6 Influential Pre-Bluegrass Era Lead Guitarists You Should Know - Bluegrass Guitar History Lesson

[@LessonsWithMarcel]

Before you watch the video tell me who the four guitarists in the thumbnail are! Wrong answers only.

[@deano41.123]

They’re all famous serial killers.

[@samsaxe-taller7145]

Pete Seeger

[@nicolmicah]

Susan

[@DSteinman]

John, Paul, George, Yoko

[@MichaelMarkGuitar]

Wait, so Tony Rice didn’t actually invent the guitar in 1979?

[@matthewtayloryowieresearch1912]

I thought it was the Devil? Baalzebub? Satan? Old Nick? Lucifer that invented guitar? Dad said my dreadnaught Maton CW80/12 I got when I was 10 was made in Hell, so I guess, maybe but Mum said Dad's bullshittin' & according to Dad we don't need Google cos Mum knows f*$%in' everything.. I could be wrong but I think you'll find that Lord of the Flies invented guitar. Anyhow, I do know this for sure & certain, I'm 54yrs old now & that far far too much guitar is grossly inadequate, criminally negligent, woefully insufficient & nowhere near enough - play 'til🤮ya puke - y'know it makes sense. 🎸Curmudgeonly Mentally-Guitarded Guitarcheologist & Guitarcheopteryx since '79🤘 🪃Didyabringyabongalong Station 455,000sq.a Central QLD Australia🦘 P.S. Great channel Marcel, love your work, keep it up mate - you are a talented bloke, fair-dinkum.

[@tablature6121]

I think the reason for Arthur Smith started to be called Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, was to distinguish him from a well known fiddler by the same name, who became known as "Fiddlin' " Arthur Smith. Another "brother act" that was very influential, bluegrass-wise, and contemporaries with the Monroe Brothers:The Blue Sky Boys. No stand-out guitar picking, though, but some pretty good mandolin leads, and top-notch "blood harmonies." Great historical overview, Marcel, and greatly appreciated.

[@LessonsWithMarcel]

You're 100% right! 'Fiddlin' Arthur Smith got a shout out in my Blackberry Blossom video. He has a version backed by the Delmore Brothers. Turn Your Radio On is a perennial favorite from the Blue Sky Boys as well!

[@jimmccann8291]

Great video, very well done...Jimmie Rogers and Hank Snow would probably fall in with these. Again great job.

[@HomerLyle]

Great video, Marcel. I would like to see more. There are many guitar players from the past that you could prolly do a video on. I for one would also like to see videos on the guitar players from the sixties onward, i. e. Doc and Merle Watson, Clarence White, Tony Rice, etc. Keep up the great work.

[@jackmuratore9424]

I absolutely love this video. I'm a big music fan and know a lot about different forms of music: Rock, jazz, classical, pop etc. I listen to bluegrass, but I don't really know the history, just the bigger names of yesteryear.

[@muttsongster]

Blind Lemon Jefferson recorded between 1925-1929 and he was a big influence on white pickers. His guitar playing is unbelievable, really gonzo, wild and technically advanced.

[@SteveBall1]

Really glad to see The Delmore Brothers get some love Great musicians especially for the time

[@LonePigsyAndCub]

Wildwood Flower is one of my all time favorite melodies! Love it so much. It's eternal.

[@gam1471]

Very enjoyable; thanks Marcel! Alton Delmore's autobiography entitled 'Truth Is Stranger Than Publicity' came out in 1977, published by the Country Music Foundation Press. It's a fascinating story - chapter 10 for example is about the way the Opry was in the early 1930s. I don't know if it's still in print, but well worth reading; a fascinating account of times gone by.

[@rosskiah2595]

LOVING the new glasses Marcel, handsomest billy goat in the barnyard

[@krisorjangeller5798]

Brilliant, love hearing these great pickers get recognized.

[@mistahcoughdrop]

Well done, do more like this, thank you Marcel!

[@MickeyAbraham2022]

Great video! I was thinking in a totally different direction when I saw the title … like Django or Speedy West

[@rbenroper1654]

I'm currently taking lessons from Riley Puckett.

[@jerkshire6517]

I've been working on Moonlight, shadows and you for a little bit in my spare time. It's my favorite song he played.

[@wheatthinnsguy01]

the second I heard “he only really knows one lick” I knew we were about to hear that foggy mountain special break

[@reaganjohnson8950]

Your channel is excellent. Thank you for posting!!!

[@bukealicious9146]

This is awesome. I recently experienced Bela Fleck's Bluegrass Heart a few hours after watching Jason Carter with Del and his G-Runs. It was a great day at Blue Ox.

[@HayesGriffin]

Another killer video dude 🤘

[@michaelmenet2712]

Excellent job, Marcel!! You do a great job in your historical videos. Please do more. You are a born educator.

[@JobeCourtney]

Got some new players to check out after this one! Thanks

[@LukeByEar]

Great video! I knew about Leslie Riddle but this was my first time seeing and hearing him. Cool to hear the progression from era to era like this. And man, the boogie in that 1930 recording, wow!

[@ricknielsen4160]

The David Hoffman video documentary on Bascomb Lamar Lunsford is a really good one that fits right into the formative years of Bluegrass and its influences. It is easy to find on KZbin.

[@mattpropert1064]

That was an awesome video. So well done and informative! Hope you get a chance to do one on Doc Watson etc! ✌🏽

[@ijohnny.]

Very informative, some great music! Thanks for the history!

[@ambroseharper8316]

Excellent video, thanks 😊

[@fretfix1]

Excellent job!!

[@mrdogmoon]

Thanks Marcel! Really cool and informative.

[@pawwalton2157]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@joshsinclair1796]

God bless Marcel. I hope this doesn’t end up ruining Lester flatt for me though…

[@ProbableCauseBluesBand]

Great video! I bet you’re a great teacher 😎

[@dalereno2920]

I would love to give you some good stories on bluegrass guitar playing from the early days I've got some good ones. Oh by the way that was my dad playing rhythm guitar on Arthur Smith's guitar Boogie. He co-wrote dueling banjos with Arthur also

[@lgwhittaker]

I might venture to Lonnie Chatmon the fiddle player for the Mississippi Sheiks came up the “Lester Flatts G run” or at least implemented a version well before Lester.

[@banjoist123]

Lester Sharp, Blind Pickle Feldman, Otis "Death eating a cracker" LaFong, Mother Lulemon McHorseface

[@nicolmicah]

More more more!

[@revcanada2147]

Awesome stuff

[@andreaarnone6049]

OMG RILEY PUCKETT *instantly leaves like 👍

[@lordofthemound3890]

In terms of “style” or genre, Puckett and Harvey’s playing is indistinguishable from the jazz or blues guitar of the day. Guys like Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang sound very similar.

[@user-nu3dg4cx9m]

Roy Harvey was Doc Watsons biggest influence

[@Saul-pp2hp]

I think you could argue that Clarence White is the first bluegrass flatpicker-Doc, Crary, and Tony coming after and elevating the guitar into a lead instrument of the genre.

[@LessonsWithMarcel]

Clarence was definitely a huge influence but you can't throw away folks like George Shuffler and Bill Napier who played lead guitar with the Stanley Brothers an entire decade before the Kentucky Colonels. Clarence was the beginning of a new era of flatpicking for sure but saying he's the first might be a stretch!

[@Saul-pp2hp]

Supposedly Shuffler started crossing picking with Jim & Jesse in ‘51 for an Asheville station, then joined the Stanley’s in ‘52. Napier recorded the first Stanley brothers guitar cross-picking break in September 1959-after joining the band in ‘57. Clarence White was flat-picking at Ash Grove in 1958. 1961 is when George took the helm as lead guitar for The Stanley’s. So I think it’s arguable. Especially since he was doing more than cross-picking, or the earlier skruggs finger picking.

[@gam1471]

Don Reno is often overlooked because he's associated with his incredible innovative banjo playing - but he was a mighty flatpicker as well. Listen to this, recorded in 1957: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2iQaZ-hq6Z7rrs He also used the tremelo to good effect on slow numbers - for example 'Gathering Flowers from the Hillside'. Few players use this effect these days it seems to me. His back-up fills on this song are beautiful. I recommend getting hold of his CD 'The Golden Guitar of Don Reno' - there's plenty of amazing picking here.

[@Saul-pp2hp]

What a great song. The Golden Guitar of Don Reno is such a fun album. His Peacock Rag and Turkey in the Straw are killer. There’s also a KZbin video of him and Doc trading licks back and forth. Roland White talks about him being a big influence on Clarence.

[@Saul-pp2hp]

There’s also that tall tale that says Skruggs Style would have been called Reno style if he hadn’t joined the Army in ‘43, since he was playing 3-finger style with the Morris Brothers, where Monroe had first heard him and invited him to be a bluegrass boy.

[@btpearce]

Good stuff Marcel :-) Did you mention Earl Scruggs ? He was a awesome guitar picker as well as The banjo man. Hope to see you at Preddyfest in August :-)

[@cliftonjarvis8010]

J D Jarvis

[@samwentzel207]

django reinhardt

[@jasonstacey9460]

Ragtime.

[@user-nu3dg4cx9m]

You never mentioned Clarence White dude ! Not cool bro not cool at all !!!