I first began to play the guitar when I was about 15 years old after a friend, Bob Westmoreland suddenly got one and started playing. Right from the start it became clear that Bob had a talent for this instrument. He chose the electric route following his hero Jimi Hendrix.
I could never afford an electric guitar so I stayed with the acoustic.
I never, ever had Bob's talent but I stayed with it and got into acoustic folk following Ralph McTell and then John Denver.
I was amazed by the work of Stefan Grossman and started studying from his guitar tutorial records complete with tablature. I bought quite a lot of them. I enjoyed fingerpicking and ragtime especially.
I did try for so many years but I never really had it in me to be any good beyond the basics but i did learn to play decent clawhammer style.
I was also influenced heavily by the virtuoso playing of John Renbourn and Bert Jansch.