KCMatt and BWallace (in care of o'bean) win this round...though Randy and Katha Butts did not mention Ethel, MS. I'd always heard Cairo (in the south that's pranounced Kay-ro, like the syrup) Illinois.
Where's the source for Ethel, MS?
(As always, if I don't already have your address from earlier giveaways, message me with the pertickulers.)
I shudder anytime I see guitars laid on chairs...even for photo ops
disasters waiting to happen
Norm, responsible hands were standing by just inches out of the frame.
According to this interview at Scotty Moore's website ,Ray was born in Ethel, and his family moved to Cairo a few years later. I guess that one would be considered to be from the place that they grew up rather than the place where they were born, so I can understand why you would have heard that he was from Cairo.
So we're up, bright and fresh, for another day of guitar mania.
Well, UP anyway. Last night went late as TV, his wife Liz, and his lovely assistant Lindsey and I went downtown to see the enormously entertaining Hillbilly Casino at Layla's Bluegrass Hillbilly Inn. Think the energy of the Shack Shakers with a bit less convoluted darkness, more classic 50s & 60s covers played with psychobilly grind and conviction, a Gretsch-Hot-Rod-through-Space-Echo-and-Bassman guitar tone crossing twang with drive - AND frequent three-part harmony and great stage presence.
Lots of fun. Dancers are funny to watch, along with the style mix of downtown Nashville, from rockabilly babes to tourists to ... OK, some of the fashion sense (and some of the dancing) I can't describe.
The plywood-sheet floor was also literally heaving up and down. I was hoping the place didn't have a basement.
The Hot Rod was equipped with Powertrons. Tom told me that guitarist Ronnie Crutcher had swapped through four sets of TV Jones models before getting to the sound he was after. But Tom ain't happy till you're happy, and he said once he heard Ronnie, he understood and agreed it had all been worth it.
The guitar sounded great - a real lesson in effective use of Powertrons.
Some posts and file-processing back in the room, and then exhaustion.
Then a FIRE ALARM at 7 in the A of M. Now that kind of thing focuses one's attention. It didn't seem to be a raging emergency, so I took time to gather up things I considered irreplaceable. For the record, that was the Powerbook, memory sticks and data cards, iPhone (technically not irreplaceable, but easy to pick up), Edirol recorder (with audio in it), and the aluminum Strat. I looked regretfully at the 6122-59 and the 6120GA, but remembered that there more of those.
Only one Iconoclaster.
I made it halfway down the hall before hearing that it was a false alarm.
Burnt toast in the kitchen.
Yesterday a string quartet was practicing a Chet tune with a guitarist in the room across the hall.
Last night a choppin' Gypsy jazz jam was occupying one corner of the lobby, while in the piano bar an avant garde jazz guitarist had joined the piano and a bass.
Among the imprompu jams I've heard lots of western swing, and of course every variation of Chetpicking. And, believe it or not, blues (mostly fingerpicked) and even Tele-style chicken-twang and (it happens) rockshred.
I HAVEN'T heard any bluegrass or stone cold country – though it's been a surprise that acoustic guitars really dominate (except, of course, in Gretschland).
The music starts early: they were already playing just after the firedrill.
CAAS is less a single event than countless small events overlapping: a constellation of guitarists combining and recombining in every possible way. There are, of course, players who are well-known within the Chet sphere, and many more who are wanna-bes like most of us.
Some are great musicians, most are technically accomplished, and many are just guys trying to emulate what they like.
One thread that ties it together is that CAAS folks ALL take the pursuit of excellence very seriously. No one is satisfied with his playing. The guys who maybe aren't so good know where they want to be, and are busily trying to get there.
The guys who are better than most of us can imagine being are also pushing toward the next plateau.
I don't think I've met an entirely self-satisfied soul, or anyone who espouses the notion that you just don't have to be that good to make some noise.
I think the quest and the struggle are pretty ennobling, and another way Chet's inspiration – and music in general – improve and enrich lives.
Hey Tim, super job on the reporting! Is all this finger picking rubbing off on you?
fb, I love the fingerpicking, and I do incorporate it as I can. I guess I'm just not committed to making it my only religion.
Also, I still haven't come to terms with thumb/fingerpicks. I keep trying, over and over, with every pick design I can find.
I had a consultation with Fred Kelly yesterday, though, and he fixed me up with his favorite picks and gave me some advice. I'll keep working at it.
Here's Fred (and Mrs. Fred):
Around CAAS...
Ha! I have that Hank Thompson LP, "Songs For Rounders" that is pictured above. I haven't thought of it in decades. I should retrieve it from my folks house.
Speaking of fingerpicking, stay on the look-out for a guitarist named Tony McManus. His tour schedule usually states that he is a CAAS regular. Tony is a Scotsman who now lives in Canada and he tours the US infrequently. He is amazing and must be seen if the opportunity presents itself.
Great reporting, Pro. Thanks!
Jet-Head, in fact I saw Tony McManus tonight as part of the finalé concert. He is indeed amazing.
In fact, the whole concert was amazing, and I'm all but stunned. No one on the planet could have heard a better night of music than we did. Maybe as good (though it's doubtful), but not better.
I have pics from right down front. More importantly, I have audio. I got every note from start to finish, and from about 15 feet away from one of the mains. My guess is that it's going to sound good.
And – I even have some video to put up.
I'm anxious to get it posted, because...well, I can't imagine any guitarist or music lover not simply being enthralled, and I want y'all to be infected by these consummate musicians.
The concert was three hours of Chetrospective: superb musicians rendering songs from various eras in Chet's career, as well as other acoustic and fingerstyle material. Stylistically it encompassed gypsy hot jazz, western swing, classical, jazz, and that indefinable intersection where they all meet.
Technical brilliance there was aplenty – but also sheer musicality, and perhaps the most instrumentally astute audience I've ever been part of. You can expect any attentive audience to respond to a particularly flashy lick. Of course these folks knew when something was difficult to execute, and rewarded that. But technical difficulty is commonplace at CAAS.
This bunch also noticed the musically extraordinary bits: the subtly phrased run, a cleverly sited quote, a series of richly voiced chords, the quirky or unusual melodic passage.
It'll take awhile to get everything processed and posted, but it will be well worth the wait, and I promise it will richly reward your time to listen.
Besides that, I have much other great stuff waiting. Pics and audio of Paul Yandell playing the CGP. The Butts Jet story. Literally hundreds more pictures – and historical perspective and reflections to go along with it.
AND – another 10 event lanyards and five more Pickers Pokes to give away.
This has been an extraordinary experience in a lot of ways, and I want to bring you all along on it. I think it's important, and I think the documentation of this event should be a lasting resource for people to discover here.
But it's all come pretty densely packed, I'm exhausted (though exhilarated), and I have to drive home tomorrow.
It will take a few days (or longer) to get everything up, so bear with me. CAAS may be officially over in Nashville, but it will last longer on the GDP. If you know anyone remotely interested in the "whole Chet thing" – or who thinks they AREN'T – or who likes instrumental music – tell them to tune in.
Well, I have returned… home, that is. I’m sorry that it wasn’t feasible for me to post live from the event, but I tried to stay out on the move and capture some sound and images to free up Proteus to do some other exciting things, such as the guitar auction.
While I'm on that thought, let me say that you guys cannot believe how labor intensive it is for Proteus to continually report from these live events, and to keep the GDP involved in relevant activities. He rests not. Thank you Proteus for going above and beyond. And thanks also to Joe for his efforts and attention.
It is extraordinary to be in the room editing sound files and images when a phone call comes in to Proteus, sounding the alarm that Ray Butts' son has arrived with the guitar. It's a call from Gretsch to the GDP, so he can get the scoop...so history can be documented here, on the GDP. How cool is that? That, my friends, is the way the Gretsch folk respect and treat us, the GDP. Very cool, indeed.
I must admit that I went to Nashville with only a vague presumption of what the CAAS event might be like. I was not all that far off where concept and activities were concerned. But I may as well have been on Mars with regards to scope and scale. This event is staggeringly professional and entirely grown-up. The mood did remind me of the GDP in that I was free to roam anywhere and participate in anything, but I was expected to be respectful and courteous or I would stick out like a sore thumb.
Well, the photos and sound bites will simply have to do the talking for me. I thought the Roundup in Nashville was a challenge to describe. This CAAS event was sort of a fully matured Roundup x 1000. The perpetual performances each day, from several small-room intimate performances and clinics, to large-room big stage performances. And the folks all seemed “at home.”
Then there was the concert performance Saturday night. I have never witnessed anything like it. It’s interesting how witnessing these musicians in action, and hearing the rich, sumptuous music they delivered, really puts things in perspective again. Radio sucks…in a big way. Sorry, I just had to say it. I had a crazy grin on my face the entire time, swinging my butt off with them. I don’t know how many times I saw Proteus just throw up his hands and shake his head. Joe was sitting there shaking his head, too.
How many standing ovations could be called for in one evening? Absolutely every time a song or tune was performed on that stage Saturday night, that's how many. Unbelieveable.
Thanks for the coverage and future post guys! Sounds like it was a life time event.
Proteus...did you get my PM about a Pickers Poke...you know how I like to collect picks. 
Also I'd like to enter a thanks on behalf of the guys at the Chetboard
I posted some links there and I know they appreciated the commentary, pix and audio clips...
Norm, there's MUCH more coming. Lots more pics, and a wealth of historical information. Have the guys keep checking back.
I may edit some of what has already appeared as I research and learn more about everyone I fleetingly met. Please tell them if I've gotten anything wrong to contact me so I can correct it.
I don't know everyone in the Chet world as well as you (and Richard) – you guys will have to straighten me out when necessary.
I understand that... but thanks are due...
Thanks Proteus, great coverage so far! Looking forward to more pics and stories!
Proteus, I share your malady of being thumb-pick challenged. I would be interested if you found any particular thumb pick that was both comfortable and functional. When I was much younger, I used to use a thumb pick and finger picks, but I eventually grew tired of my thumb and fingertips being pinched into oblivion, so I gave them up. I would be interested in knowing if you found any particular thumb pick to your liking.
FWIW, I have found that a Fred Kelley Slik Pick works for me when no other thumb pick I've tried has been comfortable.
I have the Slick Pick, the Bumblebee, and that other one...so far the Bumblebee seems to be working.
Though that's quite relative.
In other news, I've finished prepping 393 more pics, which need to be sequenced and contextualized.
Tomorrow 40 acres of audio to plow through.
It's coming, and hang on for the deluge.
In the meantime, I have CAAS lanyards for the first five guys who respond with the best reasons why they want one.
I would like a lanyard because I would have loved to be at the convention but I live quite far away and could not afford to make the trip. I don't think my employer would have been too kind to me if I didn't show up to work this weekend either.
I would like a lanyard because I have a bunch of keys that need a proper home to be hanging around on that way i don't lose them and for the fact that CAAS is my home away from home :)
I couldn't make it but experienced enough in this thread to realize I really need to work on my fingerpicking; and this would be a good reminder as I take my keys out of my pocket before I play (I can't play with anything big in the pocket on the side the guitar body sits. Just bothers me.)
And my apologies for writing the longest sentence in this thread.
I need the larnyard to declare to the world I'm a Chet disciple, even if it takes me a hundred lifetime to be a certified CGP.
A Chet fan since 5 years old, Jetbunny
I lost all my old lanyards and AAA passes, including one for Le Mans 24hrs when I played for MG.
Shuie's Law of Inverse Logic states that I really ought to have a lanyard from an event I haven't attended, instead of the ones that I have.
I'm in the UK and never awake when the call goes up.
And gosh darn, ain't I the 6th person here...d'oh! (OK, I would've beaten Shuie had I not spent the last 20 minutes watching Jerry Reed videos - oh, maybe that counts too...)
