Mountain Home Music has released Working Man Blues, the opening track from their much-anticipated album for flatpick guitar maestro Bryan Sutton, From Roots to Branches. The theme of the project is Bryan paired up with a number of other prominent guitarists, some younger than he who have been influenced by him, and others who clearly had a big impact on Bryan’s own style as it was developing.
Working Man Blues, the Merle Haggard classic which has been kicking around bluegrass for decades, features Sutton alongside Doc Watson, surely among the two or three most significant acoustic guitarists in all of bluegrass, old time, and folk music history.
Bryan, of course, has built his own reputation as a flatpicking wizard, from when he started with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder at 22 in 1995, through a career that found him standing alongside the biggest names in our music, both on stage and in the studio. Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and Hot Rize have utilized his services. Shoot… he’s even recorded guitar on albums for Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, and Post Malone!
Recorded more than 20 years ago, Sutton says that Doc pulled this one out of his hat.
“He just launched into Working Man Blues, out of nowhere. It just felt like, I hope I got all that, I hope the tape didn’t run out!”
You never knew what you were going to get with Doc Watson outside of fiddle tunes and bluegrass and folk ballads and things like that. From Crystal Gayle songs and Nights in White Satin, through all that ‘Docabilly’ stuff and swing tunes…Doc was a fan of Merle Haggard, too, and probably knew more Merle Haggard songs than he ever played for anybody.
It was such an honor to know him. I had forgotten he sang Working Man Blues, and I was pleasantly reminded years later when I was going through the tracks. It’s all one take! I’ll forever cherish the time I had with Doc.”
We all know the song, and we know these two men’s mastery of the guitar. It’s only left to listen and enjoy.
Working Man Blues is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
