Review: “One of the People” A North Carolinian Legend Documentary of Doc Watson
“One of the People,” directed and produced by Elias Shack, is a documentary about the blind music legend from North Carolina, Doc Watson. The documentary will be screened at the Full Bloom Film Festival on September 12th.
“One of the People” utilizes old clips and images along with newly recorded interviews to tell the story of Doc Watson. The quality of these clips are great, it is obvious the clips are older but the visual and audio quality hold up to modern day. However, the transitions from clip audio to interview audio is sudden. Despite the quick transitions the pace of the documentary is still steady but the transitions feel choppy at some points.
The story of this documentary is pushed along with recurring audio clips from a specific old interview between David Holt and Watson about his life. The use of these specific clips makes the audience feel like they are listening in on a friendly conversation with Watson. These clips also help with the transitions between the various modern interviews with old friends of Watson, who help fill in the gaps of his life with their personal relationships with him. While Watson's story is not told in a linear manner, the documentary still covers the major moments in his life from going blind to his death in 2012.
“We dream in feelings , son.” - Doc Watson
Along with focusing on the story of Watson, the documentary also aims to give the audience a few lessons on the blue grass musical genre Doc loved. I never knew much about the bluegrass music genre but this documentary taught me it is a beloved genre and that Watson left a legacy that it is our job to protect. With interviews from bluegrass experts, such as Professor Alex Hooker, viewers learn the origin and influences that turned American bluegrass into what it is today. One beautifully done transition shows the passing of the bluegrass torch from Doc Watson to Billy Strings as he is one of the many artists keeping the genre alive.
I’ve never been a fan of documentaries before as they aim to inform instead of entertain. I've always felt like they were telling a story just at its face value. However, this documentary felt like something different. From the moment it started the audience is introduced to Watson with an old clip about how he starts his concerts, which feels like he is talking with viewers of a documentary, informing us the documentary is about to start. It makes the documentary feel more personal right from the start. One highlight of this documentary that makes it feel different from your standard documentary is the personal interviews placed throughout. Each interviewee shows emotion while talking about Watson, explaining to viewers more than just about Watson himself but, how as a Watson that changed their own personal lives. Overall, the documentary is a wonderful blend between an informational and story telling film and I am excited to see more from Shack.
“One of the People” can be viewed on YouTube, along with Shack’s other works. Since March 25, 2026 the documentary has accumulated over 65 thousand views and is still climbing.
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