There has been much discussion over whether Doc played much clawhammer style banjo. I agree with Dan Gellert (excerpted from another thread below) that it was a lot less than most people think. Particularly early on, Doc played a North Carolina two-finger index lead up-picking style Following the Gellert excerpt is a link to a YouTube video I just discovered that provides the best views of Doc's 2-finger playing.
quote:
Originally posted by Dan GellertOld-time banjo players were all over the place when it came to the mechanics of playing, and a lot of what sounds like (or is called) "clawhammer" is something other than the rapping/knockdown/stroke style (stroke down with a fingernail, pull with the thumb) that usually bears the name nowadays.
Doc Watson could rap, but usually, if you hear him playing what sounds like clawhammer style, he's actually playing index-lead 2-finger style-- all the index finger notes are plucked upward, and the hand is usually planted (I think Doc rested his wrist on the head, but most will use the 4th or 3rd+4th finger, like Scruggs.)....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yr8VS9OHAc
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 06/23/2026 12:42:19
Tracy Schwarz also played in a two finger style that sounded like clawhammer. He was a neighbor of mine and said he just could not get the hang of clawhammer but he was able to replicate the sound quite successfully in the two finger style. It is evident on his solo Folkways recording and those with his first wife Eloise.
And here's Doc again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSy3Tq49KJI
Among banjo players today, Curt Bouterse play this up-up-picking style sounding like clawhammer: https://youtu.be/i3baBixDH44
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