David Holt and friends visit the Newberry Opera House on January 19 | Arts & Culture

There is a deep river of traditional music running through South Carolina. Grammy Award winners David Holt, Bryan Sutton, and T. Michael Coleman explore the richness of that musical culture as Sutton, Holt and Coleman. Join them as they pay Tribute to Doc Watson at the Newberry Opera House Saturday, January 19, at 8:00 p.m.

These highly decorated musicians are friends who share a great love of traditional mountain music and particularly the music of Doc Watson. Each have been inspired and have performed with Watson over the years. As Sutton, Holt and Coleman, they honor Doc Watson‘s musical legacy with this concert in Newberry.

Four-time Grammy Award winner David Holt is a musician, storyteller, historian, television host and entertainer dedicated to performing and preserving traditional American music and stories. He plays ten acoustic instruments and has released numerous recordings of traditional mountain music and southern folktales.

Holt is well known for his television and radio series. He is host of public television’s “Folkways”, a North Carolina program that takes the viewer through the Southern Mountains visiting traditional craftsmen and musicians. He served as host of The Nashville Network’s Fire on the Mountain, Celebration Express and American Music Shop. He has been a frequent guest on Hee Haw, Nashville Now and The Grand Ole Opry. David can also be seen as a musician in the popular film, O Brother Where Art Thou.

He and Doc Watson were perennial visitors at the Opera House. In 2002, Doc Watson and David won two Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Folk Recording for Legacy, a three CD collection of songs and stories reflecting Doc Watson’s inspiring life story. Doc and David toured together from 1998 until Doc’s death in 2012. The group wants to keep the traditional music moving forward. “Doc has been a primary influence on all three of us and we want to follow his lead in performing a wide range of traditionally based songs and tunes that really reach out and grab a crowd.” Doc had the ability to make old songs sound new and exciting. The trio plans to use what they have learned from Doc to do the same thing with modern audiences.

Now Holt will join with Bryan Sutton, and T. Michael Coleman to continue the tradition of the finest bluegrass music. Sutton has been called the finest acoustic guitarist in America. He is five-time winner of the IBMA Guitarist of the Year Award and in 2007 won a Grammy award with Doc Watson for Best Instrumental. Bassist T. Michael Coleman played with Doc and Merle Watson for seventeen years as well as with the Seldom Scene and Chesapeake.

Don’t miss your chance to catch this talented trio as they pay tribute to their mentor Doc Watson with a special night of music! Tickets are available at the Newberry Opera House box office. Call 803-276-6264 for reservations or visit our website www.newberryoperahouse.com