National Flatpick Guitar Championship 2024 | Walnut Valley Festival Winfield, KS

[@LeePayne2310]

Tony Rice is smiling from heaven watching this one!

[@jeremythomas2865]

Wow. When Hayes Griffin played, he was telling a story. It was a narrative. I connected with his playing the most.

[@davidfrick1769]

He immediately caught my ear as well. Any idea what the first song he played is?

[@darenblythe5169]

Me too. I really dig his chill groove.

[@rodcrawford5947]

“When are you coming home”…

[@rodcrawford5947]

The last one Sweet Georgia Brown…

[@rodcrawford5947]

Eric Hardin hands down! Double playing got him the win…

[@Jedpack]

No clue how I found this but watched the whole thing. Good music is good music!

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks for watching!

[@blackhillsed4936]

I was watching John5 lol😂

[@mattr6056]

Hayes Griffin was definitely the best! so clean and that tone!!

[@andrewfyakim525]

How could you possible pick a 'winner'? I loved them all, every note; they're all fabulous, each with a different touch and style...

[@sirgaryo]

Absolutely brilliant, all of them !!!! 😻🎸👌🔥🔥🔥

[@peytonboley1569]

WV proud Jakob!

[@Atxsmokinace420]

Hayes Griffin is a beast! holy canoli

[@MasteringSilence]

Thanks for reminding me to practice!

[@openveracity]

all five of these guys are way killer!!!

[@thesaneparty4079]

I hope their picks were all checked for flatness.

[@20-inch-arms]

😂😂😂😂

[@mondorob316]

you can really hear the difference with the ones who have mastered their instrument. No plastic sound from pick, perfect clarity with fretted notes and volume control with pick intensity and distance to the mic from soundhole. I thought Hayes was the best picker. BRAVO

[@cleanXshotzzzz]

How I felt

[@paullewis3613]

Same

[@BoofSquank]

Brother everyone of these people have “mastered their instrument”

[@takeadeepbreath6053]

Amazing finalists this year! Well done and congrats to winner!

[@AcousticShoppe]

Agreed!

[@christophercollier4999]

Stumbled on this while starting to work up some bluegrass chops. Go Hayes!!!

[@geraldbrown2875]

Im glad I'm not judging! ❤ 🎸

[@AcousticShoppe]

Totally! 😅

[@fonwoolridge]

Wow! Wonderful flatpicking all around.... I would hate to be one of the judges! First 2 guys were also amazing... Great to see the tradition so strongly alive.... Hope Mark O connor is pleased - Ill never forget hearing Dixie breakdown for the first time.... These guys all rock!

[@RoryLynott]

Love it, such talent and dues paid to sound so clean.....all of em.

[@2._-1.-_]

Thank you!!

[@bkfishing5650]

I can listen these guys all gd day. I love this.

[@matthewpai]

Excellent flatpickin !

[@MightyTastyGuitar]

awesome-thank you for posting!

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks for watching!

[@tobypuente8841]

just so much fun! thanks for posting. i'll keep 2025 kansas on my calendar

[@jonyboyishere]

incredible playing truly inspiring

[@johncutie5769]

Jeeeez man these guys are sick!

[@jm12green31]

Cool stuff I enjoyed it all

[@patchevansbrokencountry2583]

Such beautiful playing...inspires me. No women players rhough? Fabulous feast of music, thank you.

[@alanoffer]

I tried to pick a winner but couldn’t they’ve all got their own individual styles and are all great players I wouldn’t have the nerve to say one is better than the other ,´great job guys

[@erikkibler3466]

When it’s like that for me it comes down to who’s cleanest

[@jcpalmer6051]

They were practicing when their buddies were playing video games!

[@JackTheRabbitMusic]

I’ve never tried to play Bluegrass before; it’s always looked like 2-3 minute bursts of “she sells sea shells at the seashore” for my fingers, and it’s intimidating. 😂 Respect to all these folks. 🐰❤️🎸🎶✌️

[@kiezersosay49]

Dude it's so fun. Iv been playing for 22 years off and on. I've loved bluegrass for a while, but never played it. I learned a basic ass lick last December and now I probably know more about bluegrass than metal... don't know how it happened.

[@wayneasiam65]

I'm 65 and been playing guitar 🎸 for 53 years, pretty much every single day and I will challenge these guys any time I want to get my butt whooped.

[@tgbedini]

🤣🤣 I've been playing longer than you, and I'm right there with you.

[@josephandreuccetti3706]

Can'tcome close. I wish.

[@batchelerjr]

Ha!

[@joshuasouth4967]

Haha

[@bezalel5081]

It’s not that hard. I can play all of those notes…. Just not in that order😁

[@BlaisPianoGuitars]

Yes awesome !

[@Punkypoetico]

Hayes griffin was pristine

[@Punkypoetico]

But good job to everyone putting on a competitive show

[@RTCarterful]

These pickers are super human.

[@criticalthinkingwjake]

14:17 Luke Lovetrain looks like he walked by the event and said, “ah heck, I can probably do that…”

[@sethie_shots]

I can hear the accent too! He’s a cool cat!

[@kevinstancil8168]

I just don't see how you can judge this, they are all amazing musicians

[@banjovy-b2m]

the judges do not see the contestants, they are off in a trailer adjacent to the contest and hear through speakers , they cant see cute, they hear. Its very objective. i was a contestant once ...i did not place.

[@tuckerconner]

Man it’s is Eric’s year!😮

[@Nesquick1121]

knew the winner soon as he started playing lol. Miles above the rest good job buddy

[@Quesadillaeater]

The Heath Bulldog Hayes Griffin!!

[@sethie_shots]

Luke lovetrain is my favorite so far. What a name too!

[@yogavibe2516]

❤❤❤

[@JohnNaylor-x4x]

How the the hell do you pick a winner? they're all great

[@bradatherton9369]

'Pick' a winner, perfectly punny!

[@markhathaway4697]

Score sheets. Expected criteria and mistakes add and subtract points

[@DoctorMandible]

Flatly

[@ncsandman8468]

I agree…….. I’m glad I’m not judge, it would just blow my mind

[@timtaylorguitarnut]

Comes down to the best beard, that's just in the woman's category😂😂

[@adams4244]

Hayes Griffin got the touch

[@CHEIAIFHihi]

Awesome video. By chance could you guys do a review on a gold star gf-100HF

[@LewisTaylor-c5f]

Steve Lewis is “ThaMan!”

[@KennelGuyTries]

I love this style of music when there's no singing. It takes tremendous concentration and practice to play that clean on an acoustic guitar. I heard a couple of missed notes here and there. I couldn't hold their pick, let alone play anywhere as good as them. I'm fairly fast, but play a different genre of music. Distortion helps to cover up the "oops" moments.

[@noahpurdie6212]

2:05 what is this song called I never seem to find the name of it. Cheers… and what a awesome bunch of dudes great picking boys

[@AcousticShoppe]

Crossing The Big Sandy / Big Sandy River

[@noahpurdie6212]

@@AcousticShoppe thanks heaps man appreciate it!!

[@reilyfisha]

2nd place = Woody’s Roundup type beat

[@ClotEastwood]

WELL . . . . that's my guitar in the Log Burner

[@erikkibler3466]

Let it be the fuel,that propells you forward😊

[@thisismickj]

Not gonna lie, Luke Lovejoy is a badass. He's the equivalent to flatpicking as what the guy shooting with no safety equipment at the Olympics.

[@BufordT-ji6zg]

Hey I'd listen to Mr. Lewis all day also. Nice crosspicker.

[@samansun]

Indeed!

[@daughertyr22]

Luke Lovetrain all day for me !

[@nickJones666]

Steve Lewis.. superb!

[@danniequesenberry9951]

Im not sure what song it is that hes picking but he sure can pick it😊

[@robertwolf3127]

I would have loved knowing what brand of guitars they all played.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Sure! Luke is playing a Preston Thompson, Eric and Steve were playing Henderson guitars, Hayes had a Leo Posch, and Jacob’s is kinda hard to see but I believe it is a Martin

[@chrizjacob-x7v]

to me it sounds like theyre playing the guitar like a Banjo

[@datsyuk133]

Does anyone know the name of the tune Steve Lewis is picking at 3:42? Thanks

[@jakbot119]

Old dangerfield I believe

[@datsyuk133]

@@jakbot119 thank you 🙏

[@justiningle8884]

I bet he owns a guitar/gun store buy, sell, trade and never steal from this man lol he will just wrote about about erasing you period

[@RobertSlover]

Jakob Thomas

[@leerothman7570]

guy has one heck of a style

[@rodcrawford5947]

The winner will pick himself…

[@josephandreuccetti3706]

I quit playing thru the years and I'm still ok, but I regret it now I'm 64 and still trying to figure it out.

[@evp854]

For an intermediate to advanced player in other genres, what would be a good book for arrangements to learn this style of playing?

[@jakbot119]

I don’t have a book to refer you too, but start listening to a lot of Doc Watson

[@brianroe88]

I'd start with the Steve Kaufman Parking Lot series, old, but still full of the most common tunes, and each one has arrangements that go from simple to advanced

[@brianroe88]

Book 1 is probably the best to start

[@evp854]

@@brianroe88 Thank you and happy holidays!

[@colinthompson2003]

How’s does one learn this

[@KEvin-wx1qv]

what tune is the first guy playing?

[@joequint]

So where does all this music come from? Are these songs a self arrangements?

[@AcousticShoppe]

Yes, these are all arrangements the contestants made, most here are playing classic Bluegrass tunes with their own style. Although, the music does not have to specifically be Bluegrass, just flatpicking, and original songs are also allowed. I don't know if anyone played an original this year off the top of my head.

[@wildbillhackett]

I thought Luke was obviously the best of the bunch.

[@gabikerkhoff]

What s the name of the first song from Jakob Thomas?

[@billykervin154]

Whiskey Before Breakfast

[@gabikerkhoff]

Thank you

[@benlichtman8033]

Everybody saying Hayes- fantastic playing but not as much of a pure flatpicker. Impossible to pick a winner!

[@blinco1539]

Anyone know the first tune Hayes played is called?

[@jayn8392]

Good thing billy strings didn’t show… these guys are bad ass tho no joke

[@amencorner-bc3xo]

Billy strings would be proud

[@jordanalexander5275]

How about tony rice, clarence white, doc watson?

[@auralresource6243]

Who are they

[@jordanalexander5275]

@auralresource6243 the people billy tries to sound like

[@ericoneill3783]

Brilliant performers, love looking at the super talent, but the video coverage is total crap, for such a prestige event, one would expect to be able to see the talent perform without obstructions between the performs and the camera.

[@jacoscofield5150]

Anyone know any of the names of the songs ?

[@Jimmyrus2]

First amazing picker song was whiskey before breakfast and 2nd song was Big Sandy, will check in later with more. All of the folks are amazing!

[@brendanconnelly4295]

Fishers Hornpipe, Jerusalem Ridge, Salt Creek

[@roberttakatsu3926]

I guess it's back to driving the truck on Monday

[@gregfelice1969]

Anyone able to recognize the guitars? Lot of different headstocks I'm not used to

[@AcousticShoppe]

Sure! Luke is playing a Preston Thompson, Eric and Steve were playing Henderson guitars, Hayes had a Leo Posch, and Jacob’s is kinda the hardest to see, I honestly can’t tell exactly what he’s playing

[@jakbot119]

⁠@@AcousticShoppeTodd Sams D28

[@veithkilbert4253]

​@@AcousticShoppe Never heard of those, I only know Collings, santa cruz, froggy bottom

[@veithkilbert4253]

Yikes 40,000$, no wonder I never heard of or seen a Henderson.

[@PaffordHomestead]

Good thing Billy Strings wasn't there 😂

[@cjh2811]

I can’t pick!

[@12thmonkeyy]

Where is Billy strings?!

[@laurieharper1526]

Eh? Luke Lovejoy did go a bit off piste, which may have put the judges off if they had conservative musical tastes, but he was the best player of the bunch and importantly, had the best timing.

[@ronaldcoward9576]

Agreed

[@gerardhayden-uj5pe]

Speaking of timing,he does not tap his feet! Super stuff

[@localyokel1000]

Set the playback speed to 1.5, thank me later

[@trumantheodorefruitty596]

No

[@RyanPinkston1979]

Jakob Thomas got robbed!

[@jakbot119]

All good brotha, I’ll be back next year🔥

[@RyanPinkston1979]

@@jakbot119 Great! I think you didn't win because their ears just couldn't keep up...lol!

[@bslifka9572]

Jakob was my pick also - nice playing my man

[@TruthSurge]

Music should never be a contest.

[@temperfi7298]

I’ve been saying this for years and that’s coming from someone that’s won several flat picking contest and band comps. I’ve always hated the idea of that. Just now how I look at music. Yet I always got pulled into doing them.

[@TruthSurge]

@@temperfi7298 I did one guitar contest. I prob would have won but I had some tiny patch cord that was bad and it delaying me several minutes and I just didn't have a good enough "routine", imo anyway. I got 2nd place and really... I didn't want to do the contest anyway. A contest should really be about something measurable. Like... Olympics. You run the fastest, you win. You throw the farthest, you win. You lift the most weight, you win. Ice skating and floor routines... those are too subjective. Remove them. Olympics should be only about something quantifiable. AND at this stage of the world, Olympics is rather pointless.

[@cm9241]

​@TruthSurge yeah, those events still have scoring rubrics. It's just like grading a student essay. The content may be up to taste or whatever but the technique is very much an objective, easily gradeable thing.

[@teds5396]

When you turn an art form into a competition it's no longer art

[@cm9241]

@@teds5396 that's literally how auditions work.

[@R0NIN_1987]

I thought the first dude was going to c walk off the stage

[@jakbot119]

Much love brotha! I think I did and they cut it haha

[@R0NIN_1987]

@@jakbot119🤣

[@GuitarSolosInc.]

Couldn't PICK one.

[@TUBEORATER]

Luke couldn't give any punchy attack without killing the strings. Action too low. Lots of that here. These guys need to learn from the late Roy Clark.

[@sethie_shots]

What the hell is going on with all the shitty audio?! C’mon- you’ve got thousands of dollars in mics and guitars and can’t get a good tech?!

[@TUBEORATER]

Too bad that Eric's bottom E was worthless.

[@gschmidtmusic]

imagine getting eliminated for using your other fingers LOL

[@wallpapermusique]

I would have had them reversed. Luke first.

[@bradatherton9369]

14:32 funny how the sign says Luke Lovetrain and the video says Luke Lovejoy. Both are fitting lol.

[@chriswojdag2177]

Real string masters don't use picks, flesh to sting is the only real thing.

[@elementsofphysicalreality]

I’m hearing too much of the same chord. These songs are not very harmonically diverse.

[@Clomwellschimdt]

I find this musjc unpleasant to listen to.

[@loveistheanswer8137]

im guessing Tommy Emmanuel doesn't come because it would be a waste of time. Great players here but Tommy is miles ahead.

[@toddzero]

Tell me you know nothing about guitar without saying you know nothing about guitar

[@DirtyDirkDiggler]

This video kinda sucks the joy out of guitar playing… where’s the emotion?

[@scripteaze]

1st place got the worst prize. 2nd place guitar was valued at 7k