# Dopers - please share your favourite fingerstyle guitarists. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863 "2008-07-09T17:30:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/1 "2008-07-09T17:30:01Z")
Inspired by an earlier [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=474718) about Sungha Jung. Those of you familiar with the term, skip down a bit. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term - “fingerstyle” is a curious piece of nomenclature. It doesn’t really pin down the style of the music, because it can be folk, rock, jazz, country, blues or any hybrid of the lot. It doesn’t pin down the instrument because it can be a nylon-stringed classical guitar, a steel-stringed acoustic guitar, an electric or some customized Guitar Shaped Object with extra strings. All the term does describe is the use of the fingers of the strumming hand as opposed to using a flat pick. But even this is deceiving, as some players use just bare fingers (with or without long fingernails), some use a thumbpick, some use a thumbpick and fingerpicks, some use a flat pick held between thumb and index fingers while using the middle, ring and pinky fingers. For the particularly particular, Classical and Flamenco are fingerstyle styles, but they’re not usually included because they have their own ‘stream’ of history and heroes. Fingerstyle usually emphasizes the effect of one guitar playing simultaneous bass, chord and melody lines, often with great rhythmic interplay between lines. It is based on extending the sonic palette of the solo instruments through tapping, hammering, pulling, sliding. And for those of you already familiar with fingerstyle, may I suggest we share some clips from musicians we particularly admire? Here are my first three recommendations [Chet Atkins](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc9fbCzUzPU) One of the originators of the style - sorry it’s not a visual clip of him playing that piece. They do exist, but I’m assuming there are copyright issues. [Jason Crawford](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZY-_jYyhdo&feature=user) a local Toronto guitar hero - he’s been a subway musician for the last couple of years. [Bruce Cockburn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCBY9Fb8YGo) One of his earliest solo sucesses. Any other favourites out there? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/2 "2008-07-09T17:37:59Z")
Mark Knopfler. Apparently he developed his style while playing a badly warped guitar. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/3 "2008-07-09T17:39:25Z")
**Jeff Beck** - who hasn’t used a pick in about 35 years, rocks (and jazzes, and blues-ifies) better than pretty much anyone else out there and has NO discernible “fingerstyle” technique - he just kinda throws his fingers out there and does the most amazing things you can imagine. He is pretty much The Man as far as guitar is concerned, IMHO. **Mark Knopfler** - again, not a straight-up, standard fingerstyle player…but he is Mark Knopfler so that’s enough for me…ETA: ah, you beat me **Hello Again**! ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/4 "2008-07-09T17:45:02Z")
Drat. Missed window. In this clip he plays “Layla” with Eric Clapton. The contrast in their styles in interesting. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ae2uidckqE) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/5 "2008-07-09T17:51:38Z")
[Peter Case](http://www.petercase.com/) often fingerpicks…I dig it (Full Service No Waiting has some good fingerpicking tracks on it). On the electric side, [Wilco Johnson of Dr. Feelgood](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo2HIUE404M) had a very rocking finger thwacking style. (YouTube clip, TV show, but you get the idea) ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/6 "2008-07-09T17:52:46Z")
Leo Kotke. I saw him some years ago at the now defunct Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth. Fantastic guitarist. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/7 "2008-07-09T18:00:00Z")
Oh, and here’s Wilko Johnson showing his method… [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyr\_\_kGhUC0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyr__kGhUC0) ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/8 "2008-07-09T19:26:03Z")
For me, it’s Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler, and on [Neck And Neck](http://www.amazon.com/Neck-Chet-Atkins/dp/B0000026UV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1215631474&sr=1-1) , you can hear them together. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/9 "2008-07-10T02:04:29Z")
Well, I thought I’d throw a couple of other recommendations your way… [Harry Manx](http://www.harrymanx.com/main.html) , and the website has some great pieces to listen to. [Tuck Andress](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtljYur4_T8) has some cool stuff available to watch and listen to. There used to be some much better video of Lenny Breau available, I’ll keep looking, but the good quality youTube stuff seems to be gone at the moment. There’s a video of a masterclass that’s not very good quality, but Lenny’s playing on it is exquisite. Randy Bachmann had it put out a few years back - [Guitarchives](http://www.randybachman.com/index.php?ch=8&id=20060926095720) still seems to have it available. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/10 "2008-07-10T03:42:50Z")
Rev. Peyton of The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. I’ve put a number of videos up. [Here’s one of him](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMMbFQ3K0Vc) showing a classroom of kids his style, [while this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2OgI8fS3P8) is the band at Knuckleheads in Kansas City. I think he’s a pretty amazing fingerpicking guitarist. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/11 "2008-07-10T04:11:10Z")
Martin Carthy Richard Thompson Leo Kottke Bert Jansch ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/12 "2008-07-10T04:12:51Z")
Oh yeah, and Blind (Rev) Gary Davis ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/13 "2008-07-10T04:20:38Z")
“When someone uses the phrase ‘the best guitar player in the world,’ I usually go into an exhaustive discourse on how music is art and you can’t judge art and there are many different ways that people play the guitar and it’s impossible to be considered the best because then you would have to master all styles and that it’s all right to have favorites, etc., etc., etc., blah-blah-blah. But I feel okay in saying that [Danny Gatton](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYaPRMxusZ0) comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived.” – [Steve Vai](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CfEaSmdtGU) ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/14 "2008-07-10T04:42:03Z")
[QUOTE=Enter the Flagon] Danny Gatton comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived. [/QUOTE] Wow!! How come I’ve never heard of this guy?!? ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/15 "2008-07-10T04:57:33Z")
[QUOTE=squeegee] Wow!! How come I’ve never heard of this guy?!? [/QUOTE] He didn’t like to tour, and his tastes were too varied to fit into a single format very well. He also had his share of unlucky breaks before dying in 1994 by his own hand. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/16 "2008-07-10T05:04:42Z")
Michael Chapdelaine provided many of arrangements that Sungha Jung plays. Probably the best I’ve heard. [California Dreaming](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0wVP4UrgpE) [Come Together](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u55G1VGuTfs&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/17 "2008-07-10T05:05:58Z")
Tommy Emmanuel ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-please-share-your-favourite-fingerstyle-guitarists/455863/18 "2008-07-10T11:47:36Z")
[QUOTE=Enter the Flagon] He didn’t like to tour, and his tastes were too varied to fit into a single format very well. He also had his share of unlucky breaks before dying in 1994 by his own hand. [/QUOTE] Very sad story and yeah, a brilliant guitarist. He and Roy Buchanan were both brilliant Tele players and real guitarists’ guitarists who never broke through and ended up killing themselves. Gatton’s nickname was “the Humbler” - check out some of his recordings with Robert Gordon…there’s lots of Gatton snippets on youTube…