Favorite Mandolin Player

Well i love many mandolin players so its hard to decide. Its probably between Ronnie Mccoury, Bill Monroe, and Ricky Skaggs.

[Rob Powell]

Chris Thile, Mike Marshall, David Grisman, Scott Tichenor (never heard him play but he runs this site and puts him in the top 10), Andy Leftwich (he played Dude's mando in the DIY series and plays with kentucky Thunder), Ricky Skaggs (he's just good period), Ted Eschliman whom I also never heard play but he has a cool site and loves Jazz Mandos...dang, list goes on and on...

[OregonMike]

Chris Thiele easily moved to the top of my list after seeing him on the Mutual Admiration Society tour Wednesday night. He did everything but set his Dudenbostel on fire and had 10x more fun than anyone on stage. I knew his recordings were amazing but I didn't believe the hype until I sat in the same room while he played. I really think he could have played half as well and still win the crowd over having that much fun! IMHO, Mike

[bluegrassjack2]

Ronnie Mccoury, and Ricky Skaggs, David Long

[John Flynn]

My passion is old-time music, so my top choices are different than most of the Cafe'. My all-time favorite mandolin player is Curtis Buckhannon. Tied for second favorite are Clyde Curley and Bruce Ling. I also like Norman Blake and Jim Lansford. Outside of old-time, my favorites are Adam Steffy, Mike Compton, Tim O'Brien, Dan Beimborn, David Grisman and Yank Rachel.

[eightstrings]

Chris Thile, period. He does things with the mandolin that any other player hasn't even come close to. It amazes me that some people can argue. Now, I would be an idiot if I said he invented all by himself because, well, he didn't. You've got Bill Monroe of course and Grisman and Marshall...Chris is justing pushing it so much further, and at a lighting fast pace. Thats my 2 cents.

[dj9124]

Herschel Sizemore has my vote with Steffy running second.

[Rick Schmidlin]

Bill Monroe and David Grisman!

Peace,
Rick Schmidlin

PS

Jethro too!

[Brian T]

Not meaning to sound trite, but my fovorite mando picker is whomever I am listening to at the moment. There is something different about each one that seems to appeal to me. Thile is very very good. My vote has to go to the Dawg, with Sam Bush right up there with him.

[doanepoole]

Norman Blake and Bill Monroe, for very very different reasons!

Its also hard not to mention the Dawg, and also, though I'm not really versed when it comes to his more recent stuff, it's hard to beat Roland White's mando-pickin as recorded on the vintage Kentucky Colonels stuff.

[flairbzzt]

Carlo DeFillippis. Does anyone else know who he is (or was)?

[Flatpick]

Rhonda Vincent is my favorite. I know she doesn't cut loose much but she can really play.

Flatpick

[BBarton]

Peter Ostroushko!

[davestem]

Jethro Burns! and Thile and Steffey.

Bill Monroe.. Roland White...Mike Compton..David Grisman..Sam Bush.. Adam Steffey..

[Keith Wallen]

I like to listen to all of them but if I had to pick one overall it would have to Sam Bush. He has an increadible ability to put in just what the song needed.

[wheelhoss]

Of the current generation of mando pickers, I would place
Ronnie McCoury and Mikle Compton at the top.....they've
carried the Monroe tradition into the new millenium.

Ron Kaye

[wheelhoss]

Oops! Meant to type "Mike". Having a bad brain day.

[mandonewbie]

Bill Monroe.....Yank Rachell......Ronnie McCoury

Sam Bush........Dawg..............Chris Thile

[fpaxton]

Herschel Sizemore, Ronnie McCoury

[Steve Williams]

Bill Monroe
Buzz Busby
Herschel Sizemore
Red Rector
Paul Buskirk
Kenny Hall

[levin4now]

I'd start with Sam Bush, then Ronnie McCoury. But after Kaufman Kamp, I'd definitely at John Moore, and Alan Bibey to that list.

[Dave Caulkins]

Jethro Burns

'nuff said,

Dave

[Rroyd]

Andy Leftwich is SOOO good and lightning fast (he could be better than Thile); also Sam Bush, Ronnie McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Pat Sauber (not a pro, but plays a lot like Monroe and McCoury), Jesse Brock, John Moore, Johnny Staats and Lou Reid.

[JeffS]

Well hearing Peter Ostroushko is what got me interested in the mandolin to begin with. I like his style a lot. Chris Thile's too. And I guess I can't rule out Grisman. Might as well throw a bone to Ronnie McCoury and Ricky Skaggs as well. Now that I think about it, everyone on that Mandolin Extravaganza CD. And of course Monroe.

[Daniel Nestlerode]

The usual suspects:
Bill Monroe
Adam Steffy (love & miss his work w/AKUS)
Sam Bush
Dawg (esp. his jazzier stuff)
Wayne Benson
Jethro (oh man!)
Chris Thile (he really is pushing the envelope and that is so cool)
Johnny Staats
Mike Marshall
Ronnie McCoury

but lately:
Don Stiernberg http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
Evan Marshall
Jamie Masefiled (Jazz Mandolin Project)
Michael Lampert
Tiny Moore
Andy Statman
Marilyn Mair

And watch out for:
Josh Pinkham

Daniel

[JimRichter]

Gosh dang it guys, how could there be so many posts already and no one mention John Duffey.

My favs are (in no particular order): Duffey, McCoury, Gaudreau, Blake, Tut Taylor, Bush, Yank Rachell, Skaggs, Tim O'Brien, Mike Marshall, Monroe, Compton

Somewhere in there I ought to throw in Grisman and Thile, but as much as I love them, I can't have them in perpetually in the CD player. I much prefer Thile as a part of Nickel Creek, rather than purely an instrumentalist (actually like his voice as much, if not more, as his mandolin skills). Grisman I love, but would rather hear him play bluegrass than Dawg music.

Jim

[AlanN]

Raymond Legere, a virtual monster.

[SantosL.Halper]

No mention of Radim Zenkl?!? Holy ####e! This guy has influenced/terrorized me into really getting serious about the mandolin. I e-mailed him re: any sheet music he may have and he e-mailed me right back saying he was going to do a Mel Bay accompaniment book to his Restless Joy album, although it's his Galactic and Czeck It Out albums that blow me away. He suggested I transpose his tunes on my own ("It's good ear training"). I am trying to do that for Unpredictable Birds and Beauty, Power and Pain using Transponse software. I see he does instructional workshops sponsored by Breedlove.

I love Thile and McCoury as much as the next guy, but the thing I love about RZ is his composing is as fresh and exciting as his versatility.

[Unseen122]

I have to credit the player who made me want to play mando that would be Rob Schmit from Flogging Molly (I also meet him once) I had always been interested in the instrument but when I saw these guys live I had to get one. #I am also a big fan of Bill Monroe, Grisman, and Terry Woods because the Pogues are my #1 fav band right now have I to give credit. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Ken Sager]

In order:
John Reischman, Sam Bush, Dawg, Tim O'Brien, Radim Zenkl, Mike Marshall, Mike Compton, Don Steirnberg.

It's sick, but I'd rather listen to Mike Compton play Monroe than Monroe play Monroe.

I think Thile's speed and tone is impressive, but at times he's too mechanically perfect to be musically interesting.

Don Steirnberg is a gifted instructor and entertainer, not to mention a terrific mandolinist.

Sam Bush plays with more guts and soul than anybody.

John Reischman is the epitome of tone and his playing reeks with taste. The only thing equal to being in a small room with Reischman playing his mando unamplified is being in a small room with the Dawg playing his mando unamplified.

Tim O is the perfect marriage between voice and instrument.

Radim is the most innovative player ever. Ever.

That's it. Thanks for the bandwidth.

Joy to all,
Ken

[mustache]

I saw one mention of Andy Statman.
Andy Statman!! I tweaked my next trip to NYC just so I will get to see him play.

And oh yeah, John Duffey - the reason I got into bluegrass.

Thanks for all the oppininons on the topic. Glad i started it. Hey guys McCoury Music rules! Go Ronnie!

[Peter Hackman]

I find it hard to separate artists from their groups
or projects; or, on the other hand, to isolate
their playing from their musical personalities
as a whole, as composers, arrangers, producers,
group leaders.

Here are a few names of great importance to me.

1) John Duffey, whose attitude towards soloing and repertoire
influenced me greatly in my BG days in the late 60's.
I am fortunate to have heard him sub for Jimmy Gaudreau
with the Country Gentlemen after his own departure
from the group. He was such a catalyst. And he fixed
up my Levin.

2) David Grisman for being the tireless missionary he is, also
a great composer, arranger, band leader and one of the few
hipper cats to retain a meaty tone on the mandolin.
Take someone like Marshall, great ideas, fluid technique
but somewhat lacking tone-wise. I like to hear some
physical involvement in anybody's playing.

3) Chris Thile, but he scares me to death and I
would never even try to sound in the least like
him. He hears very different things, writes some
very original stuff, witness his 3rd album,
Those who wander. Yet the one album that really
convinced me that monstrous technique can actually
liberate deep emotion (the fashinoble wisdom is of course the opposite) is the retrospective double
CD with Mark O'Connor.

4) Andy Statman for finding his jazz voice on an
ovalhole; check his collaborations with Buell
Neidlinger.

5) Matt Flinner, yet, again, how do you separate him
from his projects, especially those with Grier
and Phillips?

6) Tiny Moore for playing the "littlest instrument
in the world" on Bob Wills' classical records
showing, even on the 4-string electric, what
a mandolin is capable of jazz- or swing-wise.
I never copied his licks but he made my
search for my own.

[SantosL.Halper]

Yes yes another vote for Andy Statman

[Flowerpot]

<Raymond Legere, a virtual monster.>

x2. Ray is my hands-down favorite.

Followed by Reischman, Jethro, Sam, Steffey, and Herschel. Gotta throw Thiele in there somewhere too, although his extreme popularity makes me want to search for inspiration elsewhere (I guess I'm a nonconformist at heart).

[Albert Whiting]

chris thile tops the list for sure. adam steffey, jeremy chapman alan bibey and andy leftwich are next on the list. which one i like the best depends on the mood i am in but chris is definitely first

[LilCreekster]

Take 2 guesses. hahaha.

Up there with Chris on my list is Mike Marshall and Tim Obrien. Oh, and Josh Pinkham http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif hehehe.

Though after the symposium I am dying to check out Mike Compton... that guy has KILLER tone and plays serious bluegrass (often a contradition of terms LOL)

So many great pickers, so little time!

As far as my ideal goes of what I'd like to sound like... somewhere between Chris and Mike M.

Yes, one can dream. LOL

[mikeomando]

Alright,
I'm just going to mention two mandolin players who nobody else mentioned, and I'm not just mentioning them because nobody else mentioned them, but because they were (and are) the standard for their genres in their time:

Dave Apollon
Paul Glasse

There. Now I feel better.

[margora]

Gertrud Troester is my favorite.

[dasspunk]

John Duffy

[mando-red]

My (late) vote is for Butch Baldassari!

[AlanN]

I'm glad your vote is (late) and not Butchie!

[Emmiemando]

I'd have to say my favorites are Chris Thile and Mike Marshall. I like their concert live! But who wouldn't want to go to a mandolin concert live?

[J. Mark Lane]

Hi folks,

I've been too busy lately to participate, but have missed the Cafe....

I love these "favorite player" threads, because they always remind me of people I need to listen to, and introduce me to some I haven't heard at all.

But my favorite player for at least the last year or so has been and is....

Simon Mayor.

Thanks,

Mark

[Billy Mack]

The more I listen to Emory Lester, the more he becomes my current favorite. Sure, I like all the standard greats that people have mentioned. But Emory has class, style, versatility, and just good sounding stuff - to my ears. None of his breaks sound remotely alike.

[jessboo]

Guy Drollinger and Ron Hillis

[evanreilly]

Not noted so far:

Earl Taylor!!!
David McLaughlin!!!
Pee Wee Lambert!!!

[sandcastlefaith]

Don Stiernberg
Evan Marshall
Dave Apollon
John Reischman
Chris Thile
Mike Marshall
Dave Peters
Anthony Hannigan

[Karen Kay]

Jeff Midkiff
Emory Lester
Dave Peters

[brewmaster]

Jimmy Page http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif