Sloppy but Famous Contest

On guitar there's a difference between primarily plectrum style linear/chordal alternation such as McLaughlin would play versus the fingerstyle counterpoint of Kottke or John Williams. As difficult as what McLaughlin does is to do (at his level) the contrapuntal style is difficult to do at any level--and extremely difficult at the level of John Williams, Manuel Barrueco, etc.
Not to take away a thing from Mclaughlin, Tony Rice, et. al.
I can't come close to doing what any of those guys at the top do!!!

Tostado,

I play primarily fingerstyle and couldn't agree with you more! It explains so many of my shortcomings.

OTOH, most of my favorite fingerstyle players are getting on a bit, but they're still on top of their game. John Renbourn is 70, Richard Thompson and Lindsey Buckingham are both 65, and Tommy Emmanuel is 60. It can be done!

Notwithstanding all that, IMO your comment is squarely on point.

Oops - to clarify.

My favorite popular music fingerstyle players are hangin' in there... I wasn't trying to specifically equate Renbourn et al with the classical players you note (although Renbourn has recorded some pretty awesome Baroque material and Buckingham does have a mean "faux" rasqueado in his bag of tricks).

Jimmy Page - the most famous sloppy guitarist. As an aside, I ruined LZ for my wife when I played her the originals of everything they ripped off. She was appalled.

Not only want to speak about guitarists. Norah Jones is way better off having someone play piano instead and perhaps singin' too LOL!