"I come from a deep rooted bluegrass and country background, and I fingerpick "Clawhammer like: Atkins, Reed, and Knoplfer", I can flat out say you really don't know what you are talking about. Distortion has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's hands first, pickups second, amp last. Even the greats of country use distortion from time to time."
what am I saying that makes me not know what I am talking about? Of copurse some country pickers use distortion at times if its what the song calls for but it is a rare thing. they use many different tones but rarly is distortion used. Unless you are refering to todays fake pop country crap.
As far as picking with a thumb pick and or finger picks like chet jerry and chets other student mark knoplfer..I dont understand why you threw that in and think that contributes to going against what I am saying? Finger picking that way is not easy either but countrys real bread and butter and butter picking style..for LEAD anyways is hybrid picking cause it helps facilitate the technques involved to play country lead..IE banjo rolls, pedal steel bends, double stops and chicken picken technque which most uneducated players thinks means just to play fast but is actually a technique in and of its self created by james burton where you get a conculsive echo after the strike that sounds like a chicken clucking...THESE are the techniques that few very few ever master and yes they are 99% of the time done through a clean channel ....unless you want to hear bandjo rolls and pedal steel licks distorted lol
Come on educate me some more!