Actually Rick, your original comments hit the mark just fine. I have studied the styles of the old "legends" (i.e. Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Blake, Mississippi John Hurt, as well as the more contemporary players like Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, Duck Baker, Dave Bromberg, Pat Donahue, Chris Proctor, and others.) My "style" is sort of a mishmash of all of them when I'm working on original things. That seems to be when the various "influences" come out. (Hard to be objective when you listen to yourself, but I tend to hear a lot of John Hurt in the Mudcat Rag. I love MJH.)