"How can I be folk? I'm from the suburbs you know" - John Fahey. That's enough for me to not list him.
Anyway, if you guys do want some american primitive guitar (and related) suggestions, then I posted some near the bottom of this page:
http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=12246
If you don't feel like reading or you want to keep it all on this thread or whatever, then here are some good suggestions of American primitive and fingerstyle/folky guitarists I like:
- Robbie Basho
- Max Ochs
- Bukka White
- Harry Taussig
- Peter Lang
- Loren Mazzacane Connors
- Jack Rose
- Leo Kottke
- Wooden Spoon
- Pat O'Connell
- Andrew Stranglen
- Terry Robb
- Dale Miller
- Tetsui Akiyama
- Michael Gulezian
- Sandy Bull
- James Blackshaw
- Sir Richard Bishop
- Gillian Welch
- Sean Smith
- Glenn Jones
- Harris Newman
- Six Organs of Admittance
- (some) M. Ward
- (some) Jim O'Rourke
- Triple Burner
- Steffen Basho-Junghans
- George Stavis
- Bob Hadley
- Wayne Lopes
- Bob Brozman (who played in many different styles but I think you'd dig if you like any of the above artists; a true slide guitar king)