They’re Pickin’ … And I’m Grinnin’

There are a number of things that make Merlefest a real treat each spring. Friends, fresh air and food are in the top five. Watching our little girl dance is special no matter where it happens. But the music still is the best of all. I feel especially lucky because I’m a guitar guy, and there always is plenty of great picking on display all four days of the festival. I feel like it’s a little extra special, too, because a lot of the guitar players who turn up at Merlefest don’t necessarily get the recognition they deserve. They get some love from the guitar magazines, but they probably aren’t going to show up on Rolling Stone’s “100 Best Guitarists of All Time” or any poll of the like. Regardless of their relatively low mainstream profiles, they have the respect of thousands who attend Merlefest, and many more listeners who don’t make the trek to North Wilkesboro, N.C.

We weren’t able to attend all of Merlefest this year, but in just two days we witnessed a wealth of talented guitar players. Here are a handful of them:

Doc Watson. Any discussion of folk guitar styles should begin (and probably end) with Doc Watson. For more than 40 years he has treated the guitar-loving world to fiery flatpicking and deft fingerpicking, delivering bluegrass, country blues, ballads and gospel with a down-home demeanor that’s fitting for a son of Deep Gap, N.C. He’s influenced countless other great players, including his son, Merle, whose too-short life we gather to celebrate at Merlefest each year.

James Nash. The Waybacks offer a grab-bag, seeming at ease playing country, bluegrass, rock or gypsy jazz – often covering more than one style within the framework of one song. It’s little surprise then that guitarist/vocalist Nash has such well-rounded guitar chops. I only caught them for about 20 minutes at the Watson Stage on Friday morning, but in that time Nash picked several tasty leads on his acoustic. He then switched to an electric guitar and provided accomplished R&B backup when John Cowan joined the band for a run at Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on Home to Me.” Great stuff; I wish I had been able to hear a bit more of it.

Kenny Vaughan. The lead guitarist in Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives very nearly stole the show from his employer on Thursday night, serving up tasty, twangy licks throughout the 75-minute set. Vaughan has got serious talent, and his big cowboy hat and spangled western shirt are entirely appropriate fashion choices. Because he’s a gunslinger, one who undoubtedly could knock you out with his rapid-fire playing. Instead, he kills you with cool. This band is appropriately named.

Marty Stuart. Vaughan’s boss is no slouch. His Fender Telecaster was previously owned by the late, great Clarence White, and Stuart does the former Kentucky Colonel and Byrd proud with his ability to play country guitar. Some question Stuart’s fashion sense, but you can’t take issue with his playing. It will never go out of style. And even though it wasn’t played on guitar, it is worth mentioning Stuart’s mandolin solo on the show-closing cover of Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” It was a surprising treat as an encore, and notable for how well Stuart replicated Mike Campbell’s electric guitar solo from the original recording. The “Marty Party” was a blast from beginning to end.

Wayne Henderson. A funny thing happened on my way to see Tony Rice. I was headed for the Hillside Stage on Friday when I spotted this great acoustic picker sitting in with pianist Jeff Little. They were playing to about 40 people at The Plaza stage, and it’s a real shame that there weren’t more spectators. If you bumped into the unassuming Henderson on the festival grounds (as I did the previous day), you probably wouldn’t guess that he was a world-renowned fingerpicker of fiddle tunes and much, much more. He’s also a well-respected luthier, and has a slightly higher profile for his guitar building thanks to “Clapton’s Guitar.” The book chronicles Henderson’s career and the construction of a guitar for Eric Clapton. Clapton is of course much more famous than Henderson, but those 40-or-so people could not have looked more entertained had “Slowhand” himself been in the house.

Tony Rice. If the acoustic guitar conversation begins with Doc Watson, it’s appropriate to end it with Tony Rice. He was influenced by Watson and Clarence White, but went on to become one of the most influential flatpickers ever. He rightfully is praised for his lead playing, which combines blinding speed, harmonic complexity and an innate sense of melody. But his metronomic timing and creative chording might make him the greatest rhythm player bluegrass guitar has known. I reluctantly left Wayne Henderson’s set to see Rice sit in with the John Cowan Band. Watching Rice play always leaves me more than a little bit awestruck, and I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way. The crowd at Hillside Stage certainly wasn’t taking him for granted. As the other musicians were checking their mikes and monitors, Rice emerged from the left side of the stage and received an ovation – during soundcheck!

It doesn’t matter if he ever makes the cover of Rolling Stone. That’s a rock star, folks.