5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time

Subject: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From:
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 05:51 PM

Here's the 5 great mando pickers.

                     1. Bill Monroe

                     2. Ricky Skaggs
                     3. Bobby Osborne

                     4.Marty Stuart

                     & 5. Frank Wakefield
Note: This list is just my opinion.


Any other suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,Larry

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 06:05 PM

I don't see how David Grisman could be left off any list of great mandolin players. Or Tim O'Brien either for that matter.

As for Bill Monroe being number one, well, that would be like saying that Lester Flatt was the best guitar picker.

There is an amazing mandolin player called Adam who plays in the bluegrass session in the Cantab Bar on Mass Ave in Cambridge, Boston every tuesday night. He is the equal or superior of any mandolin player I have heard, but has no interest in furthering his career. Such a pity ....

Murray

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: John Hardly
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 06:05 PM

Jethro Burns
Sam Bush
Don Stiernberg (you made me go look up the spelling)
Chris Thile (it's a foregone conclusion - if he ain't he's gonna be)
Mike Compton

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 06:05 PM

Red Rector, David Grisman, Frank Wakefield, Dave Apollon and Bill Monroe. No particular order-maybe just the most influential. The man who belongs in his own category is Kenneth "Jethro" Burns.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 06:37 PM

I know most of the guys mentioned are American,but we do have the odd compeyent musician here in trhe U K . I would like to bring to your attention one Simon Mayer,who I rate as World No 1. Simon plays Folk,,country,Western Swing, Classical and even the odd bit of Jazz.
Check out any thing by Spredthik,The Mellow Virginians,or the Mandolinquents,as well as all sorts of solo stuff in his own name.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: John Hardly
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 06:49 PM

I'm hoping to attend a Simon Mayer workshop and concert in a few short weeks.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: early
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 06:58 PM

agree with leadfingers simon mayer must be included imho

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: kendall
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 07:24 PM

Jethro Burns
Jesse McReynolds

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Cruiser
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 08:34 PM

I would add Evan Marshall. His rendition of 'Vieni Sul Mar' is excellent.

Mandolin Magic

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 10:37 PM

I shudder at the thought of picking the "greatest" anything--I peresonally think the word "great" should be permanently retired--but you might give a listen to two new CDs by Skip Gorman. These are "The Old Style Mandolin v.1" and The Old Style Mandolin v.2"

Both spectacular and extremely musical. Available, at this time, from Skip or from CAMSCO,

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Cluin
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 10:55 PM

Definitely Simon Mayor. He's a damn nice guy too.

Also Grisman, Johnny Staats, Sam Bush (of course), and a young fellow by the name of Chris Davis.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 11:42 PM

Jimmy Gyles

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 11:49 PM

(however, I agree with Dick G......this 'greatest' thing is WAY overdone....the point of my post is that the most famous is not necessarily the best...look at all those guys!) I SAW Jimmy Gyles win that contest, playing Fritz Kreisler's "Mozart Rondo" at bluegrass tempo....he beat Mark O'Conner that year

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Amos
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 12:27 AM

WOnder what AIne's viewpoint is on this?

A

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Áine
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 12:50 AM

Well, Amos, since you asked (hahaha),

I'd have to add Radim Zenkl to the top five list, definitely.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Benjamin
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 03:04 AM

Gee, I haven't seen Ricky Skaggs mentioned yet. I have to agree with Jesse McReynolds. Also, John Duffy and Buck White. I haven't yet heard of Simon Mayor, but I'll have to look into him. There's also a local guy here (in Seattle) named Tom Moran who is an absolute phenomenal player. He's very adept at bluegrass as well as jazz and blues. I've had a few lessons with him and he's also a great teacher.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Greycap
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 03:28 AM

I think you got 'em all about now -nice to see everyone in agreement.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Guestspot
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 04:05 AM

PDQ mentioned Red Rector in the list - I'd agree wholeheartedly... He and Bill Clifton visited my ex in-laws farm many years ago and played for fun in t'kitchen....Their version of Laras Theme ( Somwhere my Love) Dr Zhivago Tune...can't remember titles, had me mesmerised....I still have it on tape somewhere along with some "Stars and Bars" who were on same visit. Anyone know of Bill and Reds current situations...? I've heard of neither for years....

                     Regarsd to all... Spot

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Kim C
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 09:49 AM

I second the motion on Sam Bush. He's also a great fiddler.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Murph10566
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 10:47 AM

Certainly worthy of consideration:

    Canadian Mandolin Man & Fiddler Ray Legere:

RAY LEGERE is one of the most honored Bluegrass fiddlers active today. He is the 1996 East Coast Music Award Winner in the Bluegrass Category, a five-time winner of the Eastern Division Bluegrass Awards in the categories of Mandolin and Fiddle, winner of the 1983 Open Mandolin Championship in Woodstock Ontario, winner of the 1986 Open Mandolin Championship in Winfield, Kansas, and winner of the 1989 Old Time Fiddle Championship in Sackville, New Brunswick. He scored among the top ten in Nashville's Grand Masters Fiddle Championship in 1990 and in Napean, Ontario's 1990 and 1991 Grand Masters Fiddle Championships. On great stages like the Grand Ol' Opry and Carnegie Hall, Ray currently performs on his own as well as with Terry Kelly, John McDermott, Eamonn Dillon, Cape Bretons Brakin' Tradition, Rita McNeil and The Canadian Grass Unit (with Pickin' Partner Frank Doody). Respecting Ray's credits and television experience, CBC Television asked him to be musical director for a Country music television series out of Fredericton, New Brunswick, called Fiddlehead Country, which was aired in 1997 and again in 1999. He has recorded on hundreds of sessions and presently has four projects of his own...

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 11:03 AM

Andy Irvine, Doyle Lawson,Pete Oustroushka (sp?), that guy who plays with Leftover Salmom, Ry Cooder and though he doesn't seem to record it too often Richard Thompson is an interesting player. Just some of my favorites.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 11:28 AM

And of course back in the good old days before the folk revival AND before Bluegrass there was a guy call Yank Ratchell who played blues on the mandoline in the early twenties

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 11:50 AM

Dear Guestspot, you need to get "Red Rector & Bill Clifton...Live!". It is ELF 104. ELF is Clifton's own label and they are in stock items at County Sales:
                         http://www.countysales.com/

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Metchosin
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 12:38 PM

and .....these guys don't suck either!

Mandolirium

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Rosebrook
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 12:48 PM

I'd add Joe Craven to the list, if not only for the creativity he brings to traditional music. Check out his CD Camptown for trad. fiddle tunes set to a plethora of different world beats.

He also plays a hot fiddle and is a percussion wiz. Coincidentally, also plays in the Grisman Quintet.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Guestspot
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 01:32 PM

Thanks to p.d.q. for info - will access site asap!! Someone suggested that Red Rector's no longer with us... I hope they're wrong...!!
                     Regards to all, Spot

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: alanabit
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 01:39 PM

I haven't heard Simon close up for about twenty years now. You could hear him quite regularly for free in the Cap and Gown on the King's Road in Reading back in the seventies. He was pretty good then. He was also a fine fiddler and an excellent guitarist. I'll second what the others say about him being a good bloke too.
For our own British home grown musicians, I always thought Phil Beer was a handy mandoline player too. His seventies album "Mandoline" is worth a listening.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 02:14 PM

Come on! Where's Andy Statman? However, Dave Apollon is the greatest. Not only has he ( had he) an unbelievable technique but he also had the most beautiful tone.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Mooh at Thanksgiving
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 03:32 PM

I've many times extolled the wonders of Simon Mayor, here and elsewhere. Though I've seen him perform many times, it was one hour one-on-one with him in 2002 that changed my mandolin playing forever. Great guy, funny as hell, and I can listen to his cds endlessly.

Also, Radim Zenkl, Jethro Burns, David Grisman, Sam Bush would be on my list.

You want extra listening? Try out the Mandolin Cafe's list of downloads, some good stuff there.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 11:17 PM

I agree with all the Simon votes. I also like the work of Dave Swarbrick, Mick Maloney, and Chirps Smith. But I haven't seen any names mentioned above that I would kick off.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Mark Clark
Date: 12 Oct 03 - 11:39 PM

Well, the 5 greatest are probably all Italian and a hundred years dead or maybe players from the large mandolin orchestras popular among eastern Europeans. Just guessing. And I was glad to see John Hardly add Don Stiernberg to the list. But don't forget about all the blues mandolinists from a time before bluegrass.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 03:35 AM

Leadfingers beat me to it, I was going to speak up for Yank Rachell (admittedly in a different style) of the ineffable Tennessee Jugbusters etc. In the blues mode, too, Tom McGuiness (ex-McGuines Flint and now of the Blues Band)still plays a mean reso mandolin in the blues idiom.

RtS

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Steve-o
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 01:16 PM

Add Mike Marshall and John Reichman, as "modern masters".

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 01:53 PM

Peter Ostroushko is who van lingle had in mind, although Peter's main instrument seems to be the fiddle.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 02:07 PM

Steve-O finally came up with the two names I was going to mention. Esp John Reichman - not only a great bluegrass player but his duet recordings with John Miller are wonderful. A very nice latin jazz flavor to them. Check 'em out.

Also in the bluegrass field Adam Steffey of Mountain Heart and Union Station deserves a mention.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Cluin
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 03:28 PM

Haven't seen Emory Lester mentioned here yet. He certainly deserves a nod.

I agree though, that the "greatest" label is a bit silly. So many great players, all with different strengths and styles. Room enough for all (and any that want to take it up). And I don't play like any of them mentioned above, but folks like to listen to me anyway. I look on a thread like this as more of a suggestion to give a listen to some other names.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 04:01 PM

The point that this forum gives people a chance to make suggestions is really great. Try to listen to vetran BG player Herschel Sizemore, as well as under-appreciated Californians Roland White and Chris Hillman. Two younger players are Mat Dudman and Alan Bibey.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: BTMP
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 05:34 PM

Re Red Rector: he passed away several years ago. I had the great pleasure and privelege to sit in on a brief jam with Red and Jethro Burns who toured together briefly in the late 80's. This was at the Kissimmee BG festival in Florida, and these 2 artists were very obliging and available to the many aspiring mandolinists in attendance. I must say that Red Rector, along with Hershel Sizemore, have been the strongest influences on my mandolin playing.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 03:49 AM

Of course, lots of skiffle/jug bands also featured mandolin, one that comes to mind is Sammy Rimington, better known as a jazz clarinettist and banjo player in the UK who played mandolin (to Ken's upside down guitar, John Bastable's banjo and Bill Colyer's washboard or suitcase)in Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group.

RtS

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 05:47 AM

Chris Thile - WOW

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Beverley Barton
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 06:00 AM

how come none of you have mentioned chris from oddfellows? he is awfully good!

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Áine
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 09:38 AM

Has anyone mentioned either Dan Beimborn or Butch Baldassari yet? They're both fantastic players who can really show off the mandolin in pretty much any style of music. Here's a link to Dan's site, which has some great samples from his CD, Shatter The Calm.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Áine
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 02:43 PM

And for all you 'Catters who don't frequent the Mandolin Cafe, here's a 13-year old kid who we'll all be talking about in a few years as a candidate for the 'Top-5' -- Josh Pinkham. Give his rendition of Fisher's Hornpipe a listen, and you'll know why.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: John Hardly
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 03:04 PM

Aine,
A friend just sent me an audio file of the remarkable Pinkham this past weekend. He knew I'd been working out on Fisher's Hornpipe and wanted to bring me down. Way down.

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 02:04 AM

Howard Frye.

Seamus

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Vox Box
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 07:48 AM

I think Captain Corelli's pretty good

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,Frank Kennedy
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 04:37 PM

Hello Seamus my old classmate. Chris Thile may be young but he has a great touch also lesser known for his work on the instument, Fairport bassist Dave Pegg is a terrific mandoline player and Seamus Eagan is no slouch either but I also wouldn't kick any of the players named off the list

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: CraigS
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 05:02 PM

Orville Gibson never made a recording, but he must have been a helluva mandolin player ...

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: GUEST,stewball
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 12:37 AM

What about Ronnie McCoury???????????
strip away the blueagrass and you have one of the most versatile, tasteful musicians anywhere........

Subject: RE: 5 Great Mandolinists Of All Time
From: John Hardly
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 09:20 AM

poor Hershel Sizemore. This far down the list and not yet mentioned.