Your favorite bluegrass mandolin players from today and years ago

[drbluegrass]

...I'll kick it off by saying I have so many but my favorite of the more recent players is Adam Steffey. So smooth and fluid with impeccable technique and taste. Such a monster player, singer, writer, and arranger. He's my current #1. Sierra Hull is nipping at Adam's heels IMHO with a very similar, perhaps Adam-influenced, style.
Of the old school players, Herschel Sizemore just never ceases to blow me away. For the same reasons as those listed above for Adam and Sierra but with an
"old school" style. Ronnie McCoury is another with the "magic touch" and always says it...just right. Someone you don't see or hear much of that is another mandolin juggernaut is Don Wayne Reno. Great, great, player. OK...your turn.


Tom

[Ed Goist]

Now...David Long
Then...Nolan Faulkner

[Miked]

I'm a big fan of Barry Mitterhoff and David Grisman got me interested in mandolin in the first place. He also got me interested in Mr. Bill.

[AlanN]

... another mandolin juggernaut is Don Wayne Reno. Great, great, player. Tom

You likely are referring to Dale, Don Wayne's older brother.

[Charley wild]

Sam Bush.
Sam Bush.

[picker123]

Steffey

Bush

[Mike Bunting]

Buzz Busby, Mike Compton from a list of hundreds.

[drbluegrass]

You likely are referring to Dale, Don Wayne's older brother.

Yes, yes, yes. You are so right. Thank you for the correction. Although little brother is no slouch either.


Tom

[Ivan Kelsall]

For me it has to be Bill Monroe & these days,John Reischman/Herschel Sizemeore.I know that's 3 but i'm greedy !!,
Ivan

[Spencer]

Then: Nate Bray
Now: Jesse Brock

Spencer

[Mandolin Mick]

Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds and Red Rector!

[Justus True Waldron]

Back in the day - Herschel Sizemeore
Slightly more recent - Sam Bush
These days - Jesse Cobb

You can hardly limit it to just 2/3 players though - I like guys who can play clean and get good tone... but every mandolin player I've heard has taught me SOMETHING!

[drbluegrass]

Back in the day - Herschel Sizemeore
Slightly more recent - Sam Bush
These days - Jesse Cobb

You can hardly limit it to just 2/3 players though - I like guys who can play clean and get good tone... but every mandolin player I've heard has taught me SOMETHING!

Yep, Justus. You speak the truth...Jesse Cobb is a certified monster player. Very clean player. I've seen him twice with The Infamous String Dusters. Too bad he's not still with them. Wonder what he's doing these days?


Tom

[John Duncan]

Used to be: Ronnie Mccoury

Now: Mike Hunter

[Stephen Cagle]

Steffey and Alan Bibey!

[Justus True Waldron]

Yep, Justus. You speak the truth...Jesse Cobb is a certified monster player. Very clean player. I've seen him twice with The Infamous String Dusters. Too bad he's not still with them. Wonder what he's doing these days?

I've had the opportunity to meet and jam with Jesse and then take a workshop from him in the last few months, as well as talk to him a few times online. He didn't seem in a hurry to talk about why he left the stringdusters, so I certainly wasn't going to ask. I know his wife got a job up in Canada which is where they are living now... and having been involved with a touring band at one point I certainly don't blame him for getting off the road. As for what he's doing now, I know he's been playing with these sort of acoustic rock guys up in Toronto and writing a lot of originals. It's definitely not bluegrass, but I can dig what I've heard so far, and I think he's keeping his chops up in between freelance gigs. He's also teaching at the Mandolin Symposium, he's mentioned doing some recording (I'm hoping that means a solo album?) and the coolest thing in my opinion - doing a Banjo extravaganza tour in the North East this fall with Bela Fleck, Tony Trishka, Bill Keith, Russ Banrenburg on guitar, and a couple others I've forgotten. I'm glad he seems to be figuring out what works for him, and I'll definitely be checking out whatever he's doing whenever I have the opportunity!

[AlanN]

Then: that guy
Now: that other guy

[Steve Ostrander]

Ronnie McCoury, Sam Bush.

[Duff]

Ronnie McCoury, Bill Monroe

[doc holiday]

From today, Joe Walsh, from yesterday Bill Monroe

[hank]

Wow! I don't have an answer but you sure got me thinking about it. There are so many amazing mandoliners tickling those strings.

[jbrwky]

Older (not too) David McLaughlin
Now (two) John Moore & Emory Lester

[LastMohican]

Today - Thile, Hoffman
Medium Old - Skaggs, Grisman
Real Old - Wakefield
Dead - Bill

[Denny Gies]

I can't narrow it down to two. It is great to see Nate Bray's name in this august list.