The Greatest Bluegrass Flatpickers (Part 1 of 5) by Toon de Corte

[@coryCuc]

Very good list! Thank you for the time and effort in making this video, as well as putting the info in the description.

[@ToondeCorte]

Do this for all the lovers who have the same dream to jam and picking like these great players.

[@coryCuc]

@@ToondeCorte Amen to that!

[@jeffashley2901]

Doc has to be my favorite, but. keep a sharp eye on Billy! Amazing talent.

[@theflash1425]

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.

[@ToondeCorte]

Thanks for your comment...

[@scray00]

What a great story. Thanks for sharing that with us 💕

[@nancychace8619]

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.

[@bluesslider76]

What a great memory! Thanks for sharing it! Go pick !

[@ToondeCorte]

Thank you Dustin, pick and jam...

[@Wookie8058]

Chelsea & Grace Constable were amazing!! FAST, accurate and surprising! Great talent!!

[@GraceConstableMusic]

Thank you so much!

[@CJP4130]

Them Constable girls were tearin' that shit up...

[@cigdamagelungs]

They are awesome players

[@davidsteinberg2120]

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

[@AboatFACE]

Billy was born with it. Effortless, young and innovating every time I listen to him.

[@theshapeexists]

You never heard his 1000s of hours of practice. Definitely wasn't born a virtuoso.

[@keithclark486]

​@@theshapeexists and copied all the greats.

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

​@@keithclark486like all the other greats.

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

Nobody is born with it. Dont discredit his hours of practice

[@bay4west]

So glad Billy Strings was here. Dude is a bluegrass animal on guitar!!!

[@GetMasty]

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.

[@customgtrs]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGTCeHWleclspbM

[@jacobcarlson8799]

Norman Blake is my personal favorite to listen to.

[@cybrunel1016]

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.

[@maxwellfan55]

Cy agree they got nothing to rely on but their fingers. No gimmicks, no electronics, just sheer hard playing son of a guns.

[@theflash1425]

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!

[@thelakeman5207]

All I can say about Norman Blake is he is "smooth". So much at ease when he plays. It looks effortless.

[@jamescomeaux3620]

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”.

[@smokeystarr]

Trey Hensley and Billy Strings were my favorite here. The clarity, ferocity, and melodic style stands out to me.

[@mikeroullier6875]

Ditto!! I'm on the same page and at the same library!!

[@doncummings3915]

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

[@ToondeCorte]

Thanks Don...

[@doncummings3915]

My pleasure, Bluegrass music played a huge part n my life....

[@daryljay7057]

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!

[@ZRJZZZZZ]

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.

[@paulreints2279]

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.

[@bobby_darnell]

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.)

[@ToondeCorte]

Thanks Bobby, agree...but for the flatpicking lovers i did only looking into the bluegrass style.

[@morenteria2988]

A lot of hidden gems, indeed

[@richardbarrick1492]

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!

[@trevorgwelch7412]

It sounds pretty much the same

[@jamierobb2186]

Why do the vast majority of them play dreadnoughts or bigger guitars?

[@roysass1387]

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.

[@johnoffutt898]

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.

[@tr6888]

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!!

[@carwithl]

He holds tempo better then a metronome

[@CarlDRocco]

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.

[@jackstraw0000]

I miss his vocals. I'm just glad he is still here with us tho.

[@slownoman]

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.

[@lmyers9999]

Billy Strings attributes Doc Watson as his influence and even has tattoos of Doc!! Also credits his Dad

[@tommaddox1028]

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.

[@ToondeCorte]

Never see Clarence live, you are a very lucky person.

[@philipanania8614]

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.

[@jackstraw0000]

Billy Strings! Hands down!

[@kevinkelly9956]

Billy Strings is a nice young fellow from my town, Traverse City, Michigan. I knew he was bound for good things to happen.

[@ToondeCorte]

Billy is very good for the bluegrass music.

[@annunacky4463]

Billy is getting folks back to loving bluegrass type music. Been too long eh?

[@tr6888]

Those Constable sisters are bad to the bone!!!

[@maxwellfan55]

billy strings and the two girls together nailed this, great vid

[@jeffmoore9487]

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.

[@ToondeCorte]

Agree

[@awkwardme5375]

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.

[@TheDaddyNaggins]

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.

[@gibbyrock6648]

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.

[@kurtbecker9609]

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!

[@raymondeaton5692]

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.

[@CountrySingerWannabe]

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.

[@pickersgrip]

Jthomas Annillo really! And that fact always blows my mind!

[@JeffDaytonMusic]

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!

[@randybartlett3042]

I was hoping like heck to see Russ Barenburg. So glad to see him wrap up the list. So clean and tasteful!

[@ToondeCorte]

Agree

[@richardjohnson7379]

Language please

[@reallyyouthful]

I liked Chelsea and Grace best. They certainly know how to get you going with their enthusiasm and showmanship.

[@ToondeCorte]

Yes...nice words

[@Bildad1976]

MAN, I was searching the comments to see if anyone else was as impressed with them as I was! BINGO!

[@jackstraw0000]

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.

[@roysass1387]

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.

[@cumminsrealpower680]

Absolutely.

[@davidroe64]

Best

[@orchman]

Didn’t Doc invent the genre? ❤️

[@ToondeCorte]

I think Django, Doc and Clarence...

[@Jimmiesheehan211]

Tony Rice is the coolest man on the block I think. My God they’re all 👍

[@tylerjordan7849]

Billy strings and molly tuttle will keep bluegrass alive for another generation. Hells yeah

[@lonniemeeker2525]

Billy Strings is a joke.

[@northernairmtb4183]

@@lonniemeeker2525 the guy is good. like real good.

[@agalligani]

glad you included Jake Workman. he is just the cream of the crop

[@DlmlZ]

Holy smokes, are they for real? Unbelievable how talented they all are! Love it! Thanks for sharing it!

[@markusantonio4866]

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.

[@ToondeCorte]

This album bring me to the bluegrass...kzbin.info/www/bejne/iITHqHpupqp1rpo

[@Lieutenant_Dude]

These guys were the Yngwie Malmsteens of the Smokey Mountains.

[@discoveryman59]

Constable sisters WOW!!!!!!

[@anderjohmetallica]

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.

[@gabrieln3613]

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.

[@ToondeCorte]

Thanks Gabriel...

[@bernardfranklin1902]

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!

[@Bildad1976]

Tommy and Billy's duet on Workin' Man Blues is a MUSTWATCH!

[@lenp.eriepa.6472]

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!

[@ToondeCorte]

Thank you...

[@336brant]

I grew up watching Doc, Tony, Sutton and Kruger. Living near Merlefest is heaven if you’re into this type of music

[@bil6718]

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 .

[@davidroe64]

They should all get up every morning turn towards Deep Gap,NC and bow to Doc Watson.

[@brunojaysutter]

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

[@flightplan1000]

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.

[@ToondeCorte]

See the second video for Jack

[@Forevertrue]

I was impressed with Chelsea and Grace. Billy is always good.

[@daveblevins3322]

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)

[@Digmen1]

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

[@ToondeCorte]

Thanks

[@ohiosouthpaw4283]

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.

[@BuzzWreck61]

Thanks for remembering Merle Watson, arguably the greatest flat picker ever.

[@custom15player]

Merle and James use a thumbpick, both are excellent players

[@ToondeCorte]

There are 3 videos...

[@tr6888]

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!!!!

[@williamheiss3942]

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.

[@VerMaarte]

Yep, special case... as long as it has strings; Marc O'Connor is exceptional.

[@joelorr2136]

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. ;-)

[@ToondeCorte]

Look at video 2...

[@charlieharris9527]

That's because Reggie Harris wasn't participating

[@ToondeCorte]

Nice to hear...

[@richardperkins5046]

Finally someone acknowledging Uwe Kruger, one of the most underrated guitar players. So often overshadowed by his brother's banjo.

[@ToondeCorte]

Uwe is a very, very good flatpicker, agree with you.

[@rmckenna6828]

Uwe and jens are outstanding

[@ToondeCorte]

Yes, hope they will be nominated for all there fine work for the Bluegrass music.

[@World-as-i-c-it]

Molly is my favorite, but all extremely talented

[@Xt1000]

My top 3 influences. Pat Flynn, Tony Rice and Peter Rowan.

[@josephmartini4503]

Wonderful selection of beautiful musicians. Seeing Sawtelle made my entire day better.

[@Chiller01]

Yeah growing up in Colorado I could see Hot Rize before I knew they were famous.

[@richardkennedy7047]

A new young one - Presley Barker , definitely one to watch ! 🍀

[@nathanrobbin6341]

Tony Rice is a machine.

[@elliotjordan2326]

Thank you for this video.

[@RTRDick]

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.

[@arctichare8185]

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.

[@ender26]

Couldn't agree more. Doc Watson is hands down my favorite player of all time.

[@livingroompickersclub6358]

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.

[@pattidale7968]

@@livingroompickersclub6358 tastier stuff than Doc?? Like what?

[@loumndzbl7680]

CW was right there with him...

[@jamied8013]

Great to find some new amazing players to listen to. Thanks!

[@claudejulien4850]

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.

[@Earthdancer46234]

Check out Michael Cleveland on fiddle. He also plays other stringed instruments.

[@grizwoldful]

A picker not very much recognized for guitar that I loved was Earl Scruggs...When he picked it he also kept the melody perfectly.

[@carterc9171]

Bawaaatee wasn’t until recently that I even knew Scruggs played guitar

[@keyvenbuchanan3]

Tony rice may be the GOAT but let’s all just admire the fact that doc Watson is playing like that while blind. Unreal

[@jeanma500]

A bunch of incredible guitar players here.

[@troytaylor9228]

Billy Strings! Wow!

[@GetMasty]

Go see him. Tickets are cheap and I promise your mind will be blown.

[@dannygreen1964]

Clearly this video demostrates that bluegrass and speed metal are not too distant genres

[@rbdavisphoto]

Bryan Sutton & Billy Strings TIE for 1st place. All time great - Tony Rice.

[@waynecarson8729]

Tony Rice is my favorite but Doc was the best, got to see Mr.Watson on several occasions and he was amazing!!

[@pablpfanque]

Doc Watson Billy Strings, Tony Rice, Norman Blake

[@kevc-69-]

I cannot pick a fovourite, i love them all.

[@kellyweaver8361]

Awesome. Just recently heard of Billy Strings! I think he's the best there ever wuz!!

[@A246678]

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.

[@patrickmcgeehan4009]

Great List I do want to add one Chris Luquette

[@custom15player]

Really cool. Wyatt Rice, Mark O'Connor, Allen Shadd

[@flautalee3090]

A hundred thousand hours of practice to get to this level ~ WOW!

[@BladeRunner-td8be]

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.

[@markfoster2500]

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!😫😫😫

[@markfoster2500]

They are all great musicians!!

[@markfoster2500]

You can’t help but to love Billy Strings!👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️❤️

[@acousticguitar130]

Tony, Tony, Tony, Wyatt, Mark O'Connor....

[@ToondeCorte]

See second video...(2/2)

[@SgtStickyTits]

Best picker today... Billy Strings BY FAR.

[@guitarman1477]

Without doubt , makes most of these here look pedestrian

[@Michael65429]

RIP Tony Rice...😥

[@SmiTTyy-sh8nc]

I've stood in the pouring down rain, to see and hear Tony Rice and the Tony Rice Unit, and I'm so glad I did !!!!

[@ToondeCorte]

I never see Tony

[@arraghsureitllbegrand571]

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....

[@ToondeCorte]

I think about it...

[@svendbosanvovski4241]

This is a younger Billy Strings. What a precocious talent.

[@keithclark486]

Lol no.

[@thomaswild9044]

Those two girls were awesome.

[@williamcallihoe501]

Learn scales like these massively talented ARTISTS you youngsters.

[@patriciajrs46]

These guys are very good. How come most of the world hasn't heard of them? Nice to see a girl here, too. Thanks for sharing.

[@BBQ1953]

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!

[@ifnotforgrace5345]

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.

[@jbbrooks4676]

I love the fact that the last gent (Russ Barenberg) is doing it on a J-45

[@jblflatpicker]

First I’m seeing or hearing of Chelsea & Grace Constable...cool!

[@tomireland8468]

Doc is still number one, and always will be. Most of these great pickers followed him.

[@joelorr2136]

Yep, I totally agree. I play mostly like Tony but my hero will always be Doc!!!

[@diggerson88]

nice work! very entertaining.

[@jeffreysiegel9125]

This is an incredibly great video!!! There are some hot pickers out there, for sure! I was waiting to see David Bromberg pop up on the sceen- He certainly knows how to wear down rhe frets!😀🌄☮