Jens & Uwe Kruger perform Walk On Boy

There is something tremendously special that happens when the Kruger Brothers are in the same room together. Even if it is only 2 out of the 3 members. And that is exactly what happened when Uwe and Jens performed a very unplanned rendition of Walk On Boy. 

It happened at the end of April in the stunning live room of their studio, Double Time Music, deep in the heart of Wilkesboro, North Carolina. It was also the day before Merlefest 2019 was due to kick off and we had flown out there early to spend some time filming some demo videos with Jens. About halfway through fiming the John Hartford Model video, Uwe walked in a took a seat. Obviously, I couldn't resit the urge to see if we could get an impromptu jam happening. Anyone who knows the Kruger Brothers will know that my job was not difficult and encouraging them to play is hardly a challenge. 

So, Uwe picked up the Boston 6 String AE, while Jens grabbed the Tony Trisckha Silver Clipper that he had already fallen in love with earlier in the day and this amazing rendition of Walk On Boy commenced, while Jamie Deering, Janet Deering and myself looked on with wide smiles and tapping feet, from behind the camera.

Walk On Boy was recorded on Octber 1st 1960, by Mel Tillis, and was released a little over a month later ion November 7th 1960. 

The song itself has seen many different renditions over the years from the likes of the Belmonts, The Rice Brothers and Jim Byrnes. But none we quite as influential to Jens and Uwe as they played through their native Switzerland than Doc Watson, who famously performed the song with his son, Merle. 

A fitting tribute to the memory of Doc and Merle Watson on the eve of the famous festival that bares his name.