the CGP, he gave it to himself first, he would Tommy. Mine is not as elaborate, Chet had when you were playing bass on a session
say tongue in cheek, “I never got a degree or gotten pretty sick, his health was starting to fail. that he was a part of, and that Johnny Cash
went to Vanderbilt, being a poor kid from East There would have been a lot more CGP’s I can was producing. Ironic because long before
Tennessee, I just wanted to give myself an tell you that. I can tell you 20 people that would he was known as a Tele guitar playing artist
honor.” He did an album Chet Atkins CGP, and be in line coming up. Chet just loved it, tongue and songwriter, Waylon played bass in Buddy
gave himself that title, “Certified Guitar Picker” in cheek fun, a way to honor his pals. But Chet Holly’s touring band, right up until “the day the
(or player). That’s where it started. There is a big was a really funny guy. I always wanted to be music died”. When did you find yourself playing
Chet convention out here in Nashville, it’s called like him in more ways than one. Not only guitar more guitar than bass? Did you notice a “pull”
the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society. A lot of wise, of course you wanted to be like him, but within you, gravitating towards the guitar?
people come from all over the world. he was always on fire to learn something. He
At that convention one year, Paul Yandell said
was always reading, self-taught. He was a [Steve] Whenever I played in bands, the
super guy and friend. minute I had a break, in my Dad’s band for
to Chet, “You should pass that moniker on and
give it to Jerry Reid and make him a CGP”. I
example I played drums, we’d play four or
[WM] It’s ironic that you met Waylon Jennings
five sets a night. There was a partition there
was at Jerry’s house and saw it on his wall, it’s between the bar and the restaurant, I was a
hilarious, very Mark Twain, it says “Where to for kid and couldn’t cross that line. So the minute
as on this day in the year of our Lord…” Chet we took a break I’d sit and play guitar for our
loved Mark Twain. It was very well written. You 15-minute break. Play guitar, play guitar. Same
could tell he put a lot of work in it. Mine is ok, way with Dottie, the minute we’d get off tour I’d
by the time it came around to me, I was next to never touch the bass. The next time I’d touch
the last. Tommy Emmanuel was after me. There it would be on the show. It was all guitar, all the
are three CGP’s living: me, John Knowles, and
time. I never really messed with bass except for
Certified Guitar Picker
26
December 2019
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