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The Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention
(continued)
Chet came in from a side door and it was then I noticed who the "special guest" was. Jerry Reed had come in with Chet and Jerry came up to the microphone on stage and received an ovation from the fans in attendance. Reed recently had quadruple bypass surgery and he looked great and spoke emotionally about his hero and mentor, Chet Atkins. Chet came up and thanked Jerry and made a few announcements, giving away the doorprize (a Gibson guitar) and giving Australian picker Tommy Emmanuel an unexpected "C.G.P" award, designating him as a "Certified Guitar Player," a moniker Chet has been using for himself in recent years.
Folks were excited to see Chet take his bright orange Gibson and begin to play and he and Tommy played "To B or Not to B," a pretty melody written by Randy Goodrum. Paul Yandell joined Chet as well and the two played together just as beautifully as you would expect. Paul Yandell knows better than anyone how to play with Chet, to compliment his playing and accent it with rhythm , laying out at times and letting the master shine. What a terrific time it was to see Chet back in his old form, playing with Paul and smiling and enjoying the music. What an honor it is to see this man who has endured so much and been challenged overcome his troubles and have fun doing what he enjoys most - playing guitar with his friends.
Duane Eddy turned out to be another special guest and he played for an excited audience before giving way to Tommy Emmanuel, who many consider to be one of the best all around guitarists on the face of the earth. Tommy plays with a lot of emotion, and in his eyes I couldn't help but see a similarity to the joy in Chet's eyes from the films of him playing in his younger days.
Day Five: Sunday
I had an early flight, 6AM. I was so excited after the big show I didn't sleep well and was very tired as I boarded the plane Sunday morning. But as we took off I closed my eyes and leaned back in my seat. I could still hear the music.
I've been home now over a week and I still feel some of the musical inspiration I felt at the convention. I'm convinced that the inspiration and good feeling comes from the interaction with others who share the same love of the music and the man behind it all, Chet Atkins. Listening to some of these talented guitar players will either inspire you or make you want to throw your guitar out of a window.
A few folks might prefer to remember earlier conventions, when the crowds were smaller and Chet played more and he was at his "best". Not me. While it's true that Chet isn't playing as much as he did in his earlier years, he still has the talent that makes him Chet, and it's on display for all to see and hear and enjoy.
Unlike previous years, I spent less time videotaping performances and more time listening, talking, playing my guitar and just soaking in the surroundings. It's only a week or so after the trip that I'm writing this, and guess what? I'm already planning next year's trip.
- Tom Redmond
Partial list of performers:
For more information on the CAAS and how to join, click here.
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