When I First Heard Chet

Ray Cummins - Florence, KY 

I used to play trumpet. Started in the fifth grade. I wanted to play trumpet like Al Hirt.  Al sure was the greatest. We would be playing basketball in the backyard and after a while playing, I would stop and say I have to go in and practice my trumpet. I always played in the basement for that reverb sound. Anyhow, one of my favorite Al tunes was on a 45 called Walkin'.  I noticed it was produced by Chet Atkins and written by Jerry Reed. At that time I did not know who they were. (That was the same tune Chet did called Winter Walkin.)

A few years after that I got sick, had to lay around all summer. My Dad asked me if I would like to have a guitar, so he brought home a Harmony F-hole with a Chet album " The Pops Goes Country" with Arthur Fiedler. Wow, I could not believe he was playing Alabama Jubilee and doing that thumb all by himself. It was the greatest sound I had ever heard. When we listen to that record now it kind of makes us sad. But I would go to bed dreaming every night that I could play Alabama Jubilee with the symphony.  I have that same exact arrangement for full symphony. The first time I played it with an orchestra it took me back to that day when my dad brought Chet into my life.  Dreams do come true. 

Thanks to my Dad and thank you MR GUITAR, CHET ATKINS.