BEST DAY EVER

Discussion of history's greatest guitar player.

BEST DAY EVER

Postby pattie surman » Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:33 pm

"Now Chet, this is the last time I'm going to show you this.....". New scanner today, couldn't help but do this.
Best day ever. Thank you John.
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chet akins pro.jpg
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby David Elliott » Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:19 pm

Stan,

Now that's funny! :lol:

David
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby guitarchuck » Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:44 am

Stan,
Just wondering what the occasion was that you had the chance to pick with Chet? That must have been a thrill of a lifetime! Also, did you ever decide on how to sell your guitar collection?
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby John Knowles » Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:51 am

Stan, What a delight to see that photo. That was a magic week for sure. John
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby Billy Anderson » Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:59 pm

Stan, you almost stole my thunder! For years, I have been telling everyone my idea of Heaven is me sitting in front of an audience of Chet, Jerry, Merle, Buster, Tommy J., Jimi, Wes, etc., and Chet says "Now Billy, you need to slow that down a little because we just can't figure out how the heck you are playing that! :lol: Man, what a thrill that must have been for you! Billy
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby RandeDager » Sat Feb 26, 2011 6:02 pm

Stan, I was there that week. I also have a few pics of myself with Chet. I believe it was July of 1988 at the Cantebury School in Danbury, CT. John, you did a great job that week! I'll never forget your rendition of "Tiger Rag" played with
a classical form and posture and no thumbpick. I was quite impressed!
Rande
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby rhirvine » Sun Feb 27, 2011 5:18 pm

I never got to meet Chet but it's funny, I have a recurring dream where for some reason he takes an interest in me and comes to my house and shows me guitar things. I love those dreams.
Rich Irvine
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby cgprnd » Sun Feb 27, 2011 8:11 pm

Rich, I wouldn’t have ruled out that possibility. Chet was pretty humble and down to Earth. He took a personal interest in a lot of people and they didn’t have to be celebrities. I’m sure there are many who have stories of how Chet was kind to them or took a personal interest. On one of my visits to his office with Tommy Jones he asked me for advice on purchasing a computer for the office. I made a few specific suggestions about what to look for and I will always cherish a letter I received from him acknowledging that visit and letting me know what he had settled on and purchased.
Rande Dager
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby rhirvine » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:32 pm

Hi Rande,

If what you described had happened to me it would have been one of my best days in this life!

Rich
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Re: BEST DAY EVER

Postby RandeDager » Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:23 pm

Rich, I feel pretty blessed to be able to say that what I described was one of many of "the best day of my life". To be able to stay with Tommy Jones for a week at his home in Nashville while he was working at Boots Randolph's club and visiting Chet's office every day that week, or to meet John Knowles for the first time in Chet's office and watch him play "I'm in the Mood for Love", to spend time back stage with Boots and Tommy at Boots' club every evening, to go 4-wheeling with Tommy and then watch the movie "Blue Thunder" with him at his local theater, to meet Henry Strzlecki (Chet's bass player years ago) and learn how he produced Tommy's first LP, to meet and talk with Paul Yandell in Florida right after he first started with Chet and listen to his most gracious answers to my questions, to take the wife of Mickey Rooney to one of Chet's concerts in Pasadena, CA and spend time with him afterward, and to meet Chet backstage in Atlanta in 1969 and have him tell me "I don't read enough music to hurt my playing". I've had a lot of very inspiring encounters.

Probably my most exciting experience "on my own turf" was to be able to drive from my former home at a boarding school in central Michigan to Grand Rapids where Tommy had gotten me free tickets to see him perform in a concert with Boots Randolph and I got to go backstage afterward and take him back to my home for the weekend. He slept in my daughter's bed and he put on a fabulous show for the kids who, prior to that, thought that I was the best guitarist they had ever met......lol. After that, those who had seen Tommy always referred to me as "second best".
Rande
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