While I was working with Ray Stevens as his road manager, Ray planned a
surprise birthday party for me at his office. As you probably know,
Chet and Ray are very good friends and I was honored to become good friends
with Chet during the six years I worked with Ray.
The party was going along quite nicely when Shirley(Ray's Assistant)
brought in the birthday cake. Just then, Chet picked up my guitar which
was in the room and he started playing "Happy Birthday!"
Well, being a guitarist myself, that was just an incredible event. Not
only was it a wonderful gesture that Ray would take the time to put
together a birthday party for me but to have CHET ATKINS - my high school guitar
idol and most accomplished guitar player in history play "Happy
Birthday" to me was just something I will remember to my dying day.
- Jim Stephany
The FULL LIST of "When I Met Chet" stories
