Back in the late 1970s, I had the great pleasure of mixing the live sound for Doc & Merle Watson when they came to my college. Naturally, I had to go up during soundcheck and pay homage to the greatest flatpicker alive. So, I go up and ask him if he likes the sound quality (he did) and I mention that I hope to be close to as good on guitar as he was. He thanked me, then asked me, "So, you play guitar?" To which I replied, "Not when I'm standing next to the greatest picker on earth!" Then he says, "Son, your hands are on the guitar somewhere and something that resembles "music" comes out?" I said, "Yes sir, kinda." He then says, "Then go pick you out a guitar and let's pick!" Though I felt like a bumbling idiot, I did so, playing an old Martin he had on his rack, feeling totally inadequate for the 5-10 minutes that we picked. Over twenty years later, I took my 14 YO daughter to see him when he opened a show for Nickel Creek & Bela Fleck, went up to say hello, and though he admitted that he didn't remember my name, he remembered "sittin' and pickin' with his sound man years ago." He was a kind man, and that's a memory I'll never forget. RIP, Doc.
Nice story. I got to sit about 8 ft. away and listen to him and Merle back in the day at Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz. It was like sitting in someone's living room. A once-in-a-lifetime show.
Rest assured Grace, most people if not all on This thread are experienced guitar players themselves, and as one myself, I can tell you even though I'm a rock and roll player I have always listened to and played along in my spare time with this type of music to keep my alternate picking in shape because I never wanted to lean on the distortion to cover up mistakes so forgive me for the long reply my main point is we can all see and hear that you two are beyond amazing not only for your abilities and musicality, bye-bye the great habit of muting and silencing all other strings and notes other than the ones that are meant to be heard that is the best of all! Thank you
Just caught my first Billy Strings show last weekend and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. The guy next to me on the rail said that was his 50th Strings show and one of the best he's ever seen. It was absolutely blistering. Can't wait for the next round.
I've been playing guitar for 53 years, and I've actually met two of these guys, Dan Tyminski and Doc Watson, who I actually picked with a little during the sound check at one of his concerts. Seeing these guys pick makes me want to go burn my Martin in shame! Thanks for putting this video together!
The world lost a good friend with the passing of Tony Rice, I met him at Bluegrass Canada some twenty some years ago with Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas....Tony was the classic country gentleman both on and off stage, and if you asked each and everyone of the guitar players here who their greatest guitar play was...they would say Tony Rice... I have a 1954 Martin D-28 which is my most prized possession and I have spent my life trying to adopt the licks, riffs, and magic of Mr. Rice into my own style....my love and admiration for this man was the main inspiration for making this huge investment in a guitar...once you have played a pre 1960 Martin, there is no turning back...great video
I've been a headbanger type pretty much my whole life and a guitar player myself, but my ultimate respect goes to the finger style players and flat pickers, some of the finest players on the planet, bar none son.
I got to pick with Doc & Merle back in the winter of 1975-76 - can't recall if it was before or after the new year. Got to see Clarence with the Byrds too.
Tony Rice absolutely amazes me. Watch him closely, especially when he is playing his solo breaks. He doesn’t move ANYTHING other than his fingers. He is motionless. There isn’t even a significant change in his facial expression. I sometimes wonder if he isn’t an automaton or maybe a Disney “animatronic”.
OK, I can die now. I've seen everything. Two little girls sitting on a couch, two guitars, laying out INSANE chops and licks like it's as easy as falling down! That's all there is there ain't no more!
I love to see how some of these amazing pickers were influenced by others. "I've stood on the shoulders of giants" is a quote that comes to mind. Lots of Tony Rice style pickers these days and his main influence was Clearance White. Doc Watson bringing guitar solos to bluegrass... I was strictly a banjo player as a kid until one morning I awoke to hear "The Bluegrass Album Band" record playing that my mom got from a garage sale. I remember opening my eyes in bed thinking wtf is that heavenly sound? Tony Rice's vocals and his guitar made me want to learn the guitar and sing.
Clarence died very young- and, with the Byrds and in more traditional bluegrass setting, he was the best I ever saw. Tony took off from what Clarence had invented. Check the White brothers doing I Am A Pilgrim and Soldier's Joy, youtube. Wow.
Impossible to say who is best, just who are my favorites. I was blessed to have heard both Doc and Tony live quite a few times. RIP.. And if Doc is not in Clarence and Tony's league its because he's in a league all his own.
David Grier is one of the finest guitarists I’ve seen and heard of any genre. It just happened that he learned Bluegrass. Excellent players all of them.
Billy Strings. He's the best all-around picker I've ever heard. The total package of skill & feel. He's the next generation's introduction to bluegrass & good music in general.
I was anxious to see him on this list, and disappointed that he wasn't - Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids). That man elevates flat picking to an entirely different dimension, and his phrasing, chording, speed, and precision are truly something to behold.
A friend of mine, who does a lot of session work in Atlanta and Nashville once said, when Eddie Van Helen came on the scene and was hailed as the 'greatest'. "Eddie is definitely something special and not to take anything away from him, but there are 100 players in Nashville that are that good." Here's your proof. (This is NOT a bash EVH post.)
Truth! Sure EVH was an icon ( and then some) but here's the thing, even my long-- time guitar idol (Ritchie Blackmore ) they claimed, was VERY intimidated by Eddie, a new kid on the block was encroaching on Deep Purple's dominance and the big boys were getting twitchy!
All Great Bluegrass players. I been following Billy Strings he developed his own style to bluegrass and his story about his dads Martin Guitar is amazing.
Love to listen to this musicians that are blessed and to share their experience and talents. Again thank you and God bless you all. I will be in Heaven playing with you all. John Offutt and my mother Skaggs family.
I am old school in a lot of ways. Doc, Norman, Clarence, Tony, what can you say? Well, that being said, I cannot get enough of Billy Strings. Apples and oranges, I know. Still? It was really cool seeing Tony then Clarence on "their" guitars.
Michael Daves, Zeb Snyder and Tim May could be added for me off the top of my head. What a great list. Nice to see more than the usual 4 or 5 acknowledged. Thanks for sharing.
In his prime Tony Rice hands down. A thousand notes per second has been done. You gotta have that quality that touches the soul and stands out as unique. Doc and Clarence had that as well. Out of all the players on this video they blazed the trails. All the rest are just followers of one sort or another.
chelsea and grace constable: love the way, after she's been playing the runs a bit, that she looks at the fretboard. it's like it's amazing to her too! NICE!
My vote for your second would be Carl Miner. I play harmonica! I played on the Florida Bluegrass Circuit in 1970's, invited many times by Chubby Anthony to play with him on his sets....and other bands. Opened for Doc Watson, with Merle, in Fla. 1977 and Calif 1978, spent time with Doc and used a quote from him about my playing for many years on promo material. Carl Miner & I played in my band when he was 17/18 same year he won the Flat picking at Winfield.
We went to see Ricky Scaggs and Jake Workman a couple years ago down the road from our home, and WOW what a great show 💥👍🇺🇸💥👍🇺🇸 (Renfro Valley, Kentucky)
The Down Home is a fantastic place in East Tennessee, I saw New Grass Revival there a half a dozen times I like the acoustics in that place!! If you have never been to the Down Home check it out!!!!
I went from the Grateful Dead ain’t too old and in the way to the bluegrass album band and I was hooked on Bluegrass forever so thanks to Jerry and Tony And all the rest
Back in the 80's and early 90's I was a metal guitar fan, and my friend turned me on to bluegrass. He was starting off on banjo, and I thank him for introducing me to this wonderful music.
These guys/girls are out standing in their chosen field! I would say there is one man capable of playing in any field. His name is Tommy Emmanuel! I have MC'd for many of these folks at Randy Wood's Pickin' Parlor in Bloomingdale, GA including TE and he can stand with the very best in the world! Master of all variations of guitar playing! If you don't know him and are a fan of guitar, you must check him out! Hat's off to Randy for bringing in most of these wonderful musicians! If you have never been to Randy's you are missing a treat and the chance to meet an American treasure!
Wow, they are all pretty good. I'm 71 and never heard of most them But Bill Strings is insane, and Tony Rice was good too Good skills with the video and the time stamps
What a great list ! Tony Rice , doc Watson , Dan Tyminski and Billy strings, and Tim stafford . My top 5 Not necessarily in that order . Tony probably number one .
You have to add Mark O'Connor, who at age 14, won the Winfield, KS flatpicking contest judged by Doc Watson, Dan Crary and Norman Blake. O'Connor was banned from returning the next year. So he returned in 1977 and won again. The contest then instituted the "Mark O'Connor Rule" and he was prevented from returning for 5 years.
I played against Mark O'Conner in a little guitar contest in Monroe, LA in 1977. There were 5 contestants. There were 3 really good players, Mark and one ole hick from the sticks that was still trying to find his way out of G. Mark was the clear winner although the other guys did really well too. I passed Mark on the stairs coming up as I was going down... I said "good luck". I had no idea who he was and how little he needed luck. :-) But I had fun that day. OH and I now know my way out of G. ;-)
I would agree. He's best when he gets out of the strictly bluegrass mode and plays some of his original compositions like Tinfoil and Turmoil and Dust in a Baggie.
My opinion is that O'Connor was exceptionally gifted. Forty years ago, he played guitar and mandolin as well as he played fiddle. But he wanted to be the first undisputed on an instrument. Now, the place was hold by Grisman on the mandolin and by Rice on the guitar, and so he took the fiddle where there was no really serious competitor. That's why he is much better known now as a fiddler than as a guitarist or a mandolinist.
I like all of them the best !! No comparing just absolute respect for all, individually, especially for their own method of holding the picks!! I suggest listening to them all again without watching to see if you could figure out know who is who....
There are many great flat pickers out there. If you do a second video you should add Jack Lawrence, Merle Watson, & Jim Hurst! Thanks for posting this.
Thanks I saved this just so I would go back & write down the names of some of these artists that I was not familiar with and search for more of their work.
Years ago I played the guitar but I injured my hand severely and was not able to make chords because of it. And that effectively ended my guitar playing days, however, when I played I had an acoustic guitar and had some experience with electric guitars. Playing an acoustic guitar is much harder because of the finger pressure needed compared to an electric guitar. Something about the sound an acoustic guitar is magical to me. All that beautiful sound being produced without any extra electrical help. I never tire of listening to great acoustical guitarists play great tunes.
Ya' got my favorites: Tony Rice, Russ Barenberg (my favorite all around) and Dan Crary. Dan's guitar got lost by the airlines last time I saw him and I loaned him my Gallagher. Poor Dan had a struggle with my light gauge strings...but played it better than I ever had...
There are some great pickers out there. You nailed a bunch of them. Molly's brother Sully Tuttle is a monster picker as well as Presley Barker and Zeb Snyder Scott Coney Steve Kaufman and the list goes on. You can also throw some thumb pickers in the mix like Wayne Henderson, Tommy Emmanuel; and Jessie Smith .
I agree Presely should be included. Wayne Henderson is more of a finger picker with his finger picks. Carson Peters ain't that bad with a guitar and mandalin also. Must be something in the water down in them back woods of them Appalachians that gets them fingers a working on them strings and wood.
There are faster pickers, ones knowing more chords and notes, but none more tasteful than Doc Watson. Considering he had no access to videos and couldn't watch anybody pick, he is original and unsurpassed.
I also love Doc Watson. But I would not say his inaccessibility to resources for the sighted was an impediment for Doc. In fact, it was likely a major contributor to him being so great.
Obviously it's not a contest but there are other players these days whom I think play even tastier stuff than Doc Watson.Jake workman happens to be one of those players.
Here I am, listening to Bluegrass pickers. I get out to 2:13 in the video and there’s Chelsie, guitar instructor extraordinaire herself, just a pickin’ and a grinnin’! Nice!
Wang Chung , check out The Tuttles with AJ Lee play El Cumbanchero, Sully on guitar Molly on banjo, Micheal on mandolin, A J chopping Dad Jack on bass at the Freight and Salvage 2010
Very good list! Thank you for the time and effort in making this video, as well as putting the info in the description.
Do this for all the lovers who have the same dream to jam and picking like these great players.
@@ToondeCorte Amen to that!
Doc has to be my favorite, but. keep a sharp eye on Billy! Amazing talent.
Back in the late 1970s, I had the great pleasure of mixing the live sound for Doc & Merle Watson when they came to my college. Naturally, I had to go up during soundcheck and pay homage to the greatest flatpicker alive. So, I go up and ask him if he likes the sound quality (he did) and I mention that I hope to be close to as good on guitar as he was. He thanked me, then asked me, "So, you play guitar?" To which I replied, "Not when I'm standing next to the greatest picker on earth!" Then he says, "Son, your hands are on the guitar somewhere and something that resembles "music" comes out?" I said, "Yes sir, kinda." He then says, "Then go pick you out a guitar and let's pick!" Though I felt like a bumbling idiot, I did so, playing an old Martin he had on his rack, feeling totally inadequate for the 5-10 minutes that we picked. Over twenty years later, I took my 14 YO daughter to see him when he opened a show for Nickel Creek & Bela Fleck, went up to say hello, and though he admitted that he didn't remember my name, he remembered "sittin' and pickin' with his sound man years ago." He was a kind man, and that's a memory I'll never forget. RIP, Doc.
Thanks for your comment...
What a great story. Thanks for sharing that with us 💕
Nice story. I got to sit about 8 ft. away and listen to him and Merle back in the day at Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz. It was like sitting in someone's living room. A once-in-a-lifetime show.
What a great memory! Thanks for sharing it! Go pick !
Thank you Dustin, pick and jam...
Chelsea & Grace Constable were amazing!! FAST, accurate and surprising! Great talent!!
Thank you so much!
Them Constable girls were tearin' that shit up...
They are awesome players
Rest assured Grace, most people if not all on This thread are experienced guitar players themselves, and as one myself, I can tell you even though I'm a rock and roll player I have always listened to and played along in my spare time with this type of music to keep my alternate picking in shape because I never wanted to lean on the distortion to cover up mistakes so forgive me for the long reply my main point is we can all see and hear that you two are beyond amazing not only for your abilities and musicality, bye-bye the great habit of muting and silencing all other strings and notes other than the ones that are meant to be heard that is the best of all! Thank you
Just caught my first Billy Strings show last weekend and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. The guy next to me on the rail said that was his 50th Strings show and one of the best he's ever seen. It was absolutely blistering. Can't wait for the next round.
ruclips.net/video/23_GBoDd9oQ/видео.html
Billy was born with it. Effortless, young and innovating every time I listen to him.
You never heard his 1000s of hours of practice. Definitely wasn't born a virtuoso.
@@theshapeexists and copied all the greats.
@@keithclark486like all the other greats.
Nobody is born with it. Dont discredit his hours of practice
So glad Billy Strings was here. Dude is a bluegrass animal on guitar!!!
I've been playing guitar for 53 years, and I've actually met two of these guys, Dan Tyminski and Doc Watson, who I actually picked with a little during the sound check at one of his concerts. Seeing these guys pick makes me want to go burn my Martin in shame! Thanks for putting this video together!
The world lost a good friend with the passing of Tony Rice, I met him at Bluegrass Canada some twenty some years ago with Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas....Tony was the classic country gentleman both on and off stage, and if you asked each and everyone of the guitar players here who their greatest guitar play was...they would say Tony Rice... I have a 1954 Martin D-28 which is my most prized possession and I have spent my life trying to adopt the licks, riffs, and magic of Mr. Rice into my own style....my love and admiration for this man was the main inspiration for making this huge investment in a guitar...once you have played a pre 1960 Martin, there is no turning back...great video
Thanks Don...
My pleasure, Bluegrass music played a huge part n my life....
I've been a headbanger type pretty much my whole life and a guitar player myself, but my ultimate respect goes to the finger style players and flat pickers, some of the finest players on the planet, bar none son.
Cy agree they got nothing to rely on but their fingers. No gimmicks, no electronics, just sheer hard playing son of a guns.
Norman Blake is my personal favorite to listen to.
I got to pick with Doc & Merle back in the winter of 1975-76 - can't recall if it was before or after the new year. Got to see Clarence with the Byrds too.
Tony was playing C. Whites guitar in 1972 in my living room in KY where he was living at the time he was 18. He was incredible then.
Never see Clarence live, you are a very lucky person.
Tony Rice absolutely amazes me. Watch him closely, especially when he is playing his solo breaks. He doesn’t move ANYTHING other than his fingers. He is motionless. There isn’t even a significant change in his facial expression. I sometimes wonder if he isn’t an automaton or maybe a Disney “animatronic”.
Trey Hensley and Billy Strings were my favorite here. The clarity, ferocity, and melodic style stands out to me.
Ditto!! I'm on the same page and at the same library!!
All I can say about Norman Blake is he is "smooth". So much at ease when he plays. It looks effortless.
Billy Strings is a nice young fellow from my town, Traverse City, Michigan. I knew he was bound for good things to happen.
Billy is very good for the bluegrass music.
Billy is getting folks back to loving bluegrass type music. Been too long eh?
OK, I can die now. I've seen everything. Two little girls sitting on a couch, two guitars, laying out INSANE chops and licks like it's as easy as falling down! That's all there is there ain't no more!
I love to see how some of these amazing pickers were influenced by others. "I've stood on the shoulders of giants" is a quote that comes to mind. Lots of Tony Rice style pickers these days and his main influence was Clearance White. Doc Watson bringing guitar solos to bluegrass...
I was strictly a banjo player as a kid until one morning I awoke to hear "The Bluegrass Album Band" record playing that my mom got from a garage sale. I remember opening my eyes in bed thinking wtf is that heavenly sound? Tony Rice's vocals and his guitar made me want to learn the guitar and sing.
I miss his vocals. I'm just glad he is still here with us tho.
Clarence died very young- and, with the Byrds and in more traditional bluegrass setting, he was the best I ever saw. Tony took off from what Clarence had invented. Check the White brothers doing I Am A Pilgrim and Soldier's Joy, youtube. Wow.
Billy Strings attributes Doc Watson as his influence and even has tattoos of Doc!! Also credits his Dad
Impossible to say who is best, just who are my favorites. I was blessed to have heard both Doc and Tony live quite a few times. RIP.. And if Doc is not in Clarence and Tony's league its because he's in a league all his own.
David Grier is one of the finest guitarists I’ve seen and heard of any genre. It just happened that he learned Bluegrass. Excellent players all of them.
Billy Strings. He's the best all-around picker I've ever heard. The total package of skill & feel. He's the next generation's introduction to bluegrass & good music in general.
I've watched this video a couple of times and that young man Billy Strings is a couple of pegs up! He's done some amazing things!!
He holds tempo better then a metronome
I was anxious to see him on this list, and disappointed that he wasn't - Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids). That man elevates flat picking to an entirely different dimension, and his phrasing, chording, speed, and precision are truly something to behold.
A friend of mine, who does a lot of session work in Atlanta and Nashville once said, when Eddie Van Helen came on the scene and was hailed as the 'greatest'. "Eddie is definitely something special and not to take anything away from him, but there are 100 players in Nashville that are that good." Here's your proof. (This is NOT a bash EVH post.)
Thanks Bobby, agree...but for the flatpicking lovers i did only looking into the bluegrass style.
A lot of hidden gems, indeed
Truth! Sure EVH was an icon ( and then some) but here's the thing, even my long-- time guitar idol (Ritchie Blackmore ) they claimed, was VERY intimidated by Eddie, a new kid on the block was encroaching on Deep Purple's dominance and the big boys were getting twitchy!
It sounds pretty much the same
Why do the vast majority of them play dreadnoughts or bigger guitars?
billy strings and the two girls together nailed this, great vid
It's great to hear the different techniques all in short order. It leaves the impression that there's a big possibility for individual methods.
Agree
All Great Bluegrass players. I been following Billy Strings he developed his own style to bluegrass and his story about his dads Martin Guitar is amazing.
Billy Strings! Hands down!
Love to listen to this musicians that are blessed and to share their experience and talents. Again thank you and God bless you all. I will be in Heaven playing with you all. John Offutt and my mother Skaggs family.
I am old school in a lot of ways. Doc, Norman, Clarence, Tony, what can you say? Well, that being said, I cannot get enough of Billy Strings. Apples and oranges, I know. Still? It was really cool seeing Tony then Clarence on "their" guitars.
glad you included Jake Workman. he is just the cream of the crop
Michael Daves, Zeb Snyder and Tim May could be added for me off the top of my head. What a great list. Nice to see more than the usual 4 or 5 acknowledged. Thanks for sharing.
All I can say is EVH, Vai, Satriani or any other shredder type guitar player EAT YOUR HEART OUT. These guys are shredding on a damn acoustic.
Jthomas Annillo really! And that fact always blows my mind!
In his prime Tony Rice hands down. A thousand notes per second has been done. You gotta have that quality that touches the soul and stands out as unique. Doc and Clarence had that as well. Out of all the players on this video they blazed the trails. All the rest are just followers of one sort or another.
chelsea and grace constable: love the way, after she's been playing the runs a bit, that she looks at the fretboard. it's like it's amazing to her too! NICE!
Love seeing my friend Luke Bulla playing with Russ Barenberg at the end of this clip! Thanks for a fun ride thru some amazing pickers!
Those Constable sisters are bad to the bone!!!
I was hoping like heck to see Russ Barenburg. So glad to see him wrap up the list. So clean and tasteful!
Agree
Language please
My vote for your second would be Carl Miner. I play harmonica! I played on the Florida Bluegrass Circuit in 1970's, invited many times by Chubby Anthony to play with him on his sets....and other bands. Opened for Doc Watson, with Merle, in Fla. 1977 and Calif 1978, spent time with Doc and used a quote from him about my playing for many years on promo material. Carl Miner & I played in my band when he was 17/18 same year he won the Flat picking at Winfield.
Thanks Gabriel...
Lots of great pickers here I've been fortunate to see, Tony, Josh, Uwe, Dan, Billy......but there's only one Doc. Wish I could see him again.
Absolutely.
Best
Didn’t Doc invent the genre? ❤️
I think Django, Doc and Clarence...
Constable sisters WOW!!!!!!
I liked Chelsea and Grace best. They certainly know how to get you going with their enthusiasm and showmanship.
Yes...nice words
MAN, I was searching the comments to see if anyone else was as impressed with them as I was! BINGO!
We went to see Ricky Scaggs and Jake Workman a couple years ago down the road from our home, and WOW what a great show 💥👍🇺🇸💥👍🇺🇸 (Renfro Valley, Kentucky)
Holy smokes, are they for real? Unbelievable how talented they all are! Love it! Thanks for sharing it!
The Down Home is a fantastic place in East Tennessee, I saw New Grass Revival there a half a dozen times I like the acoustics in that place!! If you have never been to the Down Home check it out!!!!
So many good players.
I think Tony Rice was not the first player or maybe not even the best player but will always be my favorite.
I went from the Grateful Dead ain’t too old and in the way to the bluegrass album band and I was hooked on Bluegrass forever so thanks to Jerry and Tony And all the rest
Back in the 80's and early 90's I was a metal guitar fan, and my friend turned me on to bluegrass. He was starting off on banjo, and I thank him for introducing me to this wonderful music.
This album bring me to the bluegrass...ruclips.net/video/RSdwG8qEBx8/видео.html
These guys were the Yngwie Malmsteens of the Smokey Mountains.
Thank You! As a guitar and banjo picker that isn't really good at this, I am 65 and still learning. And Love this type of music! Keep it up!, Yee Haw!
Thank you...
These guys/girls are out standing in their chosen field! I would say there is one man capable of playing in any field. His name is Tommy Emmanuel! I have MC'd for many of these folks at Randy Wood's Pickin' Parlor in Bloomingdale, GA including TE and he can stand with the very best in the world! Master of all variations of guitar playing! If you don't know him and are a fan of guitar, you must check him out! Hat's off to Randy for bringing in most of these wonderful musicians! If you have never been to Randy's you are missing a treat and the chance to meet an American treasure!
Tommy and Billy's duet on Workin' Man Blues is a MUSTWATCH!
They are all great musicians!!
You can’t help but to love Billy Strings!👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️❤️
Billy Strings! Wow!
Go see him. Tickets are cheap and I promise your mind will be blown.
Tony Rice is the coolest man on the block I think. My God they’re all 👍
Wow, they are all pretty good.
I'm 71 and never heard of most them
But Bill Strings is insane, and Tony Rice was good too
Good skills with the video and the time stamps
Thanks
I grew up watching Doc, Tony, Sutton and Kruger. Living near Merlefest is heaven if you’re into this type of music
What a great list !
Tony Rice , doc Watson , Dan Tyminski and Billy strings, and Tim stafford . My top 5
Not necessarily in that order . Tony probably number one .
Really cool. Wyatt Rice, Mark O'Connor, Allen Shadd
Fantastic
I didn't see Jack Lawrence mentioned anywhere. He played with Doc for over 20 years. He's one of the best flatpickers I've ever heard.
See the second video for Jack
My top 3 influences. Pat Flynn, Tony Rice and Peter Rowan.
You have to add Mark O'Connor, who at age 14, won the Winfield, KS flatpicking contest judged by Doc Watson, Dan Crary and Norman Blake. O'Connor was banned from returning the next year. So he returned in 1977 and won again. The contest then instituted the "Mark O'Connor Rule" and he was prevented from returning for 5 years.
Yep, special case... as long as it has strings; Marc O'Connor is exceptional.
I played against Mark O'Conner in a little guitar contest in Monroe, LA in 1977. There were 5 contestants. There were 3 really good players, Mark and one ole hick from the sticks that was still trying to find his way out of G. Mark was the clear winner although the other guys did really well too. I passed Mark on the stairs coming up as I was going down... I said "good luck". I had no idea who he was and how little he needed luck. :-) But I had fun that day. OH and I now know my way out of G. ;-)
Look at video 2...
That's because Reggie Harris wasn't participating
Nice to hear...
A picker not very much recognized for guitar that I loved was Earl Scruggs...When he picked it he also kept the melody perfectly.
Bawaaatee wasn’t until recently that I even knew Scruggs played guitar
Awesome. Just recently heard of Billy Strings!
I think he's the best there ever wuz!!
I would agree. He's best when he gets out of the strictly bluegrass mode and plays some of his original compositions like Tinfoil and Turmoil and Dust in a Baggie.
First I’m seeing or hearing of Chelsea & Grace Constable...cool!
My opinion is that O'Connor was exceptionally gifted. Forty years ago, he played guitar and mandolin as well as he played fiddle. But he wanted to be the first undisputed on an instrument. Now, the place was hold by Grisman on the mandolin and by Rice on the guitar, and so he took the fiddle where there was no really serious competitor. That's why he is much better known now as a fiddler than as a guitarist or a mandolinist.
Check out Michael Cleveland on fiddle. He also plays other stringed instruments.
A new young one - Presley Barker , definitely one to watch ! 🍀
Wonderful selection of beautiful musicians. Seeing Sawtelle made my entire day better.
Yeah growing up in Colorado I could see Hot Rize before I knew they were famous.
I like all of them the best !! No comparing just absolute respect for all, individually, especially for their own method of holding the picks!! I suggest listening to them all again without watching to see if you could figure out know who is who....
I think about it...
Billy strings and molly tuttle will keep bluegrass alive for another generation. Hells yeah
Billy Strings is a joke.
@@lonniemeeker2525 the guy is good. like real good.
Finally someone acknowledging Uwe Kruger, one of the most underrated guitar players. So often overshadowed by his brother's banjo.
Uwe is a very, very good flatpicker, agree with you.
Uwe and jens are outstanding
Yes, hope they will be nominated for all there fine work for the Bluegrass music.
There are many great flat pickers out there. If you do a second video you should add Jack Lawrence, Merle Watson, & Jim Hurst! Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for remembering Merle Watson, arguably the greatest flat picker ever.
Merle and James use a thumbpick, both are excellent players
There are 3 videos...
Tony Rice is my favorite but Doc was the best, got to see Mr.Watson on several occasions and he was amazing!!
Thanks I saved this just so I would go back & write down the names of some of these artists that I was not familiar with and search for more of their work.
They should all get up every morning turn towards Deep Gap,NC and bow to Doc Watson.
Thank you for this video.
Doc Watson Billy Strings, Tony Rice, Norman Blake
Wow! What a show of flat picking.
Bryan Sutton & Billy Strings TIE for 1st place. All time great - Tony Rice.
A bunch of incredible guitar players here.
i will not be able to pik up my guitar for at least 2 weeks now, thanks alot!!!
If you don't pick it up and play, you won't get any better. Play!
I just burned mine
Great List I do want to add one Chris Luquette
Years ago I played the guitar but I injured my hand severely and was not able to make chords because of it. And that effectively ended my guitar playing days, however, when I played I had an acoustic guitar and had some experience with electric guitars. Playing an acoustic guitar is much harder because of the finger pressure needed compared to an electric guitar. Something about the sound an acoustic guitar is magical to me. All that beautiful sound being produced without any extra electrical help. I never tire of listening to great acoustical guitarists play great tunes.
john noe I played bass guitar for y after in a very good country band and had a stroke lost my four fingers you cord with ,now cannot play at all!😫😫😫
Jake Workman was the cleanest live performance I've seen. It was about 5 years ago at Renfro Valley in Kentucky with Ricky Scaggs 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
I was impressed with Chelsea and Grace. Billy is always good.
Great to find some new amazing players to listen to. Thanks!
I love the fact that the last gent (Russ Barenberg) is doing it on a J-45
Ya' got my favorites: Tony Rice, Russ Barenberg (my favorite all around) and Dan Crary. Dan's guitar got lost by the airlines last time I saw him and I loaned him my Gallagher. Poor Dan had a struggle with my light gauge strings...but played it better than I ever had...
The 12 string he was playing is beautiful. Didn't even sound like a guitar.
Molly is my favorite, but all extremely talented
A hundred thousand hours of practice to get to this level ~ WOW!
Tony Rice is a machine.
I've always loved Tony Rice. The playing and the singing just me
There are some great pickers out there. You nailed a bunch of them. Molly's brother Sully Tuttle is a monster picker as well as Presley Barker and Zeb Snyder Scott Coney Steve Kaufman and the list goes on. You can also throw some thumb pickers in the mix like Wayne Henderson, Tommy Emmanuel; and Jessie Smith .
I agree Presely should be included. Wayne Henderson is more of a finger picker with his finger picks. Carson Peters ain't that bad with a guitar and mandalin also. Must be something in the water down in them back woods of them Appalachians that gets them fingers a working on them strings and wood.
Greats
There are faster pickers, ones knowing more chords and notes, but none more tasteful than Doc Watson. Considering he had no access to videos and couldn't watch anybody pick, he is original and unsurpassed.
I also love Doc Watson. But I would not say his inaccessibility to resources for the sighted was an impediment for Doc. In fact, it was likely a major contributor to him being so great.
Couldn't agree more. Doc Watson is hands down my favorite player of all time.
Obviously it's not a contest but there are other players these days whom I think play even tastier stuff than Doc Watson.Jake workman happens to be one of those players.
@@livingroompickersclub6358 tastier stuff than Doc?? Like what?
CW was right there with him...
I cannot pick a fovourite, i love them all.
Here I am, listening to Bluegrass pickers. I get out to 2:13 in the video and there’s Chelsie, guitar instructor extraordinaire herself, just a pickin’ and a grinnin’! Nice!
Wonderful! The very best are/were Doc, Tony, and Norman Blake. But.....Billy is a monster. Add Adam Aijala.
Dan T is my favorite all around Bluegrass performer and I was so happy to see you have Molly Tuttle and Trey Hensley on here. Great job!
Molly's there, ofcourse !
4:30
Hey guys, to be more clear, I was so hoping and so happy to see both of them were! I will edit my comment.
Wang Chung , check out The Tuttles with AJ Lee play El Cumbanchero, Sully on guitar Molly on banjo, Micheal on mandolin, A J chopping Dad Jack on bass at the Freight and Salvage 2010
@Robert Smyth Wow! I will be on RUclips all day now... Thx!
nice work! very entertaining.
Tony rice may be the GOAT but let’s all just admire the fact that doc Watson is playing like that while blind. Unreal