Two More CGPs?

[dgallent]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uk7MF0sJlA

Looks like Chet made Marcel Dadi and Muriel Anderson CGPs as well. Seems like I saw a video when he made a blond one as well...

[Norm]

At one CAAS someone made a bunch of CGP pins. Muriel probably got one and there was a video of Chet giving one off his sweater to Liona Boyd and telling her she could call herself a CGP. I have no idea what transpired w.Dadi.

As Paul used to say, this has been 'beat to death'

__________________

The CGP Award
It was my idea to start the CGP awards. The year Jerry Reed got it was about two months before the CAAS gathering. I suggested to Chet that they give Jerry an award and call it the CGP award,
Chet had given me an obelisk of marble or jade he’d had sitting around in his of-fice. We took that to Mark Pritcher and he had it engraved. Chet gave it to Jerry at the CAAS.
A few years later I think Mark Pritcher got the idea to give one to John Knowles and he talked it over with Chet and they gave it to him. After Chet did that CD with Tommy Emmanuel and we all saw what a great player he was I suggested to Chet that they give one to Tommy which they did.
People ask me about it but nobody suggested about giving one to me. I always thought that, because it was my idea, that it would be in bad taste and self-serving for me to get one. I don't care for awards. I got the best award of all I got to work for Chet for 24 years.
Chet gave out only four CGP's, Jerry Reed, Steve Wariner, John Knowles and Tommy Emmanuel, there are two or three people who claim Chet gave them one but that's bogus there were and are only four.

Addendum: It would appear that Leona Boyd got the privlege also based on a TV clip:
Chet: “I just had a new album out called Chet Atkins, CGP.”
Liona: (pointing to a button he is wearing) “I saw that on your braces”.(suspenders)
Chet:” That's my CGP. I always wanted a PhD. I never could get it 'cause I dropped out, so I gave myself... “
Liona: (inaudible...something about honorary doctorates)
Chet:” I gave myself an honorary doctorate. It's a Certified Guitar Player. I guess it's more like a CPA. But I figured as long as I've been playin', and tryin' to get it right, that I should be certified by now. So I gave myself a degree.
I'll give you one if you'd like it. I'll give you this pin. (He removes pin and hands it to her.)And you can pin it on your sweater there. “
Liona: “Thank you.” (Rest is inaudible).
Chet “And...you can sign your name. When you sign autographs you can sign Liona Boyd, CGP. “
Liona: (pointing to the letters on the button) “Chet, the Great Player.”
Ed note{ Paul really didn’t care to address this because, as he put it, “we have talked this subject to death folks.” However, with the four men mentioned the award was a full presentation complete with written testimonial and ‘trophy’ object.

Re: the pin Paul said this: “Mark Pritchard one year before the CAAS made up a bunch of CGP pins… I use to have a handful… and he gave them out when people checked in. Chet carried some around in his pocket. I guess you could say everybody who got a pin is one.”

Sometimes people talk about ‘carrying on the CGP awards’ but Chet's wife Leona told me she didn't want anymore CGP awards given out because that whole CGP concept was something that Chet had done and it was his award to give and no one else’s. He gave four CGP’s to four of his friends. Had he lived I'm sure there would have been more.

___________

Even on the Crook and Chase interview he said CGP "required" a letter from him.

The bottom line is only four got the Full Presentation... the public acknowlegement, the document and object du jour. Chet's Daughter Merle gave Paul the last official CGP award and closed the concept down.

Lorrie Crook was certainly a feminine female wasn't she....?

[Ray Bohlken]

I have one of the CGP pins. I can't remember if I got it at one of the C.A.A.S. conventions or I bought it through Chet's office from a mention in the Mister Guitar Magazine. I'm pretty sure that doesn't make me a CGP...actually I'm positive it doesn't. Muriel is a great guitarist and I could see Chet at some point making her a CGP based on her playing and her teaching. She is in that league. My opinion doesn't matter, though.
Ray

[Norm]

Thing is, Merle Atkins Russell, Chet's daughter indicated the CGP was closed after Paul was inducted by her 'under orders from on high'. I think she acknowleged four prior awards and Paul's would make five.

Thus spake the Chet Atkins Estate...a legal entity having the Final Say on All Things Chet.

The rest of it is grumpy old guitar player nattering instead of practicing...

[dgallent]

It would seem to me that prior to his death, Chet Atkins had the final say on this matter and he is pretty damn clear.

This trumps any subsequent decision by Merle Russell. So I guess it is now Murial Anderson CGP...very cool!

I know what Paul would say but after saying he was not interested was thrilled t be so honored by Merle which was fine and deserved.

Just think the same distinction should go to Murial and Marcel Dadi and the other lady...Ms. Boyd....

[Norm]

Addendum:
Paul always said people would try to rewrite history after he was gone when he would not be around to defend the record. He said “If the CGP pin (or some other item) was not given to them in a ceremony setting in front of a crowd of people, then they were not made a designated CGP.
Jerry Reed was the first person to receive the CGP designation from Chet and I had a jade green obelisk that Paul took to Chet to use. Chet gave it to Mark Pritcher to have engraved for Jerry.”
___ Marie Yandell

Norm Note: After years of seeing this topic endlessly bantered about on various chat boards I’ve drawn a few conclusions.
1. Chet used to say “anyone who plays guitar is a friend of mine.” He even signed some of his photos that way. I think he would have considered all guitarists to be "CGP". That's the way Chet was.
2. The whole “CGP” concept was, to him, a little on the tongue in cheek side. It’s a made up title that he could bestow with some ceremony on friends of his. I doubt he had any idea it would be so scrutinized after he passed on. No one (as far as we know) asked Chet the difference between the fully ceremonial trophy.certificate presentation or the quick use of a souvineer pin and which one would have had more 'value'. But what do you seriously think?

3. I think, given the opportunity, he would have happily passed out one of those pins to people and bestowed ‘CGP’ on them but as Marie, Paul and Merle indicated the Ceremony and trophy style object plus the written certificate/decree is what makes the true CGP Award.

Anyone is free to think “person X” should be or is a CGP but the fact remains there were only five CGP Awards given in Public Ceremony.

I think the horse is about beat to death now, don’t you think?

[Ray Bohlken]

[i]I think the horse is about beat to death now, don’t you think?

I agree.

Ray