Old-Time Guitar Style - who are your favourite players?

[hovishead]

I used to think bluegrass was my favourite guitar style but I think overall I'm a bigger fan of the old-time folk style with it's less virtuosic and far more minimal approach.

To me very little beats the sound of a singer, a fiddle and a talented minimalist guitar player that is devoted to keeping a strong boom chuck pulse whilst throwing in tasteful bass runs when required.

I've listened to lots of great players over the years but I'm interested in hearing which guitarists you folks admire from this genre (both from the past and the present)

Look forward to reading your replies.

[Matthjs]

Cameron Knowler is my favorite contemporary player. I’d go with Riley Puckett as my old timey favorite.


https://youtu.be/DoKm4_cAF3U

https://youtu.be/HOQv5NCFhxw

[jaymarsch]

Well, traditional and old timey covers a lot of ground and it begins with folks like Maybelle Carter and Gillian Welch. But, here's a few of my other favorites:

Pharis and Jason Romero - (a segment from a documentary film)


Ordinary Elephant - Crystal and Pete are wonderful


Rita Hosking - great voice


Best,
Jayne

[Stringmaster]

Funny I was just thinking about posting something similar about this style—which is just that—a style! Some of my favorite contemporary players of the style=

Craig Ventresco
Meredith Axelrod—Meredith and Craig do a live stream on FB and YT every day except for Friday (and archive them) over 800 shows since the pandemic started!

John Reynolds
Tom Marion
Robert Armstrong
Kris Truelsen
Frank Fairfield
Jerron Paxton (mostly Blues but a lot of Old-Timey and Banjo!)

Warning—many of these are virtuosos, and multi-instrumentalists, and it's a rabbit hole!

[Glennwillow]

Tommy Emmanuel playing "Deep River Blues" with Jason Isbell sounds like great old-time country music to me.

- Glenn

[Bluenose]

Norman Blake who, if I'm not mistaken, is being inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame.

[PhilFish]

Jimmie Rodgers, a prerequisite for all singer guitar players

[The Bard Rocks]

If you are talking accompanists and not soloists, there are probably quite a few only in the '20's and'30's, very few soloed on guitar, proportionately far fewer than we see today. The soloist gets all the attention.

Someone mentioned Riley Puckett - he used to drive singers and soloists crazy with his weird runs that somehow seemed to always come out right. I also admire Roy Harvey's accompaniment. (Yes, he also soloed, but not with the NC Ramblers). And Hobart Smith's too.

Now, I'll start paying more attention to them...

[Kyle215]

Willie Watson released a couple really good records in this vein after he left Old Crow. Just a guy, his voice, and his guitar (or sometimes banjo)

Dom Flemons is an encyclopedia of old timey stuff. Plays and sings it like a champ as well.

[llew]

Jayne...thanks for Rita Hosking...loved that song!

[Dave Hicks]

Charlie Monroe.

D.H.

[RP]

I'm getting into the music of Mississippi John Hurt of late. As far as contemporary players I've lately been enjoying Keb Mo, Taj Mahal, Corey Harris and our very own Toby Walker....

[davidbeinct]

He’s probably more well known for his voice but I really like Colter Wall’s playing.

[Craviola]

Riley Puckett, Byrd Moore, Sam McGee, Henry Whitter of duo Grayson and Whitter are my old time fav's

[Inyo]

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

Funny I was just thinking about posting something similar about this style—which is just that—a style! Some of my favorite contemporary players of the style=

Craig Ventresco
Meredith Axelrod—Meredith and Craig do a live stream on FB and YT every day except for Friday (and archive them) over 800 shows since the pandemic started!

I'll most certainly second Craig Ventresco and Meredith Axelrod. I'd also recommend Craig's cd "The Past Is Yet To Come." All kinds of great solo acoustic rags.