Topic: List of 12 String Players

[Lastfirstface]

Looking through the posts on the Fender 12 string thread got me thinking and I started putting together a list of 12 string players using old threads as a source (particularly the "12 String Players Not From Georgia" thread.)

Pre-war:

-Ed Andrews
-Willie Baker
-Barbecue Bob
-John Byrd
-George Carter
-Emery Glen
-Too Tight Henry
-Lonnie Johnson
-Charlie Kyle
-Louis Lasky
-Leadbelly
-Charlie Lincoln
-The Two Poor Boys (either Evans or McLaine)
-Willie McTell
-Charlie "Dad" Nelson
-Miles or Milas Pruitt
-Seth Richard
-Freddie Spruell
-Charlie Turner
-Uncle Bud Walker

Post-war:
-Frankie Basile
-Eric Bibb
-Catfish Keith
-Pat Conte
-Karen Dalton
-Guy Davis
-Rev. Gary Davis
-Snooks Eaglin
-Ari Eisinger
-Frank Fotusky
-Jesse Fuller
-Paul Geremia
-Fred Gerlach
-Stefan Grossman
-Neil Harpe
-Alvin Youngblood Hart
-Ernie Hawkins
-Steve James
-Allan Jones
-Jo Ann Kelly
-John Koerner
-Robert Lockwood Jr.
-Harry Lewman
- Steve Mann
-Charlie Parr
-Dave Snaker Ray
-Roy Rogers
-Mike Russo
-Willie Salomon
-Pete Seeger
-Daddy Stovepipe
-Eric Von Schmidt
-Robert Pete Williams

Edited July 2 to reflect further suggestions.
-Pete

[Johnm]

Hi Lastfirstface,
Emery Glen would be another pre-War 12-string player.  Jesse Fuller would qualify as both pre and post-
war, though he made no pre-War recordings.  Post-war would include Snooks Eaglin and a bunch of the players incarcerated in Angola that Dr. Oster recorded, by virtue of him having a 12-string guitar (his own) for them to play.
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

Mike Russo:

[Blues Vintage]

As a hard-core blues freak for years I'm honestly not familiar with a lot of names on the pre-war list (Too Tight Henry !?). Did these guys play the 12 string exclusively? I think Lonnie's main axe was a 6 string. I think that a list with players that made the 12 string their specialty (primary) instrument would be better suited than musicians that occasionally played it.

[frankie]

Mike Russo

Took the words right out of my mouth, Prof!

Stefan Grossman should be added to the post-war players.

Seems like my name is a weird (although flattering) addition to the post-war list....  frankly, I have no perceptible professional music career or aspirations (I exist ONLY as a figment of the interwebs at this point!). If it were my list (and I know it's not), I think I would limit it to professional musicians or non-professional musicians from within the culture.

[frankie]

As a hard-core blues freak for years I'm honestly not familiar with a lot of names on the pre-war list (Too Tight Henry !?).

Some of these guys may have only recorded a handful of songs - like Too Tight Henry:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIR30qClf8ctpKQP0gnZB7A

Even hardened blues nerds can occasionally be surprised, right? Especially if their listening is tilted towards revivalists.

Did these guys play the 12 string exclusively? I think Lonnie's main axe was a 6 string. I think that a list with players that made the 12 string their specialty (primary) instrument would be better suited than musicians that occasionally played it.

I disagree - that's like saying Big Bill Broonzy or Lonnie Johnson should not appear on a list of blues fiddlers because they only recorded one or two songs on fiddle.  In an area where there aren't many recordings, you'd be missing out on some VERY good playing.

[Lastfirstface]

Harry: It would be a pretty short list if you include only the well-known 12 string players and I was trying to exhaustively put together all the examples I could find. Otherwise its pretty much the Atlanta guys and Leadbelly.

Frankie: I'd say you're less obscure than a lot of these players at this point by way of your presence on the internet, but I'll remove you from the list if you think that's the best thing to do.

[harriet]

Thanks Lastfirstface for including my selection along with the others - I removed my list.

I included several modern players on it, with an internet presence, whose playing is great, and my apologies if it was out of order.

[Lastfirstface]

Thanks for contributing, Harriet. I'll keep editing my first post to reflect additions to the thread.

-Pete

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Is the list intended to have as its primary focus people who primarily or occasionally play or played blues on the 12-string guitar?  If it's for people who play blues, I don't see Leo Kottke as fitting, but if not, there are a slew of Folk and solo guitarists who have played 12-string guitar.  For this site, at least, it would seem that playing blues is a sensible pre-requisite to be included on the list.
EDITED TO ADD:  Post-War list should include Allan Jones. 
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

I would plead the frankie amendment!

[Nicolas Dussart]

I'd add Dave Snaker Ray and Neil Harpe to the post war list

[Pan]

I would plead the frankie amendment!

Denied!

In my opinion Frankie Basile & Allan Jones should be on the list.

Cheers

Pan

[Johnm]

I agree, Pan!  Modesty doesn't cut it here.  It's not about having a musical "career", it's about having a voice on the instrument, and having something to say and the ability to communicate it on the instrument, which Allan and Frank both definitely do.  The list is meaningless if we leave off some of the very best 12-string players.
All best,
Johnm

[Pan]

Well said, John!

Cheers

Pan