I suspect few who have seen him with Natalie McMaster would argue that by far the best folk cellist is Nathaniel (Nate) Smith.

At a concert in Quebec after he had played brilliant music - she said "And Nate is just fourteen".

And you could hear the French audience saying "fourteen - did she just say fourteen? Not possible, not fourteen, she must have it wrong....etc etc...."

Sensing this Natalie McMaster said "Yes, fourteen...."

See here....

He was the principal cellist in the Mississippi All-State Orchestra for 2006 and currently plays cello in the Belhaven College String Quartet and is the assistant principal cellist for the Belhaven Chamber Orchestra. He enjoys playing many musical styles and adapting them to the cello. He studies with a local jazz guitarist, adapting many tunes from the jazz repertoire to cello. He is the cellist, bassist, and composer in his local band, 18 String Theory, and is a sought after soloist in the Jackson area, frequently performing and recording with local jazz, classical and traditional musicians.

Forget to mention - when this was written he was thriteen years of age.