hope the tape didn’t run out!”

That spontaneous take now opens the From Roots to Branches collection  a wide-ranging series that pairs the Grammy-winning guitarist with a remarkable lineup of next-generation players, along with a few unexpected collaborations that reach well beyond bluegrass. This newly released rendition of “Working Man Blues” adds yet another layer to the project: never-before-heard performances with the artists who helped shape Sutton’s own six-string sensibilities.

The recording captures a moment of pure musical conversation. “I just had to pick that one time and hear what you did to it,” Doc laughs at the song’s close. Their relaxed, good-humored exchange brings new warmth to Merle Haggard’s classic ode to the working class  with Watson’s dry, soulful delivery framed by effortless, conversational solos traded between the two masters.

“You never knew what you were going to get with Doc,” Sutton says. “Beyond fiddle tunes, bluegrass, and old ballads, he loved everything  from Crystal Gayle songs and ‘Nights in White Satin’ to that ‘Docabilly’ stuff and swing tunes. Doc was a real Merle Haggard fan, too  probably knew more Haggard songs than he ever played for anybody.”
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