Jack Lawrence is probably best known for his many years of working alongside guitar legend Doc Watson, but he has also carved out a formidable reputation in his own right as a solo performer and instructor. We took this opportunity to sound out Jack's views on a range of topics of interest to fellow flatpickers.

TB: You are obviously very well know for all the great work you have done with Doc Watson over the years. What would you say made that musical partnership so enduring and productive? 

JACK: I grew up listening to Doc. When I got the phone call with a job offer that started the whole thing I had been away from his music for a number of years. I got the call on a Friday and met Doc at the airport on Saturday. There was no rehearsal, just a soundcheck and show. It must have been OK as we've been playing together 25 years now. It just worked from the beginning. Our styles are different, but complement each other. Like Doc, I have a great appreciation for older music so we have a lot of common ground. But, growing up in a different era, my influences range from Jimmie Rodgers to Jimi Hendrix. That comes out in my playing. I think that our differences in attack and ear have been just as important as our similarities in our partnership being an enduring one. It also helps that we're good friends.  

TB: In some of your best-known tunes there are quite a few Django influenced licks (By Bye Blues for example). Was Django much of an influence on your playing at any stage?   

JACK: I started listening to Django in the late '60s. I read that Clarence White was a Django fan, so started looking for the recordings. I listened to Django quite a bit, but never really sat down with his records and tried to learn his licks note for note. I'm not a Gypsy guitarist by any stretch. Most of the Django licks I know I learned by osmosis. I have come up with some licks reminicent of Django just from having listened a lot and trying to capture the essence of Gypsy music. 

TB: How would you describe your approach to evolving a new solo or break for a song?  

JACK: My approach to building solos has always been to start by learning the basic melody of the song. I play out of chord positions a good bit and most of the melody notes I need are right under my fingers within the chord. From there I may flesh it out a bit and try to find interesting embellishments around that basic melody. If it sounds too busy or contrived I go with a simpler approach.  

TB: Do you have a number of favorite phrases that you tend to construct quite a few things around, or do you deliberately try to avoid 'comfortable' licks and phrases and try to come up with something completely unique each time? 

JACK: Like most guitarists, I have some favorites I can construct things around. This comes in handy when in a jam or having to perform with someone on the fly.  I've been playing mostly solo or with Doc for a lot of years and have the freedom to play whatever comes to mind. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Most of my solos are improvised. The more you play, the more licks and tricks you have in your bag that can be taken out and used when needed. In the studio, I do try to tailor the solos to be something a little more unique to the song. But it's important for me to have, at least, the essence of the melody. 

TB: What would you consider the key elements in a guitarist developing their playing skills? 

JACK: There is no substitute for time behind the box. Practice the 3 Ts - Timing, Tone and Taste. The last one is pretty subjective. I also think that one should be a good rhythm player before jumping into soloing. If you have the timing thing down everything else will eventually fall into place. Developing an ear for melody is a must. But above all, take heed of the first sentence in this paragraph; there are no quick ways to achieve proficiency. 

TB: How would you assess the mind-set required for contest flatpicking?  

JACK: With the exception of a few fiddlers conventions when I was a kid, I've never competed. I really don't know a lot about guitar contests. I find that most of the folks doing them are nice people and are supportive of their fellow contestants. One thing I don't care for about guitar contests is that there's no way to know if a contestant is a well-rounded player. Some know their contest tunes really well but can't contribute to a jam because they can't improvise or only know their contest tunes. I played with one guy that played his tunes great but couldn't play rhythm in time to back up my solos. I think contests are great fun for the participants and anything that gets people playing together is a good thing. But I don't consider music a competitive sport. 

TB: What advice would you give to a beginning picker having a problem picking up speed?  

JACK: Speed happens. I think it much more important to have a nice selection of notes played in time with good tone. The more time you spend playing the faster you gain speed. That said, one of the things most folks need to do to play faster is to RELAX. That's easier said than done sometimes. Remember to breathe. I tend to drop my shoulders just before a fast solo; I've noticed that I get tense in the shoulders when I play fast. Dropping the shoulders to relieve tension helps me. Also beginners should practice with a metronome. Start at a comfortable speed and slowly bump it up as you get comfortable, always trying to remember how your body felt at the lower speed so as not to tense up. 

TB: What kind of tone do you look for in your own playing?  

JACK: Tone is so subjective. I try to get the fattest roundest note I can. I generally prefer a deep, not tinny sound. If I'm playing a song that I feel needs more grit and cut, I play closer to the bridge, something fat and robust closer to the soundhole. 

TB: What would you say is the single most important skill that a backup guitarist needs to acquire?  

JACK: The single most important skill a backup player needs is the ability to LISTEN. That is the most important thing I've learned in my tenure with Doc. We never rehearse. I've learned more songs sitting on stage with him than off. Of course I was playing professionally for years before Doc and had learned that if you don't listen more to the other players than yourself, you stand a large chance of covering up some pretty important stuff. Play simply as a backup player, you're there to support not solo. As a rule of thumb, if you can't hear the vocalist or the soloist, someone's playing too loud and it could be you.  

TB: Thank you, Jack. We look forward to seeing you in November!

Jack Lawrence will be performing and teaching a two-day guitar workshop with Jon Garon in Newport, Pembrokeshire at the Transatlantic Bluegrass "Autumn Picking Weekend" November 7-9. Jack's other tour dates can be found on his website.