James Nash is a founding member of the popular roots band The Waybacks, and a virtuosic guitarist, songwriter, and singer. His connection with Doc Watson runs deep, as he relates in this video, and The Waybacks have been a centerpiece at MerleFest for years, recording their Saturday night Hillside Album Hour shows every year for the past decade (2020 excepted). 

In this video, James pays homage to Doc by playing a medley of “Bright Sunny South” and “Jack-A-Roe,” a traditional song that became a mainstay of the Grateful Dead, and has been recorded by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Yonder Mountain String Band, and many others. 

James is playing his custom Santa Cruz OM guitar in this video, which was originally presented by MerleFest during #DocWatsonWeek, in June 2020.

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