CASS Attendance

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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Roger Pratt » Sat Feb 22, 2014 12:57 am

Dang Rick.......who peed in yer wheaties this morning? As long as they have a CAAS I will endeavor to attend. There is still a bunch of fabulous guitar pickers that put on a wonderful show every year. Rick Allred, John Knowles, Brooks R., John Standefer, Barrigar & Mazengarb, Roger Hardin, Bobby Gibson, Eddie P., Ray Cummins, Robert Anderson, John McClellan, Guy Van Deuser, Richard Smith just to name a few. This is still the greatest guitar picking show on earth. There is such a great bunch of pickers that never make the stages to try and listen to them all is near impossible. I will be there (Good Lord willing!!)
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby PhilHunt » Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:16 am

CAAS is a great venue for anyone who loves Chet. The people who make it happen and are behind the scene do a lot of work to make it happen. I love to go to just see familiar faces, chat, and pick a few tunes. I do have to agree that there is a little overkill with certain things. Some years ago folks were complaining that there was too much Gypsy jazz stuff, that got nixed pretty quick. One particular artist I really enjoyed was the sax guy who could play two saxs at the same time, I believed he was asked not to come back which is a shame. And let's not forget Brent Mason practically getting booed off the stage which was unbelievable!
Everybody has their favorite pickers. Most are very down to earth people but you do have some who develope what Eddie and I call "Nashville Head". And I always want to make this statement and I've made it before: away from CAAS most of the performers are practically unknown. I go for the purpose of having a good time not for any sort of fame. I got to do a workshop with John Knowles once as did Eddie and that was so much fun. It's fun to entertain people with new fresh tunes and not having to play it breakneck speed. You can only play Jerry's Breakdown so fast folks and you can only hear I'll See you In My Dreams or Windy & Warm so many times also. On a personal note the ones I like to see perform are: Craig Dobbins, Rick Allred, John Knowles and Scotty Anderson (whenever he comes). Don't get me wrong most of the performers are great. One particular thing that urks me is there always seems to be the same people hogging up the Gretsch booth and playing for hours. And you would think Broadway Sound would bring tons of Gretsch models to CAAS, last time I went they didn't have one country gent at all!
I'll end it with this:........it ain't the same without Chet and Paul there. It was such a thrill to see the Saturday night concert years ago when Chet was the soul performer.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby srgntschultz » Sat Feb 22, 2014 11:50 am

In the first years I went to the caas convention it was all about Chet and his music and his unbelievable talent. No one in my opinion no matter who you name is like Chet or even close to as talented. The last few years all I see is look what I can play and guys selling their cd's and overall using the convention to promote themselves and there is way less Chet going on. I was told years ago that as soon as Paul is gone that the convention was downhill after that,and that was from a guy that's been there from the very first one! I believe hes correct. And I can definetly tell how many more people are there when Tommy Emmanuel is there ,which he will be there this year. Every year I have seen him there he has been great and always mentions Chet when he plays,he is the best guitar player there, that's been that close to Chet. So hopefully we can hear more Chet music and stories about Chet and keep the convention going,there is nothing like it anywhere in the world. And hopefully some things change also,it gets a little old seeing the same guys play at the same time and the same room and same Chet songs. Chet has many many many songs and it would be great to hear some others. A few more vendors would be great also,i see that Broadway sound dosent even carry any guitars at all anymore. And I was told that 3 of the ones that have been there the past years aren't going to be there either.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Richard Hudson » Sat Feb 22, 2014 1:39 pm

I go when I can just to see old friends. My first one was 1999, and by that time Chet was very ill and was unable to participate very much, although he did emcee the Saturday night concert and he and Paul played 2 or 3 tunes. I cried the whole time because I knew that would be the last time I would ever see him. Now that Paul is gone, it's really hard to walk through that lobby door the first time and see that he is not there. It seems to me that there is an "in" crowd, and that used to bother me, but I could care less anymore. As I said at the beginning, it is just to see old friends.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby LMark » Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:32 pm

srgntschultz wrote: also,i see that Broadway sound dosent even carry any guitars at all anymore.
I always enjoyed Lynn Clapp's great rhythm playing in the vendor room. My dad loved that kind of rhythm. Lynn was as close to Homer as any. I discovered an album on which Lynn actually plays rhythm, behind Frank Vignola: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lynnclapp. LMark
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Terry Tolley » Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:31 pm

I have not been able to attend a single CAAS session, due to my health, but I do not think it is dying, rather just that it is in the process of change. Everyone and everything dies eventually, but recordings, writings, videos, and memories live on. New players will come along, following Chet's legacy at first, and will then begin blazing new trails as time passes. The new players are not Chet, nor should they be! Even Chet preferred new talent, not mere copies or clones of what he had already done. How can anyone expect to see new players come along and not have them do new things? Jerry Reed started doing what Chet did, and he was told to find his own thing, which he did! Thank goodness for that! Lenny Breau, same story....copied Chet for a bit, and then did his own thing!

I love what Chet did, but even he did not play songs the same way over the years. He was continually looking for new tunes, new ways of doing things, and new folks to do them! In order to honor Chet's legacy, I would expect that new folks, and Tommy Emmanuel is a great example....would do some things in a way that Chet might have done it, but then go on to new things, new plateaus, new innovations on the instrument, and on it will go! A living entity grows, adapts, and grows some more. Living things must either grow, or they will surely die. The Muhlenburg sound, the Nashville sound, and the now the new sounds will keep solo guitar viable for much longer than our lives will last.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby billmoit » Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:31 pm

I'm sitting here watching the Olympics and taking a break from tax season. We started coming in 1992 and have only missed at most 5 conventions since then. I did open stage once for the fun of it but leave my guitar in the room. I know my place but attending has improved my playing. We almost stopped coming a few year ago because there was too much jazz and very little what I call classic Chet with the ole thumb and electric guitar. The new young players all seemed interested in seeing how many notes you could crowd into a measure. We had so much free time with nothing going on that interested us that we would go over by the CSX Radnor yard and watch trains.

Then about 3 years ago the convention seemed to offer more that interested me. We started to get more discussion about Chet. We got some new players that had more of the Chet sound that I liked. No, not his touch but his basic sound. This last convention I only had two time slots that nothing was going on that interested me.

Saturday night continues to disappoint me. The same players playing the same songs that I have heard all week. I think one of the best Saturday nights since Chet was gone was the year they did the Hollywood album. I think doing a Chet album for Saturday would be the best tribute we could do for Chet and his music.

Then I realized all of us older guys are dying off. There aren't a lot of people left that actually knew or worked with Chet. I have been begging for years for a featured spot with Duane Eddy. Not just a couple of songs occasionally on Saturday night. Duane got me started playing and then I found Chet.

Now I am looking forward to this years convention after the past few improved. Saturday night is another matter but it has become a habit that is hard to break. Mark and his staff do the best that they can and I hope the convention continues for many years to come. Its our annual vacation.

Bill Moit CPA
Rensselaer IN
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Roger Pratt » Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:37 am

I agree with Bill about most of what he said especially about all the gypsy jazz but the beauty of CAAS is there is always something else going on that you can see instead of the jazz so the people that enjoy that music can have it. I like most music but sadly jazz is not part of it. I appreciate the talent it requires to master it and the players I have seen at CAAS are some of the very best. I look forward to this year's CAAS and I will continue coming as long as the good Lord gives me breath!
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duplicate

Postby rickr » Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:16 pm

duplicate post,, sorry
Last edited by rickr on Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby rickr » Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:28 pm

rickr wrote:
Roger Pratt wrote:Dang Rick.......who peed in yer wheaties this morning? As long as they have a CAAS I will endeavor to attend. . Rick Allred, John Knowles, Brooks R., John Standefer, Barrigar & Mazengarb, Roger Hardin, Bobby Gibson, Eddie P., Ray Cummins, Robert Anderson, John McClellan, Guy Van Deuser, Richard Smith just to name a few. try listen to I will be there (Good Lord willing!!)


Roger,
Nobody Pissed in my cornflakes,, I really think CAAS best years are behind them,,, I hope i am wrong,, as a matter of fact i will be delighted to be wrong,, Chet liked all styles of music, and would welcome diversity, i believe,
Chet did not practice his previous recordings note for note , but was always growing and expanding his horizons,
Its not the music that is declining,, its CAAS itself.... i would go every year,, now every three or four years is fine,,
I actually like it better when TE does not show up,,, its not Tommyfest, its CAAS (not Tommys fault, but it has been
that way) I would like to see my friend Roger Pratt and others ,, but there is a sadness for me of all who have gone on to glory (i hope)
And remember when the lounge was gathering place for drinks, conversation, jamming, Buster B. holding court??
Well the Music City Sheridan put an end to that (piano player performing)
Sorry for sounding negative,,but thats how i see it,
Chet Atkins gone
Marcel Dadi gone
Buster B. gone
Tuck Raisor gone
Jim Cobble gone

And how about the vendors,, Kirk Sand , Wallace and a few various vendors,, most have left,

I have gone every year since 1996 but stopped in 2009 ,, ill be back , but no longer with bells on,

Rickr
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