Artist description Keith Watts is a performer and promoter of folk and traditional music. He is currently organizing and promoting the Wilkes Acoustic/Folk society in Wilkes County North Carolina. There exists in North Carolina a rich heritage of music and arts. Keith grew up in the Catawba Valley region that sits at the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and shares that musical heritage. His musical influences encompass a wide range of interests including Rock, Old-Time Country, Blues, Ragtime, Swing, and Scotch/Irish Music. He sings lead and harmony vocals, performs some acapella songs, fingerpicks and flatpicks the guitar, plays mandolin and sometimes harmonica. Keith has played at numerous festivals, fiddlers' conventions, occasions, and restaurants for most of his life. He considers folk music a form of self-entertainment and an expression of individual freedom. Keith likes interacting with his audience when playing live and enjoys the "approachability" of his music. Our folk music is approachable, meaning that both adults and children are not too intimidated to come up and touch or even try out an instrument. "Listeners say to themselves: `Hey I could do that with a little practice!' and sure enough, some of them actually set off on their own musical journey! The satisfaction I get out of that kind of sharing is incredible. I invite you to hear my material sing along or try to perform it yourself and light out on your own musical excursion."

Music Style Folk, Old Time, Blues, Bluegrass, Scotch/Irish, vocals, flat picking and finger picking

Musical Influences Jimmy Rodgers, John McCutcheon, Doc Watson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Woody and Arlo Guthrie, Riley Puckett, Red Clay Ramblers, Various Scotch/Irish artists

Artist History I guess the first stringed instrument I ever touched was a ukulele that my folks gave me for Christmas. I still have it. Around 1970 I remember my dad coming home with a Silvertone electric guitar. He bought it from a guy who was leaving for Vietnam. My father said that the young man was selling everything he owned because he believed that he would never return home again. My cousin, Scott Shook was taking guitar lessons and was getting pretty advanced, so he began teaching me some things. He showed me how to read music, tune, identify notes on the fretboard and make chords. A family friend named Tom Goins would come by and play for us. He showed me some more things, techniques like how to muffle the strings with the heel of your hand to get Luthers' bassy thump sound when he played with Johnny Cash. I learned how to "walk the bass strings" on "I Walk the Line". The old Silvertone had a neck that would be better put to use as a rocking chair runner - it was bowed up so bad. I couldn't play past the third or fourth fret because the strings were so high from the bow in the neck, but Tom sure could play it with his big old fingers. Sometimes Scott and I would play music with some of the other boys in the neighborhood.In high school, I met Mike Fox and began playing with him. He liked folk music and as we played, I began to appreciate it also. Someone gave Mike a mountain dulcimer kit one Christmas and he began to play it. Later he became interested in the banjo. Social Studies and English Teachers would have us perform in their classes. They signed us out of other classes and we just loved that! There was a catch - we had to convey facts about the history and cultural aspects of our music to the classes - so we began to study up on the music. My father traded in the Silvertone for a Gibson Electric with a Falcon amp. When I graduated, I bought an Epiphone at Starr Music Mart. Some other Friends, Jeff Reeves and Robby Robertson began playing fiddle and guitar with us and we began playing constantly. I also played some country/rock music with Doug Deal, another friend from high school. Mike, Jeff, Robby, and I would play on the mountain sides, reenactments, laundromats, eating and drinking establishments. We even practiced at an old covered bridge - it was a cool place to be.When I was in school at Catawba Tech and working for a grocery distributor (MDI), we met an old character by the name of Jacob Hart. He played the fiddle left handed and knew a lot of the "old ways" of doing things. Jacob called all males by their first name followed by "boy". We learned a great deal from him including how to repair instruments. Another friend was Roy Ham an instrument builder who was raised in Ashe County.Mike got married. An artist in residence named Dudley Culp came to town to share his knowledge in silver-smithing and jewelry making. Duds was also an international dance caller and a founder of the Green Grass Cloggers and he was in need of a band for his dance workshops. Jeff, Julie Gillespie, Robby, and I became "Uncle Waldoes Free Lunch" Old Time String Band". Robby's cousin Sandy Jones from Anderson South Carolina played with us frequently. We played just about everywhere in the mountains of North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. We played together from 1977-1985 when some of the us began to get married and took jobs in other places. Since I got involved organizing the Wilkes Acoustic/Folk Society, I am just beginning to get back into my music. I love our cultural music and am eager to share it. If you read all of this, you have my deepest appreciation and - perhaps my sympathy. - Keith Watts

Group Members Keith Watts (All instruments and vocals)

Instruments Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo-Mandolin, Mountain Dulcimer

Location Wilkesboro, North Carolina - USA

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