MERLE TRAVIS

What the hell can I say about Merle Travis that hasn't already been said in a more coherent manner?
The man has had a whole style of picking named after him, for Chrissakes!
Merle was born in 1917. His early influences were Mose Rager and Ike Everly (yeah, father of those Everlys). Merle influenced just about everyone that came after him.
In a day and age when people use the word "virtuoso" to describe clowns like Yngwie Malmsteen, it's still shocking to hear what Merle could do with six steel strings, his fingers, and a thumbpick.
While every armchair "historian" is quick to heap praise on Leo Fender for "inventing" the solidbody electric guitar, the fact remains that Merle Travis and Paul Bigsby had designed the first functional solidbody, and that Merle was playing it onstage by 1947. Although Leo Fender vehemently denied having copied their design, Merle's guitar had a six-on-a-side headstock that was embarassingly similar to that of a Stratocaster...remeber, this was in 1947!
In addition to his accomplishments as a player, Merle Travis collaborated with Paul Bigsby on the design of the earliest Bigsby Vibrato tailpieces.

Merle Travis passed away in 1983.
He was not only a guitarist's guitarist, but a great singer, songwriter, and storyteller as well, a hero to the likes of Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, and Cliff Gallup.

Listen to Merle "Walkin' The Strings".