And the most accomplished flatpicker today is?

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Mooh

Joscho Stephan

Yea, those gypsy-jazz players are insane.

[BOOSE]

Well i'm the best flat picker in my house, but if any of the aforementioned names popped round for a jam then i wouldn't be!!

[iim7V7IM7]

Never said better than this...

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I am a flat-picker. I'm old and after many years, fairly competent as a rhythm and or self accompanist.

How do you "measure" accomplished?
People marvel at speed, but is that music, or just showboating?

What about melody, and bringing the best out of a piece?

You can't decide that stuff with a tape measure.

[hanknc]

Scott Huffman

[RoyBoy]

Well, certainly Tony Rice gets the nod for originally expanding the boundaries of the genre.

Another vote for Jake Workman. Not just for speed and accuracy, but for creative phrasing and working all over the neck and jumping strings. MOst of his stuff on the tube is older but his record with wife Rebecca shows his breadth. He's also a monster on the mandolin.

[MHC]

Julian Lage, I believe, almost always uses a flat pick. And he ain't no slouch with the left hand technique either...

[J Patrick]

...another youngster turning heads is Chris Luquette....he plays with Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen.....but he also has his own thing going on...recently released his first solo album...very tasty...

...a few more monster flatpickers not yet mentioned...

Larry Keel
James Nash
Scott Law
Jesse Cook

...as to who is most accomplished?....throw a dart...they all have it going on...my all time fave is still Mr Tony Rice...

[rstaight]

I think of flat picking as using a pick. Either a good old standby Fender medium or a thumb pick. But no fingers.

So with that Molly and Billy are the benchmark today.

In my younger days I used sit and practice how fast I could play. I got to the point I could play along with leads on a lot of my albums.

Though I could play fast I couldn't put the felling and soul into it. And that is the most important part.

Today with slightly arthritic and stiff fingers there is noway I should even attempt that today.

Silly said it all. But I do enjoy watching and listening to the players we have today.

[Scotso]

I am surprised I did not see Pat Flynn's name mentioned. Everyone from New
Grass Revival was a superior player and Pat was/is an awesome guitarist.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by rstaight

I think of flat picking as using a pick. Either a good old standby Fender medium or a thumb pick. But no fingers.

Thanks. I actually decided just to separate my questions out in a new thread.

A lot of the players mentioned here are hybrid players, although I don't know them well enough to know if they sometimes only use a plectrum.

[kendallhadden]

Josh Williams- plays with Rhonda Vincent and played with Tony Rice

[Joe Mendel]

I'll just add to those already mentioned. Bryan McDowell, Dan Crary.

[Robin, Wales]

I love the way that in Tim O'brien's hands the flat picked steel strung acoustic guitar is still a simple folk instrument for song accompaniment. Now that's some accomplishment.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by MHC

Julian Lage, I believe, almost always uses a flat pick. And he ain't no slouch with the left hand technique either...

I am not an expert on Julian Lage, but I've seen a few of his videos, and he uses a lot of hybrid picking, mixed with flatpicking.

Can you imagine having a great picking hand and a crappy fretting hand, or vice-versa?

"I was born with the picking abilities of the gods, but the fretting capability of a clown."
sad clown tears...

[yaharadelta]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

I love the way that in Tim O'brien's hands the flat picked steel strung acoustic guitar is still a simple folk instrument for song accompaniment. Now that's some accomplishment.

Earlier in this thread, Charles Sawtelle was mentioned, a member of the bluegrass band Hot Rize. Tim O'Brien was also in that band, played mandolin and fiddle, also had a great voice in his back pocket. The same band also did some Country and Western Swing under the name of Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. "The guys who rode around in the back of the Hot Rize bus"