Richard Thompson
Muriel Anderson
Nic Jones
Davy Graham
Blind Willie Johnson

Ken

Crikey. Listened to so much... but the players who have really had an effect on me are few.

Richard Thompson
Bert Jansch
Nick Drake
Elliot Smith (yes, as a picker)
Skip James/ Robert J...
Dave Evans, and another long-lost friend called Bladderfat
Lots more I’ll think of in a minute..

Ken... great selections! Blind Willie Johnson... devastating. Nic Jones, Penguin Eggs... what a talent he was. And I met Davy Graham not so long ago. But that’s another story.

Hmm I'll bite but try to keep it to a short list:
Tony Rice, Clarence White, Scott Nygaard, Robert Bowlin!, Django R of course....and the young alien...Cody Kilby

So many greats, but for traditional acoustic guitar the ones that amaze and move me most are:
1. Tony Rice
2. Clarence White
3. Charles Sawtell
4. Doc Watson
5. Niel Young
6. Larry Keel
This is my short list as there are many big dogs out there I respect and admire.

I overlap some of the previous posters, Neil Young for some of his lovely chord changes, same for Nick Drake. Richard Thompson is simply amazing whenever he plays as well. I realize now that I've got one heck of a lot more listening to do to some of the other players mentioned!

For me, Tony Rice is the man, period. His taste and heart are second to none, imo.

Grier is next, and CW astounds always.

I like Tyler Grant a lot too, if you havent heard his cd, check it out. He is the reigning Winfield champion.

Richard Thompson is amazing both on acoustic and electric guitar. He's got a great personal style.

I can't believe the following haven't been mentioned:

John Renbourn (English Dance, Pelican, Little Niles. Tone, tone, tone.)
Davy Graham
Chris Smither (his "John Hurt Medley" has to be some of the best acoustic playing ever)
Steve Tilston
Paul Simon (no pyrotechnics, mucho originality and musicality. The simple riffs from Most Peculiar Man, Scarborough Fair, Bleeker St., America etc attest to this).
Phil Keaggy
Leo Kottke (admit it, you all liked his 6+12 String Guitar, now he's below you?)

amen to Paul Simon. those changes in American Tune or Still Crazy are just.... genius. tom

Along with many others I love most of the Bluegrass greats but for being able to play Irish trad music in an authentic style I love Arty Mcglyn also up there is the UKs own Chris Newman

Because these folks haven't yet been mentioned...

Monte Montgomery
Michael Hedges

Duolian, one conversation I had with Michael Hedges we were discussing a mutual friend, Pierre Bensusan, and he told me that he once got Pierre to play "Home on the Range" with him on stage. Michael with his percussive gyrations, Pierre improvising in DADGAD. Must've been a six-burner Viking range.