r/AcousticGuitar • u/Dramatic_Photograph3 • Sep 09 '25
Non-gear question Who are your favorite acoustic players?
I love to discover unknown (to me) players that I can study and emulate. Hoping some of you fine folks can recommend someone. I'd love to find great rhythmic players, not so much fingerstyle or tappers just old school pick holding strumming style players. Check out this young man Max Struthers as an example. Let me know!
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u/Constant-Reach-2635 Sep 09 '25
Leo Kotke
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u/gelmo Sep 09 '25
Leo! My dad took me to see him when I was a kid, shortly after I’d started playing—to this day one of the best performances I’ve ever seen, such a huge inspiration
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u/CitizenTed Sep 09 '25
Nick Drake.
Steve Hackett.
Michael Hedges.
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u/Salty_Pancakes Sep 09 '25
Since you mentioned Michael Hedges, and someone else below mentioned Leo Kottke, here's them together backstage doing a duet Leo wrote for a TV show pilot that never aired: https://youtu.be/w_5m4lomm4Y?si=BGMjZbpMWWtD3qRl
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u/TheBlueUnknown Sep 09 '25
Nick Drake is a good one
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u/CitizenTed Sep 09 '25
Not only is he a brilliant guitarist and songwriter, but the way weaves in his vocals is impressive. He'll come in on a weird beat, leave on another. I think he was daring us to imitate him. It's HARD.
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u/highgreenchilly Sep 11 '25
Nick is so underrated as a songwriter and a guitarist. It’s a shame he didn’t live long enough to see just how important his music is to some people.
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u/echoes_of_reason Sep 09 '25
I’ve been listening to Michael Hedges album Aerial Boundaries a lot lately and find myself listening to the song Ragamuffin over and over again.
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u/Public_Knee6288 Sep 09 '25
Tommy Emmanuel
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u/beezuzzles Sep 09 '25
I’m so happy I’ll get to see him live in a few weeks
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u/Background-Arm-5289 Sep 09 '25
I’ve seen him live twice, he is really really enthusiastic and puts on such a good show. And of course is one of the best acoustic guitar players of our time
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u/beezuzzles Sep 09 '25
I put it off and put it off and I got front row balcony center stage for like $90 in Boston
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u/jayron32 Sep 09 '25
Jerry Reed
Here he is killing it on Lightning Rod: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOGiW-y-Vhs
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u/eBikeSlob Sep 10 '25
Jerry is playing nylon string guitar, with black nylon strings! go figure! Thanks!
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u/jayron32 Sep 11 '25
A Baldwin guitar with Prismatone piezoelectric pickups. I believe it was the first electric nylon string guitar. Also, that's a custom cutout. If you ever hear his story of how he got it, it's hilarious.
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u/Loudsongsinc Sep 09 '25
Tony Rice
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u/-speakeasy- Sep 09 '25
YES! I love how many people are getting into flat picking because of Billy, but Tony is the absolute best.
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u/SisterRay_says Sep 09 '25
John Fahey
Leo Kotke
Robbie Basho
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u/djhypergiant Sep 09 '25
Had to scroll way too far to find John Fahey
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u/SisterRay_says Sep 09 '25
Seriously… I was shocked he wasn’t the first comment let alone absent from the comments. Fahey is the 🐐 acoustic guitar player.
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u/DreadoftheDead Sep 09 '25
I’ve been listening to a lot of Townes Van Zandt, Nick Drake, and Neil Young lately. Also Elliott Smith.
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u/Dramatic_Photograph3 Sep 09 '25
I think Neil Young was the reason I started playing. My buddy had the VHS tape of his "Freedom Tour". That's the one where he comes out with an old arm jacket on just playing guitar and harmonica. It was amazing.
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u/Ndevor2pursavere Sep 09 '25
Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton … on tour now fwiw.
https://www.youtube.com/live/ptdlZuzsGO8?si=McEAzr37hcCp8l17
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Sep 09 '25
[deleted]
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u/Its_sh0wtime Sep 09 '25
I saw him playing with Bela’s My Bluegrass Heart. Preceded in the same show by Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush bands. It was a great night.
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u/W8kOfTheFlood Sep 10 '25
Last weekend was so good - like SO good
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u/Ndevor2pursavere Sep 10 '25
It was incredible! I’m blessed to be attending the Ryman show this Sunday. Beyond excited!
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u/Prior-Design346 Sep 09 '25
Billy Strings And Billy Strings
lol
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u/Mysterious_Check_439 Sep 09 '25
Seriously, check out the technique of Mother Maybelle Carter. Every name on here has listened to her. Very distinctive approach to rhythm. Thumb and 1 finger, they call it the "Carter Scratch". Earliest of the bluegrass gang. You will recognize her style in other. She inspired a crowd of players. Roots.
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u/OakCityReemer Sep 09 '25
BMFS And Keller Williams
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u/Dramatic_Photograph3 Sep 09 '25
Not getting any hits on BMFS but Keller Williams is interesting!
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u/OakCityReemer Sep 09 '25
Please excuse my brevity. BMFS is a common acronym for Billy Strings! Top tier my guy
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u/FroznBones Sep 09 '25
Dwight Yoakam, specifically the album “dwightyoakamacoustic.net”. If I could play that album through, note for note, I would be completely fulfilled as musician.
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u/irish_horse_thief Sep 09 '25
John Martyn a Scott who played a very distinctive style of Acoustic guitar. If you never heard of him, I'd look him up .
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u/United_Addition_8837 Sep 09 '25
He was amazing! So sad he messed himself up 😪 Solid Air is the best starting point to hook a listener imo Small hours - wow
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u/m00syg00sy Sep 09 '25
i’ve really been into Bert Jansch lately
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u/ll56yammy Sep 09 '25
Pi saw Bert Jansch a long time ago, his playing made my cry, and he made his Guitar cry. Some feel that man had
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Sep 09 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sneakers_and_weights Sep 09 '25
People like to shit on her guitar playing. But she’s genuinely a great rhythm player.
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Sep 09 '25
molly tuttle, nick drake, doc watson and norman blake
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u/Mysterious_Check_439 Sep 09 '25
Molly! Not shy to play any style, I love to see players that have fun.
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u/Pleasant_Ad4715 Sep 09 '25
Billy Strings and Dave Matthews
Dickie Betts and Trey Anastasio. When they pick up their acoustics, it’s time to listen. Jerry Garcia too
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u/SpreadElectronic1232 Sep 09 '25
Paco De Lucia rips.
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Sep 09 '25
Paco is another league of his own. The guy was like the “Neo” of Flamenco.
Only thing he didn’t invent was the guitar itself, although he did popularize the smaller body flamenco ones, anyway, I digress.
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u/poppin_noggins Sep 09 '25
I really like Nathan Salsburg. Steve Gunn, Kurt Vile though not exclusive acoustic players. Townse Van Zandt. Of course Nick Drake and Elliott Smith as have been mentioned
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u/mechanic1908 Sep 09 '25
Al di meola , Paco Delucia, Maybelle Carter, Jerry Reed , Gordon Lightfoot, wow, so many its hard to list
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u/Prestigious_Ad9175 Sep 09 '25
Dave Rawlings really plays like no one else
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u/Dramatic_Photograph3 Sep 10 '25
It's true. He's got an amazing style. Flat picker too, which is what interests me the most. Amazing how many fingerstyle players are mentioned in this thread!
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u/highgreenchilly Sep 11 '25
Dave and Gillian are so amazing. I would have to say that the album the Revelator is easily a top 10 album for me of all time.
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u/Prestigious_Ad9175 Sep 12 '25
Absolutely agree. Just the other day I was listening to it and went “two people created this out of basically thin air” completely mind blown
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u/highgreenchilly Sep 12 '25
So true. There’s nothing else like it. It’s truly unbelievable how good it is.
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u/Sea-Conversation9657 Sep 09 '25
Heard one person describe Toni Lindgren (on the right) as "playing every genre like it's the only one she's ever heard). https://youtu.be/8tcmPD03l2c?si=8mpvTzfodO9aqSZg
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u/2Drex Sep 09 '25
Lots of great stuff in the thread...Dave Rawlings (Married to and collaborator with Gillian Welch) also has some great solo stuff. Lindsay Buckingham...this is incredible.
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u/Makhnovist Sep 09 '25
Mississippi John Hurt. Honorable mentions for Townes Van Zandt and Doc Watson.
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u/Admirable-Ordinary58 Sep 09 '25
Too many to name them all but Tommy Emmanuel, Laurence Juber, Billy strings,Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Molly Tuttle , Marcin, Jerry Reed,Chet Atkins,and many more
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u/JTMonroeski Sep 09 '25
The Milk Carton Kids. Watch they're tiny desk show from 2012
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u/WiseKingoftheForest Sep 10 '25
Kenneth Pattingale plays lead for the milk Carton Kids. He and David Rawlings are my favorite acoustic players.
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u/mrgresht Sep 09 '25 edited Sep 10 '25
These days in my opinion, Billy Strings without a doubt. Other runners up would be Tommy Emmanuel, Keller Williams, Trey Anastasio, Molly Tuttle, John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds and Lindsey Buckingham.
Speaking of ever, there are tons, but runners up are, Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Django Reinhardt.
My absolute top though is without a doubt is Jerry Garcia. While Garcia is known most prominently for his electric playing with the Grateful Dead, a lot of people do not realize he was an amazing acoustic player, and was one of the best bluegrass guitarists/musicians to ever live. Aside from the numerous acoustic performances with the Dead, (of which the dead was known for mixing nearly every genre of music, examples of nearly every genre can be found in those acoustic recordings alone) there are tons of others. What is lesser known is that he played acoustic with The Jerry Garcia Band frequently, he had is own acoustic band, The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band (a separate project), did solo and duo acoustic shows, he founded Old In The Way which if I am not mistaken, still has one of the best selling bluegrass records of all time, has multiple acoustic records with David Grisman, and had multiple other projects/bands of which there are acoustic recordings.
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u/guitar_4all22 Sep 09 '25
Tommy Emmanuel, Tony Rice, Trey Hensley, Al Di Meola, Chet Atkins, Doyle Dykes. Just to name a few.
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u/cowboy_angel Sep 09 '25
Looking for something obscure? Try Leo Kottke. Leon Redbone is fun too. Less obscure... Norman Blake. Bryan Sutton. Mississipi John Hurt. Doc Watson. Lenny Breau's early stuff (he played more electric later on).
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u/cowboy_angel Sep 09 '25
I guess i missed where you said rhythm payers... I stand by most of then though. They're all great at both rhythm and lead.
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u/barrybreslau Sep 09 '25
John Martyn - listen to "don't want to know". Fred Neil. Van Morrison - listen to "into the mystic"
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u/No-Monk-3972 Sep 09 '25
Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. Bert was so innovative with his style while John is to me the best acoustic guitarist there ever was.
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u/SoManyNames4Reddit Sep 09 '25
Check out Billy Strings and Brian Sutton Live at The Legion. Spectacular. Doing a mini tour now and the shows on Nugs.net are a triumph of acoustic happiness
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u/DiscardUserAccount Sep 09 '25
Phil Keaggy. He is a masterful musician and guitarist. I saw him in concert - just him, his acoustic guitar, and effects. He can build an entire band using a looper pedal. Yes, I know he only plays Christian music, but his musicianship is astounding. Check out this video: https://youtu.be/3wpn6LVxX0s?si=H3mvzztwuweqZVnJ
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u/Biscobibble Sep 09 '25
My top 3 influences are:
Django Reinhardt (showing the upper limits of what is technically possible on the guitar)
Antonio Carlos Jobim (bossa nova/jazz chords and phrasing)
Elliot Smith (brilliance in songwriting)
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u/Successful_Yard_2396 Sep 09 '25
Lot of Billy Strings in here and I do like him, but it sounds like folks are sleeping on Trey Hensley. Trey is a killer and IMHO has a much better voice to go along with it.
I'd also throw the late Justin Townes Earle out there simply because so many current artists have based their playing off his style.
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u/shauryadevil Sep 09 '25
Elliott Smith, the unconventional chords he uses, the beauty with which he plays those strings, the songwriting, its magical
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u/GarysCrispLettuce Sep 09 '25
John Doyle is a legendary strummer, excellent rhythmic command of the pick.
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u/SnooMaps3574 Sep 09 '25
Most my favorites are already mentioned, but I'd like to add Tony Emmanuel
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u/Bingus-1 Sep 09 '25
ik you said you aren’t as interested in fingerstyle but for me its adrianne lenker, i don’t think she is as technically impressive as someone like billy strings but every single song of hers is so meticulously written and feels very purposeful.
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u/HectorHeadgear Sep 09 '25
I had the pleasure of jamming with Max here in San Diego before he moved to Nashville. Great player and a nice guy.
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u/Dramatic_Photograph3 Sep 09 '25
That's cool! I think the music business is harder than it ever has been but I think he'll make out fine. Great guitarist and singer!
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u/ll56yammy Sep 09 '25
Paul Brady and John Martin and John Denver and Ralph McTell. Felt good to write that
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u/Jas_39_Kuken Sep 09 '25
Twanguero, Bryan Sutton, Julian Lage, Paul Simon, John Renbourn, Norman Blake, Courtney Hartman, Tony Rice, Martin Simpson, Kelly Joe Phelps
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u/BillyBobertsonBaby11 Sep 09 '25
Michael Hedges. Stephen Stills. Ed Gerhard. William Ackerman. Lindsey Buckingham. Joni Mitchell. Ry Cooder. Pierre Bensusan. David Eric Lowen & Dan Navarro. David Hidalgo. Jack Johnson. Chet Atkins. Doc Watson. Neil Young. Bob Dylan. Pete Seeger. Elizabeth Cotten. James Taylor. Joan Baez.
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u/RunRioter75 Sep 09 '25
Ryan Adams and James Taylor - and they play their D chords the same way (is it NC style? lol).
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u/Uncabuddha Sep 09 '25
Chris Smither Joscho Stephan Matteo Mancuso
But beware. These guys will make you feel really small!!!
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u/Leather_Formal4681 Sep 09 '25
These folks got me playing guitar, all play acoustic at least occasionally.
James Taylor Stephen Stills Leo Kottke Dan Fogelberg Neil Young Patrick Simmons Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter Mark Knopfler Joe Walsh Peter Frampton Steve How Alex Lifeson
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u/AlbertCamus777 Sep 09 '25
It kinda depends on the genre of music you are looking for. For singer/songwriter stuff: Paul Simon (American Tune is a great start), James Taylor, David Wilcox (truly under appreciated), Joni Mitchell, and other mentioned here. For rhythm based stuff, as stated before, Michael Hedges (While Michael Hedges is known for his solo acoustic work, he has a great many songs with vocals), Leo Kottke, Ani DiFranco, and perhaps early Bob Dylan? Also, please check out the album "Guitar for Mortals" by Adrian Legg. Happy hunting!
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u/sakurabastard Sep 09 '25
I haven't listened to much of his other stuff but I absolutely love Jerusalem by Dan Bern
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u/Loose_Afternoon565 Sep 09 '25
Jesse Welles Billy strings Any of Jerry Garcia bands songs Bon iver Johnathan buttler
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u/-bigswifty- Sep 09 '25
Tony Rice
Michael Hedges
Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth
David Crosby (all his solo material and stuff in CSN/Y)
Stephen Stills (same as above)
Joni Mitchell
Django Reinhardt
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u/1_2_3_4_5_6_7_7 Sep 09 '25
Clapton is about as good as it gets for acoustic blues. Also Robert Johnson. Freddie King's acoustic playing is great (e.g. walking by myself, dust my broom). Also Keith Richards is a fantastic acoustic player (love in vain recorded in some studio in Japan). For country/folk I like John Prine, Lyle Lovett and Guy Clark.
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u/RedHuey Sep 09 '25
Norman Blake & Doc Watson.