Doc Watson’s “The Vanguard Years,” Vanguard. ***1/2

There are too many differences between Watson’s music--which is heavily shaped by his Blue Ridge Mountains background--and Elliott’s to draw too many parallels. Blind since early infancy, Watson is a remarkable guitarist and a singer whose approach is often as understated and rural as Elliott’s is urban and intense.

However, the two do come together in one critical respect: Both bodies of work celebrate the human spirit by drawing upon folk and country music in ways that are comforting and warm.

Most of these tracks were taken from Watson’s delightful Vanguard albums in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, often featuring the guitar accompaniment of his son, Merle, who was killed in a tractor accident in 1985.

“The Vanguard Years”--a four-disc set that clocks in at less than three hours--also includes 50 minutes of previously unreleased live material, including six duets with fellow guitar master Merle Travis. For a single-disc introduction to Watson, try “Doc Watson” or “Southbound,” both available on Vanguard.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).