Merle Watson

{{short description|North Carolina bluegrass and folk musician}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Merle Watson

| image = Merlewatson.jpg

| caption = Merle Watson c. 1979

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| birth_name = Eddy Merle Watson

| alias = Merle Watson

| birth_date = {{birth date|1949|02|08}}

| birth_place = Deep Gap, North Carolina

| death_date = {{death date and age|1985|10|23|1949|02|08}}

| death_place = Lenoir, North Carolina

| instrument = guitar, banjo

| genre = {{hlist|Bluegrass|folk|country|blues|gospel}}

| occupation = Musician

| years_active =

| label =

| associated_acts = Doc Watson

| website =

}}

Eddy Merle Watson (February 8, 1949 – October 23, 1985) was an American folk and bluegrass guitarist. He was best known for his performances with his father, Doc Watson. Merle played and recorded albums together with his father from age 15 until his death in a tractor accident 21 years later.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-24-mn-12710-story.html Eddy Merle Watson, Bluegrass Guitarist, Accidentally Killed at 36], Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1985 Merle was widely recognized as one of the best flat-picking and slide guitarists of his generation.[http://swampland.com/articles/view/title:merlefest_at_21_doc_watson_at_85_festival_notes Merlefest at 21, Doc Watson at 85: Festival Notes], Swampland.com MerleFest, one of the world's largest and most-prestigious folk music festivals, is held annually in Wilkesboro, NC and is named in his honor.[http://merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=8071 1988] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907143349/http://merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=8071 |date=2014-09-07 }}, MerleFest

Merle and his father released a version of "Bottle of Wine" that reached No. 71 on the U.S. country chart.[http://www.musicvf.com/song.php?id=121759&artist=Doc+%26+Merle+Watson&title=Bottle+of+Wine Doc & Merle Watson, "Bottle of Wine" Chart Position] Retrieved January 27, 2014