Conference napalm::guitar

    Does Charlie Byrd count?  I get real depressed everytime I go into
    the local record stores in the Springs and can't find a single
    release by him.  Not even a section with his name on it.
    
    How about Liona Boyd, Christopher Parkening, or John Williams?
    
    =ken

    How could you leave out Doc Watson? 
    
    Or Martin Carthy? Just try to figure out what he's doing. 
    
    In addition, there are a number of British folkies that appear
    backing up other artists; check out any of June Tabor's records,
    especially "Airs and Graces". 
    
    Bill Staines has a very nice sound - he plays a normal guitar
    lefthanded, Libba Cotton style.

    Can't leave out Gordon Bok. He plays quite a bit of 12-string tunes.
    Also sometimes plays a six-string fretted cello like a guitar. 

    For less well known people, there's Cindy Kallet on Folk Legacy
    records. (Always push your friends.) She plays the only Gurian
    guitar I ever heard that didn't sound like strings on a shoe box
    (Brazilian rosewood limited edition). In one of her tunes on
    her first album, she winds up playing the A part on the high
    strings and the B part on the low strings, simultaneously.

    Yes I left out Doc but he is on my playing list, so is Liona Boyd.
    Would you believe the last time I looked for Christopher Parkening
    I couldn't find any?
    
    Martin Carthy...I know he's from the Isles...does he do traditional
    Irish/Scottish things (airs, reels, jigs)?  I've heard of him but
    not that familiar with his work (haven't read the articles in my
    FRETS about him yet).
    
    Maybe I can get Ken to buy some of these for me!!
    
    _stew-

    Re .3
    
    Martin Carthy is a British folksinger with a very distinctive guitar
    style. He does play some tunes, but that's not his primary venue. He
    did a number of records with Dave Swarbrick (fiddle player from
    Fairport Convention). Some of his playing sounds almost like
    he's frailing.
    
    He was in Steeleye Span twice - one on a couple of their early
    records, then much later on "Storm Force Ten"(?). Of course,
    that work is mostly electric, but his style doesn't change that
    much between acoustic and electric.

    Although most of their recorded material is electric, I really like
    the acoustic stuff I've heard from Steve Morse and Al DiMeola.
    
    Some of my acoustic favorites: Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges and
    how could I forget Guy Van Duser!!!  Van Duser's "Stars & Stripes"
    is a classic.
    
    	db

    Alex DeGrassi.......

    ian anderson!
    my hero!
    rik
    

    re .2
    
    Another vote for Bill Staines.  By the way, if you would like to
    hear him "live" he'll be at the Folkway in Peterboro,NH this Friday
    (Aug 29).
    

    Please DO check out Martin Carthy.  He's mainly a singer, but I
    love his playing.  It may take a few listenings to get used to him.
    Also -
    
    Pierre Bensusan
    John Renbourne
    Dick Gaughan (trad. Scottish, Irish.  Great!)
    Russ Barenberg
    David Laibman (Eric Schoenberg's cousin)
    Django Reinhardt (This is required listening for any guitar player)
    Los Indios Tabajaras (probably also should be required)
    Douglas Niedt (fine young classical player)
    many more
    
    Bob
    
    
    

    Phil Keaggy
    

    
Clarence White	- I can't listen to him closely enough!  He was the original
		Tony Rice.  Unfortunately, he died in 1973 when he was hit
		by a car.  MULESKINNER is probably the best album for
		a sample of his playing.
Pierre Bensusan	- incredible fingerstyle guitarist, oozes with emotion.
    		If you ever get to see him live, don't miss it.  He
		gets lost in his music, becomes one with his guitar.
Russ Barenberg	- About as close as I've heard in overall style to Tony
		Rice.  He doesn't have the incredible tone of Tony Rice,
		but he plays VERY tastefully and never gets flashy for the
		sake of impressing.
Dan Crary	- another flatpicker, very smooth.  One of my favorites is
		his "Memories of Mozart" a transcription of some Mozart
		composition on his GUITAR album.
Norman Blake	- plays old-time type music with a blues feeling and a driving
		flatpicking style.
David Bromberg	- a very hot flatpicker and a fine fingerpicker
Preston Reed	- 6 and 12 string guitarist ala Leo Kotke.  Plays with a
		percussive style, although not as much depth and color as
		Kotke.

>Clarence White	- I can't listen to him closely enough!  He was the original
>		Tony Rice.  Unfortunately, he died in 1973 when he was hit
>		by a car.  MULESKINNER is probably the best album for
>		a sample of his playing.

    Actually, MULESKINNER is probably not one of the best samples of
    his playing.  Even though that album is quite good some better
    examples of his playing can be found on his workd with the
    Kentucky Colonels.  Not only do you get a feel for his lightning
    fast delivery on the lead lines but you can hear his comp work
    in the back which is also phenomenal.
    
    I had a guitar teacher in LA who had been a student of Clarence's
    and reported that his best playing was never recorded.  He also
    said that taking lessons from him was exasperating because Clarence
    could never slow anything down and he never played the same thing
    twice.
    
    PBS had done a show featuring Muleskinner right before Clarence's
    death but after the showing erased the tape.  What a loss.
    
    =ken

    Re: .12, Clarence White
    
>                       Not only do you get a feel for his lightning
>   fast delivery on the lead lines but
    	OK, MULESKINNER isn't the best for his lightning fast runs.
    Of the albums I have (Kentucky Colonels 1965-1967; The White Bros. (New
    Kentucky Colonels); and Muleskinner), Muleskinner is my overall
    favorite; the recording is much cleaner, so Clarence is easier to hear.
    
>                                       you can hear his comp work
>   in the back which is also phenomenal.
    	Right, that's where Clarence shines on MULESKINNER.  His backup
    in "Footprints in the Snow", for instance, is just beautiful - very
    elegant.  It sounds fairly simple, but I realized how truly different
    and innovative his style really was when I tried to play riffs such
    as this one.  His speed is obvious enough that I know not to try the
    fast ones.
    
    	Do you have any tapes of Clarence, either solo or in any of
    his bands?  I'd love to get more material than what I have now,
    but I can't seem to find any.
    
    				Dave

    How about.. John Mclaughlin his work with Shakti fantastic.
    John Renbourne, and...I saw Steven Stills do a niffty acoustic bit
    with an old Cream tune called Crossroads. 
    
    	Marty

    So many terrific talents named, but no mention of Rory Block or
    Ellen McEllwyn (sp?).  Two very hard driving players, writers,
    vocalists.  Try 'em, you'll like 'em.
    
    Wendy

    If you are more into the "new jazz" vein,
    there's Ralph Towner (of the ensemble Oregon, 
    and formerly of the Paul Winter Consort).
    
    He has done some recordings with John Abercrombie.
    The two make an excellent guitar duo.
    
    Then one of my favorite acoustic players, composition-wise
    is Steve Eliovson.  He did a collaboration called "Dawn Dance"
    with percussionist Collin Walcott, who until his recent death
    was with Oregon.
    
    All of the above mentioned artists are on the ECM jazz label.

    I just saw Dave Mason last night in Boulder, Co.  Jim Krieger
    accompanied him (as usual)  and was that man was absolutely astounding.

    	\rik

    Doesn't anyone remember Jim Croce.  
    Excellent guitar and lyrics!
    
    Niall.
    

    	This may sound funny, but I've been buying my 7 year old son
    the tapes by singer/songwriter/guitarist RAFFI.  All his songs are
    songs for kids like PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON
    THE RAILROAD, and KUMBAYA.  I was suprised that this man has some
    very tasty licks in the folk/blues ragtime/bluegrass vein believe
    it or not!  These tape are fun if you have a kid that age...I wouldn't
    recommend them for the serious learner though.  ;-)
    
    _stew-

	Just realized that I haven't gotten my $.02 in yet.  
	Lately I've been listening to a lot of Tony Rice.  Boy
	can that man play the guitar.  Some of his newer stuff has
	been getting into mixing Jazz in with Bluegrass, kind of
	like taking David Grisman's Dawg Music a step further.
	Tony played with the Grisman Quartet for a while I believe.

	Does Dobro count as acoustic guitar??  Probably the person that
	I am listening to most these days is Jerry Douglas.  I can't 
	believe anybody can get the music he does out of a dobro.  
	He has three of his own records out and as a studio musician
	is on just about every new bluegrass/new acoustic record that
	comes out.

	-gary

    Acoustic guitarists ?

        John James, Welsh wizard of ragtime, look up his 'Head in the Clouds'
                    album on Transatlantic (UK).

        Martin Simpson, try 'Nobody's fault but mine'.

        but best of all ...

        Kevin Dempsey of Whippersnapper
        but you'd be lucky to find anything in the States ...

    
    Re: .21
    
    If you meant that we would be lucky to find Whippersnapper recordings
    here in the U.S., they have two releases on Varrick records, a
    subsidiary of Rounder.  
    
    P.S. Is this Martin Simpson the cahracter who played with June Tabor
    on "A Cut Above"???  She has good taste in guitarists...
    
    

    Re: .22
    
    
>     P.S. Is this Martin Simpson the cahracter who played with June Tabor
>     on "A Cut Above"???  She has good taste in guitarists...
    
    
        Yes, spot on !  He plays a mean banjo too ......

    How about...
    
    The Guitar trio's album Passion, Grace & Fire (John Mcglaughlin,
    Al Di Miola and Paco Di Lucia) the best i've heard in the
    Jazz/classical fusion category.
    
    	Another Gitrist worth listening to is Larry Coryell (Try Standing
    Ovation and The Lion and The Lamb for starters). Larry also did
    an album with Brian Keene that's worth risking your Tympani on.
    
    These four often play together in various combinations but beware...
    I nearly threw my guitar away after listening to them
    
    How about Michael Hedges on the Windham Hill label (any WH fans
    out there?), especially Ariel Boundaries... C'est excellence je
    pense!
    
    	Three cheers for the Django mention, an inspiration to us all
    eh....
    
    Gavin
    

    If you like Michael Hedges then look for the "Windham Hill In Concert"
    video tape. I found it at my local video rental store and was
    amazed at his style.
    
    Nick

    Did I mention Alex DeGrassi? I prefer him to Hedges...but then I
    only head one Hedges album and that was awful...I think it was his
    last one....the title was something like "Looking at my life". I
    know one thing for certain, Hedges can't sing. ( and we don't need
    another cover of All along the watchtower...)  
    
    Anyways DeGrassi is great...instrumental accoustic guitar I recommend
    Turning/turning back.
                                                 
    dave

    
    
    	Come on people, after over a year of replies I can't
    beleive nobody has mentioned Chet Atkins. He's probably influenced
    more of these guitarist than anyone else.
    
       He is one of the great Guitarist of our time.

    
    well i actually got to meet leo kotke(sp) once, and he claims the
    man that got him turned around from singing old dylan tunes was
    
    		john fahey
    
    btw, i also got to play his guitars - the man has enormous, strong
    hands, and the highest action i've ever seen.
    
    					bs

    
    Re: .28
    
    Martin Simpson can be heard on a number of recordings by vocalist
    June Tabor, including "A Cut Above" which is credited jointly ,
    and "Abyssinians".  Great stuff....
    
    On her earlier albums June recorded with Nic Jones, another great
    fingerstylist.
    
    

    Has anybody mentioned John Renbourn?

    
    
    Anyone ever heard of Duke Robillard?  Catch him next time he comes
    to Gilrein's in Worcester.  Fabulous guitar player.

    Not my favorite, but up there in the top 15 or 20, Jorma Kaukonen
    from Hot Tuna by way way of Jefferson Airplane.

    Anyone have any background info on Arlen Roth?  I picked up an acoustic
    instruction book from the local library by him.  I'm not familiar
    with him, is he a decent guitarist?
    
    Mike

    Arlen is a good player but is best known for his teaching books
    and videos...
    
    I have two videos by him, slide guitar (which I highly recommend
    to anyone who wishes to begin to learn slide) and Blues guitar which
    I'd recommend only if you know nothing about blues/lead guitar.
    
    dbii

	Arlen Roth is a great player (IMHO ;-).  He has three solo albums
	all on Rounder Records (I believe all three are).  They are titled
	"Guitarist" , "Hot Pickups", and "Lonely Street".  Arlen's style
	on theses is kinda a mixture of hot nashville and blues.  He does
	covers of songs such as "Rocket 88", "Ghost Riders in the Sky",
	"The Last Time", and "Slow Down" as well as some originals.

	Arlen used to play in the Happy and Artie Traum band years ago.
	I remember seeing them a few times down in the NY/NJ area.  He
	recorded on their "Hard Times in the Country" album, also on 
	rounder.

	Most recently (two years or so ago) he tutored Ralph Maschio (sp?)
	to look like he knew how to play guitar (particularly slide) for
	the movie Crossroads (although Ry Cooder actually played all the 
	slide parts).

	Like dbII said in -.1, he is most know for his books and videos.
	I have his Slide Guitar and Acoustic Guitar book and think they 
	are both very well done.

	If you get a chance to listen to some of his music some day..do it.
	I personally think he is a very underrated but gifted guitarist.

	_gary

    Hey guys,
         all this talk of great guitarist.  Ever heard of Jose Feliciano.
    He did have other music than Felic Navidid.  You think Al Di Meola
    is fast, smooth and expressive. Just listen to the blind guy and
    you will be surprised.
    
    Ian Thomson, Flamenco Guitarist and fan of Ralf Towner.

    
    Favorite acoustic players...
    
    Tony Rice (My favorite)
    Larry Coryell (Madman!! Like the Richie Cole of guitar)
    Doc Watson (Spiritual)

    phil

    Favorites...   what a great thought.  I'm listening to Norman Blakes
    'Rising Fawn String Ensemble' as I type this (pretty neat, as it's an
    autographed copy).  
    
    	In no particular order, with editorial comments added:
    
    		Norman Blake - I buy everything Norman puts out.  His
    sound is the pure 'roots' sound that appeals most to my acoustic
    nature.  Listen to Norman over and over to develop the old time
    soul in your playing.
    
    		Tony Rice - Actually, I buy everything anyone on this list
    puts out.  I've studied all of Tony's breaks - Sunday my band happened
    to play 'Blackberry Blossom' during a show.  When I nailed Tony's break
    the crowd went nuts.  Transcriptions of most of his work is available
    at good music stores.
    
    		Dan Crary - incredible arranger, lousy vocalist (but not
    as bad as Byron) - he's done some of the most beautiful compositions and
    arrangements available today.  Pick up anything that's Dan's done, or
    BCH (Berline, Crary, Hickman) for some of the finest old time fiddle
    style recordings.  Dan is also a GREAT teacher (hell, PH.D. in
    Communications, he teachs for a living at USC? - he has some of the 
    best instructional tapes available on homespun.
    
    		Mark O'Connor - Mark won at Winfield (Kansas, you remember,
    the National Flatpicking Championships - see you there this September)
    when he was a mere lad of 14 - then again when 16.  His album
    'Markology' is an absolute gem of acoustic guitar at it's finest.
    
    		Pat Flynn - I got to jam with Pat a couple years back.
    I played a tune he didn't know.  His first break was ok, but when it
    came around again he was awesome.  Also a very nice guy, and getting
    very famous.
    
    		Steve Kaufman - ever heard this guy play?  He's won at
    Winfield 3 times (even O'Connor only won there twice), and is probably
    the most influential (for me) guitarist I know right now - he's got a
    couple albums out.  Write Steve at 1414 Remsen, Alcoa, Tennessee.  Tell
    him I sent ya.
    		
    	Clarence White - I second the emotions expressed in 
    some of the previous notes.  Clarence had a sound that everyone tried
    to copy - Rus Barenburg wrote a book with transcriptions about
    Clarence - a must for flatpickers.  Pick it up and STUDY it.  Amazing
    ideas there.
    
    Doc Watson - what a tone he gets out of that flat-top gitter.  A great
    player.  Carried on the line from Riley Puckett, Grady Tate, to
    Clarance White.  
    
    Myself - that's right folks, I'm also one of my favorite flatpickers.
    You should come over and jam sometime.	
    

    As I type this little note, I'm listening to the "Fruit Tree" box
    set collection by the much missed Nick Drake. Much of his work is
    rather sad, almost meloncholy, but the songs remain really strong.
    Worth investigating.
    
    Julian.
    

    Three not mentioned... Daniel Hecht, recorded one album on the Windham
    hill label in 1979.  A classically trained fingerstylist, plays a 
    custom steel string guitar in the classical position - coaxes tonal
    qualities from theguitar usually associated only with the nylon-string
    guitar.  Highly melodic style; performed with Alex DeGrassi.  Album is
    called Willow...      David Qualey, plays a nylon string guitar, his
    tunes combine folk and classical (not serious classical playing like
    Parkening thatcan be tough to listen to.)  Qualey is a technical master
    that incorporates all the elemments of classical playing into tunes
    with a friendly melody.  Shades of the classical standard Remembranza,
    Qualey excutes flawless 64th notes while the bass strrings carry a
    beautiful melody in Opus 22 on his Siloquey album...  and how about
    Boston's own Bennett Hammond?  A pure ffingerstylist who embelishes
    on "simple" tunes - originals and Irish/Celtic.  His Shee Beg Shee Mor
    is one of the best versions I've heard.
    
    Don

    Among my favourite accoustic Guitar players are Martin Carthy, Clarence
    White and Tony Rice. 
    
    About Tony Rice: it is quite difficult to find his more jazzy
    records/CDs here in Zurich/Switzerland. Does anybody know what are
    his most recent albums? The last I bought was called "Still Inside",
    I think. I can find his Bluegrass stuff, but does Tony still do
    his accoustic "jazz"?
    
    Felix
    
     

    
    The last heavy-duty jazz recording Tony made was "Backwaters", and I
    believe that dates to 83 or so.  He continues to include a few
    instrumentals here and there, but has moved away from the jazz things
    for some reason.
    
    I heard (rumor only, not fact) that Tony had some throat operations in
    the early eighties that affected his voice such that he wasn't allowed
    to sing for awhile, thus all the instrumental recordings.  
    
    The most recent album that I know of is the one he recorded with his
    brothers, I think it's just called "The Rice Brothers", and it's on
    Rounder.  
    
    							Brian
    

    To back up that throat-operation rumor, I was told by another Tony Rice
    fan that he'd seen him not too long ago and his voice wasn't near what
    it had been.  Maybe he should stop smoking...
    
    Anyway, who goes to hear Tony Rice SING?
    
    Charlie

	Another of Tony's jazzier records was "Acoustics".  This must
	have been from the early 80's.

	_gary

    
    Stew,
    	
    You might try listening to a little known, but superb guitarist named
    Phil Keaggy.  He is a contemporay christian artist with roots in blues,
    jazz and rock.  He records on the "Word" and "Sparrow" labels. Some of
    his intrumental albums include: "Master and the Musician", "Wind and
    the Wheat", and most recently "Back to Nature".  These three albums
    contain a nice blend of acoustic and electric.  Enjoy,
    
    Allan
    

    Allan,
    
    See note 398.*
    
>    the Wheat", and most recently "Back to Nature".  These three albums
    
    it's called "Beyond Nature".
    
    >                  -< Hendrix says(said)Phil is great >-
    
    That's an old myth that has never been proven or documented anywhere,
    and Phil himself denied it when I asked him about it.  I've heard it 
    before, even heard the date of the "Guitar Player" issue he supposedly 
    said it in.  A friend has it and Jimi never said it.  However, he did 
    make a remark about how short Keaggy is.
    
    Mike

    My favorite is David Wilcox.  As a matter of Fact, I will be leaving in
    approx.......right now to go see him.  Yes ...he's in Houston
    tonight.  His music is so different, it changed my view of music.  And
    it got me playing again after a few years of just now and then.
    Pc
     

    My two cents worth...some that I don't remember seeing:
    
    Mississippi John Hurt
    Brownie McGhee (spelling?)
    Happy Traum (Homespun Instructional tapes/videos are excellent!)
    Blind Lemon Jefferson 
    What about Merle Watson (Doc's deceased son - great slide/blues)
    Merle Travis 
    Stephen Grossman - has instructional tapes for some old Beatles songs
    changed to fingerstyle (melody and base - perfect!) GREAT!
    
    and some that have been mentioned - my comments-
    Mark O'connor - Markology album - EXCELLENT
    Dan Crary - Guitar album - EXCELLENT - diverse
    Norman Blake - anything - EXCELLENT
    Guy Van Duser - almost a Ragtime piano style - very soothing
    Doc and Merle Watson - together - Warm and Windy, Deep River Blues....
    
    Of course, there are more, these are just the ones I listen to the
    most.  These are my opinions - and musical tastes vary.
    
    Also, finding music by these guys can be difficult - so I mail order
    (Kicking Mule and others)
    
    Jeanie    :-)

    Ah yes, Stefan Grossman. Haven't heard of him in years, tho' I got a
    double album and saw him lots in England.
    
    Another lost hero - Robin Williamson of the Incredible String Band.
    Magic fingers and voice.
    
    c,m 

>    Another lost hero - Robin Williamson of the Incredible String Band.
>    Magic fingers and voice.
    

Robin is still around.  He's made a bunch of albums since ISB - some with a 
band, some with himself playing multiple instruments, some solo harp, one
on synthesiser, several telling stories.  He's a *great* storyteller.

Bob

    details, bob, details. Album names etc........
    
    c, martin

                               -< Robin details >-
>
>    details, bob, details. Album names etc........
    

Well, let's see, there were about three albums by Robin Williamson and his 
Merry Band - 

	"American Stonehenge", 
	"A Glint at the Kindling" (or something like that) 
	something with the word "Journey" in it - "Journey's End,"maybe.  

The synth album was, I think, "Winter's Turning".  

Solo harp - "Legacy of the Scottish Harpers" and vol.2

Misc. - "Ten of Songs"

There are several cassettes of Celtic tales with names like, "Five Humorous
Celtic Tales", "Tales of Enchantment", etc.  

I have all of the above except Scottish Harpers vol2 and some of the 
cassettes.  The Merry Band was a tight act, almost too tight for me.  Some 
good stuff on Stonehenge and Glint, but I never listen to the other one.
I also don't care for "Winter's Turning," or "Ten of Songs".

But wait, this was supposed to be the Favorite_acoustic_guitarists note.
Oh well.

Bob

>>    details, bob, details. Album names etc........
>	"American Stonehenge", 
>	"A Glint at the Kindling" (or something like that) 
>	something with the word "Journey" in it - "Journey's End,"maybe.  
 
    "Journey's End" is the most accessible to rockers as it features
    electric bass and drums on many of the cuts.  It's closer to the ISB
    type of material.
    
    A lot of the playing on the other two Merry Band recordings is done on
    mandocello rather than guitar....still good albums, though.
    
    There is also a little known Robin solo recording called "Myrrh" which
    is actually of ISB vintage which had no US release.  It's got that
    crazed mid-period ISB feel, sort of psychedelic-Arabic-Indian folk
    music   8^) 8^)   

                                              Brian

>                               -< Robin details >-

BTW, most of Robin's stuff is on the Flying Fish label.

    merci merci, now how do I get a freebie to Angleterrorland so I can
    rummage around the record stores ??
    
    c, martin

    
    
    
    maybe it's new speak for Los Angeles?
    
    Or some reference to the site of that UK explosion??
    
    

    Isn't "Angleterre" French for "England"?
    
    Dave

    <-.1>
    
    Yeah, sorry, I've used it for so long it just slipped out. It's the
    consequence of 3 years exile in the French Republic.
    
    Angleterre = England
    Angleterrorland = Mrs Thatcher's England (as was)
    
    c, m

    No one seems to have mentioned Richard Thompson or Ry Cooder or Sam
    Mcghee or Lester Flatt or Leadbelly or Blind Willie McTell or any one
    of those mindblowing Belgian gypsies who carry on the Django Rheinhardt
    tradition
    
    
    andy

>    No one seems to have mentioned Richard Thompson or Ry Cooder or Sam
>    Mcghee or Lester Flatt or Leadbelly or Blind Willie McTell or any one
>    of those mindblowing Belgian gypsies who carry on the Django Rheinhardt
>    tradition
    
    
I could second all those nominations except I never heard Lester Flatt do 
anything but strum chords.  Of course, he did it just right. :^)

And don't forget Blind Blake.  Incredible ragtime blues fingerpicker.

Bob

    My favorite and biggest influence is Emily Saliers of the "Indigo
    Girls". Did anyone catch them at the Ortheum (sp) last night?
    
    Tracey
    

This topic has been inactive for almost two years, but some of my favorite
all-around guitarists are accoustic players, namely:

Tony Rice
Norman Blake
Doc Watson
Dan Crary(SP?)
John Fahey
Leo Kotke

These are all guitarists who never play electric, with the exception
of Kotke, who has recorded a wee bit of electric material.

Anybody have some recommendations on Doc Watson recordings?  I've always 
liked what I heard on Will The Circle Be Unbroken by the Nitty Gritty Dirt
Band.  I've heard that you can get some of the first recordings he made 
when he was first discovered in the late 50's/early 60's.  I've heard 
that he did not start playing professionally until the early 60's.
Recommendations?

Jim

    Jim,
    
        Dont know any titles, but try to find some with his late son
        Merle(sp?).  My broter had a couple tapes with him on them, he
        was a fine picker himself.
    
        Robert,
    
    	ps.. re "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
    	that rendition will bring tears to your eyes.  Also like the Bruce
        Hornsby(sp?) song on that tape, awesome picking!! 

    Jerry Garcia (RIP)
    Jorma Kaukonen
    Neil Young
    Country Joe McDonald
    Bela Fleck (sorta a guitarist ;-)
    Jimmy Page  

> Anybody have some recommendations on Doc Watson recordings?

A lot of Doc's early material was issued on Vanguard Records.  They
are from the early-to-mid 60s.  Rounder re-issues material like
this, and you can contact their distribution dept directly.  Rounder is
in Somerville MA.  Just call info for the number - you can almost always
get someone on the phone who can point you in the right direction.

Also, music stores, such as the Music Emporium in Cambridge are helpful
in answering questions about locating old folk/bluegrass recordings.

I'm pretty sure Vanguard still prints CDs and cassettes of most of
their artists.  They're down south somewhere.  Also record stores that
specialize in folk music carry most of this type of material.


Wish I could be more specific, but I'd have to look at an album cover 
to give you ordering info.

-Steve 

    Doc & Merle Watson	"Down South"	Sugar Hill Records/RYKODISC
    
    "The Essential Doc Watson"	Vanguard Records
    	(Welk Record Group Compny, 1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 800,
    	Santa Monica, CA)
    
    Both on CDROM.  The second has 28 songs on it.
    
    In the greater Maynard area, a good store for acoustic/folk is
    Minor Chord in Acton, MA on Rt 2A.

>     "The Essential Doc Watson"	Vanguard Records
>   	(Welk Record Group Compny, 1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 800,
>   	Santa Monica, CA)

Excellent! That's one I was trying to remember.

"Two Days in November" is another favorite. 

and, a two-record set, I believe titled "Memories," which has a lot
of excellent slide work by the late Merle Watson, mentioned earlier.

    re: .66 and NGDB's Will The Circle Be Unbroken...
    
    There are two different Circles...  The original (from the early
    seventies) that has (among others) Doc Watson, and Vol 2 (from
    a few years ago) that contains the bluegrass version of "Valley
    Road"
    
    Jim

    I'll second the "Memories" recommendation for Doc.  It's a fine album. 
    Another good album is Doc & Merle "Pickin' the Blues". His latest
    album, "Docabilly", is a lot of fun, too, but there's less guitar
    wizardry and more just plain rockabilly.  It's kind of a salute to
    Doc's 1950s phase, when he was playing electric in bar bands.

    The deal about Doc going pro in the 60s is that music historian Ralph
    Rinzler "discovered" Doc playing dives (for peanuts) in his native
    North Carolina back in about 1962.  Ralph brought him up to New Yawk to
    play the hot Greenwich Village venues of the day, and also up to the
    Newport Folk Festival.  Doc was an instant hit.

    The most enjoyable thing I've seen with Doc (besides his concerts) is a
    video from Homespun (1-800-33-TAPES) called "Doc's Guitar".  It's *kind
    of* an instructional video to show Doc's licks, as well as many from
    Jack Lawrence, who's been Doc's sideman since Merle died. However, it's
    also got some great playing and great interview with Doc and his
    contemporaries.  I'd highly recommend this whether you want to learn
    Doc's licks or not.

    Charlie

    One of my current favorite guitar CDs is Tony Rice and John Carlini,
    "River Suite for Two Guitars."  This all instrumental album consists
    of a number of wonderful duets, ranging from a very pretty rendition
    of "Send in the Clowns" to quite jazzy.
    
    If you haven't heard of Carlini, he preceded Tony Rice as guitarist
    for David Grisman's band, and they actually played together under 
    Grisman for a while.  I would describe his playing as more jazz than 
    bluegrass.  Anyway, Grisman introduced the two and they became good
    friends.  This is the first CD they've recorded together.  
    
    Another great CD is "Skip, Hop, Wobble" by Russ Barenburg, Jerry
    Douglas, and Edgar Meyer.  Barenburg is a great guitarist, Douglas
    is king of the Dobro, and Meyer is the most incredible upright bassist
    I've ever heard (no one else comes even close).  Great music played
    with impeccable musicianship.
    
    Jim

     BTW Edgar is a great classical bassist as well, and
    has performed solo with symphony orchestra's in the 
    past.  I think he's worked with the St. Louis Symphony, 
    the Sante Fe chamber music festival, and recently 
    with Josh Bell at Indiana University.  Probably many
    more.     
    
    His father was a bassist, and Edgar started bass at 
    a young age.  Edgar was just ridiculously facile
    even right outa high school.  But his real love 
    (being from Tennessee) was bluegrass, especially
    the style of David Grisman.       
    
    Dave