"The Cannonball" was one title which Maybelle says she got from Leslie so I listened to Maybelle's version and Leslie's recorded about 50 years apart. Leslie appears to be fingerpicking albeit a little hesitantly, quite probably because he was a bit rusty, whereas Maybelle seems to be playing her usual 'Carter Family Lick'. This in my mind tends to confirm that it was repertoire rather than playing style that the Carters obtained from Riddle.

Regarding the advice above "don't copy", I don't think this is particularly sound advice for someone learning to play. Once you understand how a particular player gets his sound ok then go off and do your own thing if that's what you want. If you are a pro musician then obviously being a carbon copy of an existing performer is pointless but I feel pretty sure that the majority of people using this thread play primarily for their own pleasure. I personally have had many years of pleasure attempting to emulate Doc Watson, Sam McGee,Maybelle Carter, E C Ball and others too numerous to mention. I always finish up "doing my own thing" because unfortunately I don't possess their skills.

Hoot