I stand humbled. Didn't know I was showing off Peter (although it wouldn't be the first time.)Leslie Riddles...A.P. Carter's prime informant. A black man that Alva used to meet in his travels while selling fruit trees. Many of the "Carter Family Originals" derived from Riddles' versions of old Gospel and folk songs. He has an album out and plays and sings in a nice laid back style...but with MUCH skill.
Mose Rager....a coal miner in Kentucky. Along with Ike Everly, he strongly influenced the most purely talented singer-picker-writer-entertainer ever to perform rural music, Merle Travis. Once again, I believe you can find an album.
Snoozer Quinn (oops, sorry...SNOOZER QUINN!) Perhaps the most important "transitional" country/jazz guitarist who ever lived. For almost 35 years I'd heard rumours of a very poor quality tape that Snoozer made, while dying in a Cincinnatti Hospital, that contained some of the most original playing ever heard. Last year Stewie (or Dale Rose) found a site with it. I've never been so excited about hearing something. I wasn't disappointed. To appreciate Snoozer (from a historical point of view) you should know a little about Eddie Lang's history. But simply from an entertainment point of view, he's one hell of a picker.
Lydia Mendoza....What a STRONG 12 string guitarist! And what lovely Mexican/American music, either with her sisters or solo. There are albums.
Oscar Aleman...a South American Indian who went to Paris and played some of the swingingest Jazz guitar ever heard. Yes, he was EASILY Django's equal. He wasn't a "character" however and dropped into obscurity, until David Grisman collected his stuff in a two album set. He and Django were buddies and often played together.
At different times over the years, I've asked in many record stores about these artists and gotten blank stares. Thank Gawd for the internet.
Rick