Richie--
This is the argument (friendly) I have with Kinney-- he wants to move Charlie Poole into the Bluegrass ancestry and hence make him "more important" than seeing him as a one of a kind phenomenon as I do; seldom imitated never duplicated. IMHO his picking style and contrapuntal runs was a completely different route than Bluegrass. It is possible to play bluegrass without ever listening to what others in the band are doing. You can't play Poole's band style that way.

to Bdatki-- look at what 12-string is saying. For the left hand, make that chord in which your index finger is barring the 4th and 3rd string, middle finger is 1 fret higher and ring finger is 2 frets higher. Play that chord ANYWHERE. Now move it 5 frets higher-- you've got a IV chord for where you started. Move it 7 frets higher and you've got a V chord for that key. Even simple right hand patterns will get you sounding a lot like Poole-- either the way I suggested or Mark Ross' minstrel roll. (Try both!) and have FUN