Best Young Guitarists 40ish & Under: Pickers

Let's go! Let's get some good old-fashioned Appalachianish bluegrass/folk stringers on this list.

Billy Strings

Age: 31

Bands: Billy Strings

Essential Album: "Home" by Billy Strings

Billy Strings is an astounding talent. Notes just explode off his fingers. His musical mind is jedi-like -- quick and sharp and otherworldly. And his tunes are unique. He uses bluegrass as a kind of foundation to his sound, but there is so much more going on. He takes you on unexpected twists and turns, but it all still somehow feels familiar. He never gets you lost. He just takes you on all the back roads.

I mean, he's just a total beast of a player. If you haven't heard him already, you should check him out!

HERE is a link to his Paste Studio session where he plays songs from his HOME album

Molly Tuttle

Age: 30

Bands: Molly Tuttle, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Essential Album: "When You're Ready" by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

I first saw her play on a youtube video where she was talking about her songwriting process. She had a guitar in her hands, and she just played a little lick from one of her songs. And I did a double take. Her playing was so clear and fluid. Like, I forgot to breathe for a bit. So I dove into her music for a few weeks and was blown away by her immense talent.

She uses a rare playing style that I don't think I ever saw before I saw her do it -- clawhammer, which is primarily a banjo playing style, but she somehow bent it effortlessly over to guitar. "Take the Journey" is the song where I think she really stretches the limits of this technique, and she just kills it. This song is an absolutely incredible performance on guitar.

HERE is a video of her playing "Take the Journey" solo live. Get Ready for your brain to melt.

Andrew Marlin

Age: 35

Bands: Mandolin Orange, Watchhouse, Andrew Marlin

Essential Album: "Tides of a Teardrop" by Mandolin Orange

Ok. So guitar is not Andrew Marlin's primary instrument. He's mostly known for his mandolin work, but when I first heard him on an Audiotree Live session for his band, Mandolin Orange, he was playing guitar. And his guitar melodies are haunting and gorgeous. He and his wife, Emily, are the founders of the bands Mandolin Orange and Watchhouse, and I still believe their best configuration is Andrew on guitar and Emily on fiddle.

But Andrew is a poet. No matter what he does musically, his poetry shines through. There is something so tender and open-hearted about his songs and his playing. He just somehow knows how to reach into your soul and leave a song there.

HERE is the Audiotree Live session where I first heard him play guitar

HERE is a live version of Golden Embers, where his guitar intro is heart-shatteringly beautiful. And this may be one of the best songs written in a really long time...IMHO.