Chet exhibit at the CMHOF -- heaps of praise, one concern

[Norm]

Now, now...

Firstly, as has already been pointed out, Paul was very much alive when the exhibit was set up and I have no doubt he contributed to it.

I also have no doubt that he made it plain that he wanted it to be all about Chet. Period. That's how Paul was.

The third factor is this... Paul deliberately aimed at being a sideman, not a star. A "second" as he called it, because he knew they were a commodity. In all of his posts he never once expressed any sentiment to the effect that he got shorted by TheSystem. He never sought stardom and all it entails. He understood the need for tight, dedicated support musicians...bassists...drummers...guitar "seconds"...all contributors critical to the industry. Being a "star" isn't all it's cracked up to be.

The display is fine. It is about Chet Atkins. Sure, Paul was important but so were a lot of people in Chet's life even before Paul entered the picture. Paul is mentioned in the accompanying HOF souvineer book.

Perhaps, down the road, there might be a display of Great Sidemen and people like Paul, Grady Martin, Hank Garland and other behind the scene greats will have their songs sung for them... Not a bad idea, actually but the non guitar playing public are not too familiar with those names.

Paul made his own feelings bout the CGP award very plain and since the very idea of the award was his it would be rather self serving to make up an award and have himself get the first one. In spite of "all the stories" his feelings about that were plainly and often stated.
Your affection and admiration for Paul is touching and we all are, of course, entitled to our own opinion but I think your dissapointment is misplaced

That's how I see it anyway...your mileage may vary...

[bill_h]

I'm not really sure we're all on the same page in this thread anymore. It looks like it may have split into two very closely related but different topics.

The first topic is why there was no mention at all of Paul Yandell cgp in the exhibit. I couldn't agree more that Paul would have wanted the exhibit to be 100% about Chet. As far as there not being a plaque, poster, or anything of that nature dedicated to Paul at the exhibit, I'm sure Paul would have wanted it that way.

For the benefit of those who haven't been to the exhibit, there's a dvd at the exhibit that plays in a constant loop. It contains footage of Chet in performance, being interviewed on TV, etc. It also has a section where CGP's John Knowles, Tommy Emmanuel, and Steve Wariner talk about Chet. The first time I went to the exhibit Paul was featured in the dvd as well. The 2nd time I went Paul was not on the dvd at all. I've been to the exhibit pretty much once a month since then and haven't seen Paul on the dvd.

The 2nd topic of this thread, at least the way I see things ( and there's no guarantee that I'm right, ) is why Paul was featured on the dvd originally but deleted later on.

From what I remember Paul never promoted himself at all on the dvd. Of course he was all about honoring Chet. He talked some about the cgp award too.

I think there's something fishy about the way Paul was originally featured on the dvd but later deleted. I don't feel that Chet is being properly honored when someone essentially censored Paul from the dvd. Since Paul knowingly and willingly contributed his comments to the dvd so it's doubtful that he thought doing so was self serving in any way. If Paul thought he was doing anything other than honoring Chet I doubt he would have participated.

Paul was not deleted from the dvd by accident and I just don't see anything good by the way his commentary was removed.

[Norm]

The people who put those things togther are often not guitar players.

Behind all it's nobility and statement of purpose and all that, the CMHOF is a business and I have a feeling it does pretty well for itself.

The other factor is that not many people would be as aware as we are about Paul's place in Chet's life. To many people Paul was "just" a sideman and as such was one of the faceless musicians that come and go in country music.
The 'sideman' is pretty invisible to most of the buying (non guitar playing) public.

The HOF gets to charge admission, sell books, "memberships" and tee shirts, Gretsch gets to promote their guitars and the historians get shorted a bit on things but they can look up what they need to know.

The CMHOF has a Chet Atkins exhibit. You get to see some great guitars and a great amp and a lot of pictures.

Nothing "fishy" going on. No conspiracy. Paul's spot on the loop may have been trimmed for any number of reasons a Suit might have come up with.

Hey... Chet used to have a spot on the Prince Albert portion of the GOO until some Suit from New York told them to "get rid of that guitar player".

Those things happen. We don't have to like it but those kind of things Do happen...

[mark reinhart]

A lot of interesting thoughts have been posted on this thread since I started it, and I feel the need to throw in my thoughts one more time. I don't believe there are any sinister motives, or perhaps even any intentional motives, behind the lack of Paul's presence at the CMHOF exhibit. The photos, video clips, text, etc., are about Chet's life and music, and that is just how the exhibit should be. All of that material caught most of the folks that were close to Chet, both personally and professionally, but not all of them. Paul was one that didn't get caught. This oversight by no means ruins the exhibit -- I just think that Paul was a major enough part of Chet's story that he should have shown up somewhere in the exhibit. I don't say this because being included would have mattered one way or another to Paul. I say this because his inclusion just would have painted a bit more complete picture of Chet for casual viewers to appreciate. Us Chet fans don't need to be reminded how important Paul's support was to Chet -- it just would have been nice if that info was passed on to those who were first learning about Chet.

Here's a thought on how Paul might have been included -- how cool would it have been if the Yandell family had loaned Chet's handwritten songbook to the exhibit? (I'm sure most of you know the book I'm talking about, but for those of you who don't, Chet kept a book with all of the songs he knew in it, and he notated keys, chords, etc. in the book.) Seeing that book in person would have been like looking at one of the copies of the Gettysburg Address written in Lincoln's own hand. (I'm a Lincoln fan as well as a Chet fan, so comparing Chet to Lincoln seems natural to me!) Of course, Paul might not have wanted to even consider loaning that book to the CMHOF before he passed away -- if I had it in my possession, I don't know that I'd ever be comfortable letting it out of my sight!

[Mike Nye]

I agree with Mark . . .

You have to keep in mind that these exhibits are culminated by people who really DON'T have a clue bout what they're doing, they do what they do because they have a degree in one thing or another, offering up these exhibits from RESEARCH rather than EXPERIENCE, because MOST if not ALL who were around during Chet's career are now deceased . . .

Somewhere on the net is a Les Paul exhibit where the woman narrating refers to Les' birth place a Wa-keesha, WI. It's obvious that she wouldn't be caught in Wisconsin with a gun to her head ! ! !

I guess all one can do, is when they take their Grandkids to the expo they can read the plaque and say: "Kids, a very substantial part of Chet Atkins' career, Paul Yandell, wasn't mentioned here. I want you to know that because it's obvious that the people at the CMHOF DON'T ! ! !"