John Hurt is a favorite of mine, too, for all the same reasons as for Jerry. It's difficult to verbalize just what makes a given singer more appealing than another, but it certainly has a lot to do with how much of the person -- of the soul -- comes through in the sound of his/her voice.

Roy Bird, aka Professor Longhair, is my very-most-favorite of all, and I hear much the same type of feeling from him as I do from MJH. (The fact that I was able to witness Fess in person many, many times but know John Hurt only from his recordings, of course, probably has some effect upon my preference.)

Some might feel that Mississippi John falls under the definition of "folk music" while Fess does not, but to my thinking, both grew out of well-established musical traditions (one rural, one urban) and both added their own original flavor, so they have plenty in common and there must be some category that encompasses them both.

Both were virtuosos on their instruments, with totally unique self-taught, self-invented approaches to the piano and guitar, respectively. And both of their voices conveyed an irresitable combination of wisdom, world-weariness, sweetness, humor, and good will. What more could you ask for?