Your top ten

[bush-man]

Just curious who you all would pick. Any era. Maybe I will discover someone I've overlooked. Guess I should state mine.

Monroe
Sam Bush
Andy Statman
David Grisman
Mike Marshall
Jethro Burns
Jesse McReynolds
Tiny Moore
Jon Duffey
Frank Wakefield

No particular order there. That would be too hard!

curious russell

[John Flynn]

Thank you so much for not starting an argument by titling the thread something like: "Who are the 10 best mandolin players?" I applaud your choice of words.

My tastes are not "mainstream" for this group. I go by who I personally like to listen to and whose musical sensibilities I would like to emulate in my own playing. However, I think a mainstream list could possibly include:

Chris Thile
Mike Compton
Dave Appolon
Yank Rachel
Butch Baldassari
Norman Blake
Tim O'Brien

My personal list is more esoteric:

Curtis Buckhannon
Clyde Curley
Skip Gorman
Tim O'Brien
Bruce Ling
Cary Lung
Dan Beimborn
Butch Baldassari
Norman Blake
Billy Parker

[Soupy1957]

Mike Marshall
Jesse McReynolds
Doyle Lawson
Bobby Osborne
Simon Mayor
Josh Pinkham
Ronnie McCoury
Chris Stuart
Sam Bush
Dawg (of course)

(Not necessarily in order of preference or ability)

-Soupy1957

[PatrickH]

My favorites (more than 10, sorry)
Chris Thile
Herschel Sizemore
John Reischman
Don Stiernberg
Simon Mayor
Carlos Aonzo
Bill Monroe
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Wayne Benson
Jethro Burns
Adam Steffey
Tim O'Brien
Jake Shimabukuro (oops, forgot, he plays the ukulele but holy smokes is he good)

[Bob Simmers]

This is the list of my favorites to listen to:
Herschel
Alan Bibey
Compton
Monroe
Sam Bush
Doyle
Ron Pennington
Dempsey Young
Johnny Gimble (always liked his mando. pickin)

I think Thile is arguably the best, but I just don't consider most of his stuff my favorite to listen to.

[Steve Cantrell]

Bill Monroe
Mike Compton
Tony Williamson
Ronnie McCoury
Doyle Lawson
Frank Wakefield
David Grisman
Skip Gorman
Norman Blake
Peter Ostroushko
Cousin Curtis
Andrew Collins
Greg Clarke

[JEStanek]

My top 10 in no particular order, and may be limited due to ignorance of other fine pickers... Like John, these are the folks I listen too and get inspiration to play from.

Thile
Compton
Marshall
Anthony Hannigan
Butch Baldassari
Statman
Grisman
Wakefield
Skaggs
Dan Biemborn

Jamie

[Red Englemann]

I like Norman Blake and Peter Ostrusko, not necessarily in that order.

red

[MandoSquirrel]

No order

Rudy Cipolla
Dave Apollon
Howard Frye
Buck White
Evan Marshall
Red Rector
Bill Monroe
Howard Armstrong
Yank Rachelle
Carlo Aonzo
Jethro Burns

That's 11, but I could go on & on.

[Brian T]

I listen critically with an ear toward stealing whatever lick I can, so I would list all of those above that I have heard or even the person sitting across from me or next to me in a jam. One name that I think is noticably (sp) absent from the list so far is Roland White. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[cooper4205]

let me give this a shot (in no order, except Big Mon who is tops on my list)

big mon
darrell 'pee wee' lambert
curley lambert
dawg
sam bush
ronnie mccoury
frank wakefield
roland white
tim o'brien
jesse cobb
bill bollick
jethro burns

[Steve Williams]

Big Mon
Buzz Busby
Jethro Burns
Frank Wakefield
Dawg
John Duffy
Paul Buskirk
Red Rector
Kenny Hall
Dave Apollon
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Steve Williams

[Jim MacDaniel]

Since you asked for 10, I chose these specific mandolinists since they are on multiple CD's in my collection, and/or are on a few of my extra special most favorite ever mandolin-centric CD's. (They are listed in no particular order, and no slight is intended to many other excellent and inspirational mandolinists not listed, including several mandolincafe board regulars whom I also greatly admire ;)

Iain Macleod
Luke Plumb
Chris Thile
Tim O'Brien
David Grisman
Sam Bush
Howard Fyre
Butch Baldasarri
Paul Kelly
Simon Mayor

Ooops -- I almost forgot Mandolin Man http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[LeeBohlen]

Johnny Staats
Ronnie McCoury
Sam Bush
John McGann
Emory Lester
Roland White
Monroe
Bobby Osborne
John Moore
Duffy

My favorites

[seanonabutton]

HAMILTON DE HOLANDA!
chris thile
mike marshall
dave apollon
Sims Delaney-Potthoff (harmonious wail)
david grisman
tim o'brien
jacob do bandolim
Evan Marshall

[pdlstl]

I would like to add one to the others already listed (sorry if he was listed and I missed it)...

Andy Leftwich

[Sitka]

Big Mon
Herschel Sizemore
David McLaughlin
Roland White
Doyle Lawson
Mike Compton
Jethro Burns
David Grisman
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse McReynolds

[Karen]

Missing:
Scott T
Dave Peters
Jeff Midkiff

[dr.jazz]

Dave Appolon
Jethro
Reischman
Emory Lester
Thile
Bush
Monroe
Dawg

hard to list them in any order. I enjoy them all along with a bunch of others. I suppose I probably like Reischman the best. I love his sound.

[bush-man]

Interesting. There are players on these lists that I don't know, and that I plan on checking out. That was my intention starting this thread, to learn of players considered some of the best that I have somehow missed. And speaking of missed, how did i miss Hershal on my list? Guess I have to make it 11 then. hehehe http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

russell

[Rick Schmidlin]

Dave Apollon should be on everybodys list http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[MikeB]

I like Mando Johnny's list just fine, except I'd add Ry Cooder. I never heard anyone play quite the way Ry does, even though he didn't record all that much mandolin.

[G. Fisher]

No real order just my favorites.

Bill Monroe
John Reichman
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse McReynolds
Doyle Lawson
Ricky Skaggs
Chris Thile
Tim O'Brien
Mike Marshall
David Grisman
Jimmy Gaudreau

[GTison]

Bill Monroe
David Grisman
Mike Compton
Herschel Sizemore
Ronnie McCoury
Frank Wakefield
Jessie McRenolds
Bobby Osborne
Sam Bush
Chris Thile , Gudreau, Pre NBB Roland White

[John Flynn]

I like Mando Johnny's list just fine, except I'd add Ry Cooder.
Interesting. I like his stuff, but didn't even know he played mandolin. Any CD or track recommendations for his mandolin playing?

[Dave Gumbart]

All the usual suspects, as noted above. And then...

Matt Flinner
Ron Thomason
Joe Craven

Dave G (my name, not that I'm on the list!)

[John Flynn]

I just did a web search. Ry Cooder played mando on the Stones' version of "Love in Vain."

[Greg H.]

Ok, my list may sound like a broken record after some of the others but:

Bill Monroe
Sam Bush
David Grisman
Mike Marshall
Chris Thile
Tim O'Brien
Johnny Staats
Jethro Burns
John Reischman
Don Stirnberg
Alan Bibey

In no particularly order, and I'll add Danny Roberts in as an honorable mention. #(I'm sure that there are more I would normally be trying to add in as well, but I spent my day surrounded by "eau de goof off" so my brain cells aren't even functioning up to their normally flawed status).

[mandocrucian]

Ry Cooder mando discography (not complete), plus a few David Lindley listings:

Artist/Album/Song/Mandolinist

Cooder, Ry Boomer's Story Ax Sweet Mama Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Into The Purple Valley Billy The Kid Cooder, Ry #
Cooder, Ry Into The Purple Valley Denomination Blues Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Into The Purple Valley Hey Porter Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Into The Purple Valley Money Honey Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Paradise and Lunch Fool For A Cigarette/Feelin' Good Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Paradise and Lunch It's All Over Now Cooder Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Ry Cooder Goin To Brownsville Cooder, Ry
Cooder, Ry Boomer's Story Boomer's Story Cooder, Ry #
Cooder, Ry Boomer's Story President Kennedy Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Bop Til You Drop Look At Granny Run Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Chicken Skin Music Bourgeoise Blues Cooder, Ry mandola
Cooder, Ry Chicken Skin Music Chloe Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Chicken Skin Music I Got Mine Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Crossroads Down In Missisissppi Cooder, Ry # #
Cooder, Ry Crossroads Viola Lee Blues Cooder, Ry # #
Kina, Shoukichi Peppermint Tea Room Subete No Hito No Kokoro Ni Hanna O Cooder, Ry (Okinawan) # ##
Lightfoot, Gordon Don Quixote Alberta Bound Cooder, Ry # #
Lindley, David El-Rayo-X Turning Point, The Lindley, David # #
Lowe, Nick Party Of One Jumbo Ark Cooder, Ry # #
Mahal, Taj TAJ MAHAL The Celebrated Walkin' Blues Cooder, Ry # #
Nenes Koza Dabasa (Japanese CD) (track 3) Lindley, David (Okinawan; Great solo.) # #
Rolling Stones Let In Bleed Love In Vain Cooder, Ry

[Big Joe]

I can't believe no one listed Danny Roberts, Dave Harvey, or Jackie Miller. You have missed three of the best!

[Greg H.]

Now Joe, If you look two posts up you'll see that I had Danny Roberts as an Honorable Mention (and there are a number of great mandolin players out there that didn't even get that far!) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Jim Broyles]

I have only been interested in learning to play the mandolin for about two years now. Before that I loved bluegrass music, and knew of Bill Monroe, but I had never listened to his mandolin playing critically. In the past two years I have listened to his playing, along with the various Stanley Brothers' mandolinists, Doyle Lawson and several others who have been mentioned in this thread. Bill's playing is challenging because it sounds simple when you hear it, but it is very difficult to replicate. A lot of times I prefer others' breaks in Monroe's songs but his playing intrigues me to try to figure pout how he's doing it. My favorite mandolin players among those with whom I'm familiar:

Bill Monroe
Pee Wee Lambert
Curly Lambert
Doyle Lawson
Ricky Skaggs
Dan Tyminski
Ronnie Reno
Sam Bush
David Grisman

There are a lot of good players whose work I have never heard, or whose work I can't identify. These are just ones I know and really like.

[mandocrucian]

In the words of Python..."and now for something completely different...."

Dave Swarbrick
Andy Irvine
Ry Cooder
Ale Möller (Swedish "mandola")
Mick Moloney
Richard Thompson
Niles Hokkanen <span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>(well, at least I like the way I play!)</span>
Martin Carthy
Johnny Gimble (good call to whoever listed Gimble first!)

also like the Jethro Tull mando, whether played by Ian Anderson, Martin Barre or Dave Pegg. And the Led Zep (Page or Jones) stuff too.

* * * * * *
<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>25 years ago my list would have probably been: Swarbrick, Irvine, Cooder, Moloney, Terry Woods, Richard Thompson plus..... Doyle Lawson, Jimmy Gaudreau, Ricky Skaggs (Crowe/Boone Creek era), Larry Rice, Buzz Busby, Jethro Burns, Johnny Gimble

other players worth mentioning: Ray Jackson, Martin Jenkins, Charles O'Connor, Davey Johnstone, Peter Knight</span>

Niles Hokkanen

[Dagger Gordon]

David Surette.
Patrick Vaillant.
Michel Bordeleau.
Tim O'Brien.
Chris Thile.
Andy Statman.
Rens van der Zalm.
John Reischman.
Mike Marshall.
Carlo Aonzo

[bush-man]

Lots of mando players I am unfamiliar with popping up. That's great cause it means I can go out and discover some of these players on your top ten lists. btw, I have been listening to a lot of Jimmy Goudreau lately, and he definetly should have made my list. Isn't it wonderfull that when you have to narrow down your favorite mando players to ten, you find you don't have enough room. That speaks volumes about the state of our chosen instrument to me, and it wasn't always so.

russell

[C. Carr]

One guy whose approach I really like but rarely hear mentioned around here is Chris Hillman. Some very nice stuff through Manassas, and on into his recent releases,

Also, I can't forget Roland White primarily because of his instructional material which has profoundly guided my efforts over the last two years.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Charlie Carr
New Orleans

[Adrian W.]

A buddy has just turned me on to Dave Immergluck (though he just handed me a CD and said there was a cool mandolin player on it.....CD is John Hiatt's 'Crossing Muddy Waters')....anyway, really nice, interesting, non-bluegrassy playing. I think he's now officially one of my influences, for when my big magazine profile gets written.....'bout a thousand years from now.

The rest of my list, in no order:

Monroe
Steffy
Compton
Tim O'Brien
Ronnie McCoury

[Chippster]

I have to put Ry Cooder at the top of my list too, because his playing was inspirational and his simple Tennessee blues like "Goin' to Brownsville" and "Ax Sweet Mama" gave me something simple to learn when i was starting out. I watched him from the front row, and a week later owned a mandolin.
Other inspirational mandolin players would be:
Grissman - I learned "Ripple" early-on and still play "Friend of the Devil" in my band.
Johnny Gimble and Jethro Burns - I got to watch those two up close. Some people play 'the instrument' ... they just played music.
Sam Bush - Hey, i was a long haired dope smokin' hippie back in the '70's too and his courage inspired me!
Norman Blake - He showed me how to make any song more beautiful without being a 'show off'.
Marty Stuart - performer, blues man

And Joe, Jackie Miller is more than a mandolin player! He's one of the best bluegrass fiddlers i've ever heard ... also one of the nicest guys i've been lucky enough to know !

[Mattg]

Really hard to disaggree with these choices. I noticed Cooper mentioned Jesse Cobb in his list. He's a member of The Infamous Stringdusters and they just released their first album with Sugar Hill. I agree that the kid is good. I took lessons from him at Rocky Grass (Roland W too) and he is very passionate about music. I guess I would like to add Shawn Lane (blue highway) to the list.

[phizban]

Chris Thile
Sam Bush
Kym Warner (The Greencards)
Andy Leftwich
Adam Steffey
John Moore
Mark O'connor
Matt Flinner
Jake Shimabukuro (He counts. Call him adopted..)
Millish, the band... who have a partial mandolin player and therefore count.
(www.millish.com) &lt;- Listen.

EDIT
How could I forget....JOHN PAUL JONES (and the famous band he used to play with)

[jefflester]

A buddy has just turned me on to Dave Immergluck (though he just handed me a CD and said there was a cool mandolin player on it.....CD is John Hiatt's 'Crossing Muddy Waters')....anyway, really nice, interesting, non-bluegrassy playing.
Did you know Immy is a member of Counting Crows? He didn't join them in the beginning but appeared on their first album (August and Everything After) and played (all?) the mandolin parts. He joined up with them for good around the turn of the century (I'm not sure excatly when). His best mando work with the Crows is on the B-Sides from the Hard Candy album - they did a bunch of acoustic covers, like Gram Parsons' "Return of the Grievous Angel," Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," and Faces' "Ooh La La."

http://cindynjeff.freesite.org/adam-immy.jpg

[Dave Caulkins]

In no particular order... well maybe a little bit...

1) Jethro Burns - not only 'cause he was a pioneer, but for his sense of humor and lack of pretension.
2) Dave Apollon - speaking of pioneers... The diversity of material is astonishing as was his dedication to the instrument.
3) Tiny Moore - I'm a western swing nut! I have more knowledge of Tiny's work than Gimble's (I've heard more on fiddle on that front). Gimble will eventually make his way in, but for now I'd feel like a poseur listing him! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
3) Tim Ware - I really enjoy the progressive nature of his material, note selection, and ability to push envelopes.
4) David Grisman - if it wasn't for Dawg, I'd never have become obsessed with mandolin... He turned me on long before I took up the beast. I considered his early albums guitar influences as well - not just for Tony either.
5) Don Stiernberg - man, the cat smokes. Love the nostaglia in the music, love the swing, love his tone.
6) David Pegg - along with Grisman, Pegg (and to a lesser extent the other Fairportites) was an earlier ear turner. Again this influenced my guitar playing first, and lead me to the mandolin. When I met him in 1997 or so I asked about the mandolin... he said he was too old (and drunk? I think he said, but then again - I was) to play that now http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif - he thanked my wife and I for remembering that he played at all.
7) Tim O'Brien - maybe not the "lord of flash" but his Dylan tribute brought me back to traditional styles in a big way. It was also a catalyst for me... you guessed it... to start playing mando.
8) Sam Bush - I have been a Newgrass fan from the moment I heard them (which, you guessed it, was long before my mando days). I've always appreciated his mastery of the traditional with his flare for dancing around it.
9) The Pogues - Yeah, I don't know who played mando without checking the liner notes... but it moved me early on... in that raw energy sort of way. Influenced my performances with the folk-rock band I cut my teeth with, and helped me realize that extreme chops aren't always necessary.
10) Chris Thile - I first saw him at Merlefest in 1997 (?), and it blew me away what that kid could play... he blows me away now. It seemed like he jammed with EVERYONE, and held his own... and their's too... An amazing epiphany for me, and lead me to the instrument in the years that followed (I started playing FOR REAL in around 2004, I had dabbled here and there for years before... My wife has had a mando around for awhile!)

I have concentrated on where I came from, as opposed to where I am going perhaps. Players like Paul Glasse, Johnny Gimble and Marilyn Mair are making their influences known on me. I actually tend to listen to other instruments perhaps more, especially given my predilection to jazz, traditional country, and folk musics. It is also worth mentioning that many of Grisman's side players have had a profound affect on me, though more for my familiarity of their work with him and not necessary solo outings. I could have listed several bluegrass gods, but since I rarely ever even dabble in that style it would seem ironic that I would call them "influences" or my "top ten"...

It's good to see diversity here...

Dave

[Bob A]

Anyone care to check out the classical mandolinists? Alison Stephens, Richard Walz, Neil Gladd to mention but three, all of whom record and in fact post here, are worthy of your attention. Carlo Aonzo is known to many, and European mandolin orchestras have done some excellent work that deserves attention as well.

I'm thankful Ry Cooder gets some mention; a wonderful multi-instrumentalist whose playing sucked me into mandolin more years ago than I'd care to admit, especially given how little I've progressed since then.

[Dfyngravity]

Shawn Lane, Dan Tyminski anyone? They are definitely my two favorite mandolin players

Dan Tyminski
Shawn Lane
Jeff Parker
Tim O'brien
Pete Frostic
David Grisman
Mike Marshall
Chris Thile
Sam Bush
Adam Steffey

[Brad Weiss]

Pete Frostic is my teacher, so I'll put him at the top of my list.
Most listened to: Don Stiernberg
Most All-around talent: Mike Marshall
Most Astounding Musician: Andy Statman
Up and Comer: Andy Leftwich (really like Three Ring Circle)
Hot Club Preference: Sims Delaney-Potthoff
BeBop: Paul Glasse
Swiiing: Johnny Gimble
Irish: Simon Mayor
Choro: Hamilton de Holanda (Eva Scow, Marylinn Mair, Ted Falcon, right up there)

All-Timers: Jethro Burns, Dave Apollon, The Dawg

Is that more than ten??

[MountainMan]

This is the best I can come up with for now. Reading through this thread I'm realizing how pitiful my exposure has been!

Mike Marshall
Sam Bush
Bill Monroe
Grisman
Matt Flinner (once saw Phillips, Grier & Flinner live - http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif )
Matt Mundy
Andy Leftwich
Ronnie McCoury
Darrell Scott
Tim O'Brien

Honorable mention: Ry Cooder. I didn't know he played mandolin, but he's Ry Cooder which is good enough for me. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[BlueMountain]

While I wouldn't rate Ry Cooder among the great mandolin players, in the 70s I listened to his early albums over and over, and he was a huge influence on my guitar playing. If you think about his songs mentioned above, his phrasing is, in my experience, unique and very different from bluegrass. He seems to have a metronome in his head, but he plays around the beat, and there a lots of pauses. Often where you would expect a beat, he has a rest. The result is sort of jerky sounding and very "down-home." I guess it's syncopated. It's an easy style to play, and his solos are easy to copy, but their distinctiveness makes them stand out. Interesting discussion. Thanks. I need to listen to some of these I know only by name.

[bush-man]

I am afraid that I have to update my original list again as I have been listening to Jimmy Gaudreau a lot lately, and he just blows me away! Clean simple picking. I wish I could do that.

russell

[Dagger Gordon]

Leshii twang-jazz forest creature (I have to say that's one of the more unusual names here!)

Regarding Dave Pegg's mando playing: I see that he's doing a lengthy tour with PJ Wright as a duo to promote their new album.
Publicity shots show Peggy apparently very happily playing mandolin (an Eastman, I think).
I presume that you would hear him doing a lot of mando on the tour.
Check out Fairport's web-site.

[Peter Hackman]

I have about two shelves of CD's. About 40% are "jazz", and 30% "classical",
the rest are not that easy to classify. I guess 30% of my records
have SOME mandolin on them (and I don't count Tiny Moore as a mandolinist).
I believe I have abut 3 CD's with
Monroe, and that's all the bluegrass. I wouldn't list *any* bluegrass
musician among my favorites, although John Duffy had a greater
impact on my mandolin playing than anoyne else
(as a repairperson!)

I don't think I know as many as 10 mandolin players, and the importance
of those that really count goes way beyond their playing of one single instrument. They're conceivers, auteurs, leaders, composers, arrangers.
It's the context, the material, group interaction and dynamics
that interests me. The best Thile CD so far is actually the Mark O'Connor
retrospective. My only Baldassari CD is a joint project with
J Carlini.

Mike Marshall is possibly the best example, and he's just as important
as a guitar player. #Andy Statman is probably the most indvidual
jazzer (amongst many other things) - he's come up with a few very good things like the Flatbush Waltz album, and there were efforts that went
straight to the wastebasket (Andy's Ramble, #Mandolin Abstractions).

[Dagger Gordon]

I think you make a fair point, Peter.

Nonetheless, if you take someone like Tim O'Brien who is a very good multi-instrumentalist, leader, arranger etc, the fact remains that I enjoy his music most when he is playing mandolin and singing.
Similarly, while Michel Bordeleau can play fiddle, guitar, drums, sing and do all sorts of other things I still rate him as a mandolin player. The same goes for many others.

I agree with you that the importance of those that really count goes way beyond their playing of a single instrument, but that needn't stop you including them in a list of your favourites.

Frankly, I think it's good to highlight names which may not be so well known, particularly outwith the bluegrass scene.

[bootinz]

Hmmmm,
How about
Aubrey Haynie and Jesse Brock?
Greg Clarke from Portland, OR was mentioned. He is an enormously talented musician.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Don't know how I forgot about him on my first pass, as he is one of my absolute favs: Jimmy Ryan

[tater71]

Hamilton de Holanda and Chris Thile for me... I know two isn't ten, but those are the only ones I am really into.

[jasona]

Thile
Marshall
Grisman
Lester
Collins
Benson
Bush
Baldassari
Flinner
Compton

[jasona]

And of course Tim O'Brien and Bill Monroe, but both go without saying in my book!

[BlueMountain]

I enjoyed this discussion when it came out. This morning I tabulated the results. Below are the players who received four or more votes, with the total beside their name. Remember that this isn't necessarily the "ten best" or "the ten most popular." These are players who mean a lot to people for one reason or another. (Some may be on here more because they are popular teachers at mandolin workshops than because they've sold a lot of records.)

David Grisman 19
Bill Monroe 18
Sam Bush 18
Chris Thile 15
Tim O’Brien 14
Jethro Burns 12
Mike Marshall 12
Ronnie McCoury 10
Mike Compton 8
Doyle Lawson 7
Butch Baldassari 6
Norman Blake 5
Jimmy Gaudreau 5
Johnny Gimble 5
Ry Cooder 5
Butch Baldassari 6
Frank Wakefield 6
Roland White 6
John Reischman 5
Norman Blake 5
Andy Statman 5
Carlo Aonzo 4
Dave Appolon 4
Andy Leftwich 4
Simon Mayor 4
Herschel Sizemore 4
Ricky Skaggs 4
Adam Steffey 4
Don Stiernberg 4

[lgc]

You didn't put thile on your list

For me,
Yank, Johnny Young, Coley Jones, Leo Raley(Cliff Bruner's band) Wank Frakfield, Carl Martin, Mike Hoffmann.

[AlanN]

Funny about Grisman at the top. I remember an interview with Jethro, he listed a group of his fave mandolinists, and said about Grisman "certainly the most popular" Here it is, 20+ years later, and still the same.

Good for Dawwgy.

[mandolirius]

Andy Statman
Dave Apollon
Nolan Faulkner
Emory Lester
Sam Bush
Jethro Burns
Red Rector
Bobby Clark
John Reischman
Jacob de Bandolim

what? i gotta stop here? hmmm....

[ALog]

Bill Monroe
Jethro Burns
Rickey Skaggs
Doyle Lawson
Chee Chee White
Bobby Osborne
Chris Hillman
Bobby Clark
David Grisman (Muleskinner)
Jesse McReynolds
and some to watch that I've been impressed with Mike Andes, Jesse Brock, and Ron Pennington

[Rocky Top]

No particular order:
Bill Monroe
Bobby Osborne
Doyle Lawson
Ronnie McCoury
Ricky Skaggs
Jesse McReynolds
Adam Steffey
Larry Rice
Andy Ball
Sam Bush

[BlueMountain]

Sorry about skipping Thile. It was inadvertent. I've edited my post above and added him.

I myself think Skip Gorman is one of the best. Certainly I listen to him a lot. Emory Lester is amazing.

Another one not mentioned at all who deserves to be here is Paul Williams, who played Jimmy Martin's F4 for years with great taste and perfect choice of notes.

And Rhonda Vincent should be on this list, too. And among the younger ones, Sierra Hull.

[Mockingbird]

A buddy has just turned me on to Dave Immergluck (though he just handed me a CD and said there was a cool mandolin player on it.....CD is John Hiatt's 'Crossing Muddy Waters')....anyway, really nice, interesting, non-bluegrassy playing.
Yes!! Absolutely! David Immergluck is awesome.

Also...Chris Thile...people from Jethro Tull, Sam Bush....

(unfortunately, most of my favourite musical groups choose bouzouki over Mandolin..Great Big Sea...The Decemberists)

[Miko]

Grisman at the top and Stiernberg at the bottom makes an interesting statement. My picks (In no particular order):
Appolon
Jethro
Stiernberg
Marlynn Mair
Ry Cooder
Dave Swarbrick
Yank Rachel
Sammy Bush
Ricky Scaggs
A player to be named later

[MadMax]

My favorites, in no particular order (except for # 1):

Bill Monroe
Jesse McReynolds
Ira Louvin
David McLaughlin
Jethro Burns
Mike Compton
Bobby Osborne
Herschel Sizemore
Frank Wakefield
David Davis

[mandolooter]

Don't forget Kevin Russell of the Gourds and Steve Earl...both have a slightly different take than some of the better known pickers.
Frank Wakefield
Hamilton Holanda
Jacob Da Bandolim
Marshall
Grisman
Reichman
Bush
McCoury
hummmm...only ten huh, I need more room especially if Im naming my top favorites!

[Steve G]

Bill Monroe
Aubrey Haynie
Mike Compton
Frank Wakefield
Tim O'Brien
Ronnie McCoury
Rolland White
Jesse McReynolds
Sam Bush
Norman Blake

[Michael Wolf]

Petri Hakala
Olli Varis
Luperce Miranda
Joel Nascimento
Jorge Cardoso
Carlo Aonzo
Peter Ostroushko
Patrick Vaillant
Simon Mayor
Jeff Warschauer

[Bradley]

In order...I think

Doyle Lawson
Ricky Skaggs
Adam Steffey
Herschel Sizemore
Mike Compton
Andy Leftwich
Dave Harvey
Ronnie McCoury
Wayne Benson
John Duffey

[Brandon Flynn]

In no order, my favorites:
Mike Marshall
Thile
Tim O'Brien
Dawg
Kym Warner
Evan Marshall
Statman
Sam Bush
Hamilton de Holonda
Sean Watkins (of nickel creek)

Sean Watkins is a weird pick because he is a guitar player, but he plays a very good mandolin, in fact, as a kid he used to be Nickel Creek's mando player. I like his playing on his solo records, especially on Let it Fall.

[Daniel Wheeler]

how bout the new up and comers??

Dom leslie
Rebecca Lovell
Sierra Hull
Brian Roe
Isaac Eicher
Aaron Williams

and Matt Morris (but he's and old fogie compared to the other guys and gals) lol jk Matt http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Daniel Wheeler]

oh and I've forgotten the kid that won winfield this year...Solly Burton i think was his name..quite good

[h2o-X]

My two all-time favorite mandolin players are Ronnie McCoury and Sam Bush.

Two of my three all-time favorite musicians are Norman Blake and Tim O'Brien. (If only Neil Young played the mandolin too.)

After that, I listen to a lot of music by
Roland White, Matt Flinner, Peter Ostroushko, Frank Wakefield, Doyle Lawson, Dawg, John Reischman, Ricky Skaggs, and of course BIG MON!

[Curtis]

I am in no way qualified to list a top 10 because I haven't even explored the opus of that many players.

I will say, however, that Bill Monroe is grossly overated as a mandolinist. I HAVE listened to quite a bit of his stuff and, while there is a lot to learn from his style, his playing is ridiculously sloppy.

The other guy I've listened to a lot is Chris Thile and I can't say enough about him. . . in a good way of course.

[h2o-X]

Bill Monroe's picking was sort of sloppy, but I hear a hell of a lot of energy and passion in his playing. I hear that same passion in Ronnie McCoury, but his picking is clean.

On the other hand, Thiles's picking is almost surgically precise, but rarely does anything for me. YMMV.

[hoffmannia2k7]

Thanks Si!

Charlie McCoy (I've really been on him lately)
Robin remailly (Check out Have Moicy! by the holy modal rounders for some hot licks)
Yank Rachel
Ted Hawkins
Frank Wakefield
R.O. Mosley (Leake County Revelers)
Silas Lowe (austin honky-tonk legend)
Larry Hensley (walker's corbin ramblers)
Bill Monroe
Mike compton
John "Seven foot dilly" Dilleshaw
Dan Zanes
John Beckhoff

[adgefan]

If nobody has mentioned Ben Winship and Andrew Collins yet, then I will.

[Steve Cantrell]

Quote "I will say, however, that Bill Monroe is grossly overated as a mandolinist. I HAVE listened to quite a bit of his stuff and, while there is a lot to learn from his style, his playing is ridiculously sloppy."

This makes me wonder what Monroe you've been listening to. Grossly overrated? Hardly.

[Curtis]

Quote "I will say, however, that Bill Monroe is grossly overated as a mandolinist. I HAVE listened to quite a bit of his stuff and, while there is a lot to learn from his style, his playing is ridiculously sloppy."

This makes me wonder what Monroe you've been listening to. Grossly overrated? Hardly.

h20 offered an opinion that Monroe's playing was very emotional. I can't argue that. But there's a heck of a lot of mandolinists out there that play with energy/emotion AND are technically proficient on their instrument.

I'm sorry but if you've spent you're entire life playing the instrument you ought to be able to do both.
That isn't much of a criticism of what I said. Why exactly is my "grossly overated" statement "hardly" anything? Am I incorrect that his playing is quite sloppy?

[Rocky Top]

I've listened to Monroe all my life and never considered his playing sloppy. To me, there's none better. Monroe played from the heart, he didn't get on stage just to show off how fast he could play or to be "technically proficient" like some of these newer pickers. He just played his music (most of which he wrote!) that he deeply loved the way he saw fit to play it. For someone to say his pickin' is sloppy just means they really haven't listened to him. Long live the music of Monroe!

[Curtis]

I would argue exactly the opposite--that if you CAN'T tell that his playing is sloppy you aren't really listening to him. That isn't to negate his contribution entirely. I think it's still important for people to listen to him and learn from him. But if you're actually listening and can't tell his technique is pretty bad then you're merely allowing the legend machine to tell you what to think.

That's all I have to say on this as I've said everything that needs saying. Open your own ears and hear for yourself. If you don't pick up on it--no biggie. But it's there.

[Glassweb]

Here's how I see it... no Monroe, no us. If you don't believe in Monroe's proficiency as a mandolinist just buy a Tascam variable speed CD player and try learning his playing note for note. Good luck!

[Buxton Bumpkin]

I don't think I've seen Dave Pugh on this list, Jackstraw, WAY good!

[Mental Floss]

Dawg
Chris Thile
Matt Flinner
Kym Warner
Ry Cooder
Marty Stuart
Scott Tichenor
Ronnie McCoury
Brian Simpson

[Glassweb]

Hey Scott, you made the list!

[Bob Kirkland]

Wow! Great lists, but one name significantly MIA (unless I read through the lists too fast) - Radim Zenkl.

[lgc]

Sloppy would imply that there was an uninteneded nature to Bill's playing. Curtis can't speak to Monroe's intent so sloppy is a poor descritptive word. I think Bill was as deliberate with his playing as any musician in BG. He chose a rougher aesthetic. Curtis, I'm sorry that you can't imagine a musician WANTING to play using heavy syncopation and semitones, that's your loss. That being said, your assesment is a condemnation not only of Monroe but of many of the musical traditions that his style was born from such as blues, spirituals, jazz and oldtime-styles that embraced different aural values than the classical wetsrn ones you seem to cling to. I just can't agree that these forms of expression are overrated, especially as channeled through WSM.

[sgarrity]

Sloppy huh?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif I look forward to the day I can play that sloppy!

Monroe, Theile, Compton, Long, McCoury, White, Wakefield, Stiernberg, Grisman, Marshall, Gorman, Winship, Collins, Warner, Rachel.....and the list goes on.
They are all GOOD! I might like to listen to some more than others, but you can't deny their ability on this little instrument we are all so fond of. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[Spencer]

Can't argue with most of the names listed, here are some of my favorites: #
Nate Bray
Tiny Moore
Jethro
Jesse Brock
Niles Hokkanen
Raymond Legare(sp?)
Andy Irvine
Anthony Hannigan
John McGann
Chris Thile
Could continue, but that's 10.

[hoffmannia2k7]

The reincarnation of Bill Monroe will walk heavily on your grave for uttering such horrid personal beliefs on a message board. But seriously, I think LGC nailed it (not just because he listed me in his top ten). Bill Monroe played beautifully and intentionally and in his own style. He isn't sloppy persay, maybe a little rough, but perhaps this roughness is just the blues or that intangible quality of music that I love so much.

[GTG]

I don't know about top ten, but these people have influenced my playing considerably:

(not in order)
Thile
Monroe
John Reischmann
Radim Zenkl
Dave Pugh (he is a treat to see live)
Adam Steffey
Dave Apollon
Evan Marshall
Ronnie McCoury
Jeff Austin (Yonder Mountain String Band)

Now, Austin isn't really all that great (compared to the others on this list), but his playing is very accessible, and having seen YMSB live a number of times, I'd call him an influence.
I agree with the previous poster about Monroe - I don't find his playing all that special; a harsh tone and complete overreliance on the same blues scales and arpeggios over and over. But many of his compositions are classics and obviously his influence puts him in a class by himself.

The most overrated person that I've seen on these lists would have to be Rhonda Vincent. She looks good and sings nicely, but when I saw her at the Darrington fest a few years ago, her mando picking was definitely the weakest link in the band. It was telling that when it came time to actually play a couple of fiddle tunes, her guitarist took over on mando (and sounded great).

Another one who confuses me is Frank Wakefield. I probably need to spend some time with some more of his stuff. What I've heard so far is very poor - his track on Tone Poets is a joke, and a couple of live tracks I've seen online have been so sloppy as to be virtually unlistenable.

YMMV, of course.

[Jack Roberts]

Add another vote for Apollon, Jethro, and somebody should put Ralph Rinzler on the list. What would mandolin music in North America be like if it weren't for Rinzler? Definitely not what it is today.

After that, round up the usual suspects...