Chet Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel "Ode To Mel Bay"

[jesterd14]

I played this for my guitar teacher who starts out students on Mel Bay's Guitar Method 1 and he listened and the part where they play Red River Valley with all the missed notes had him cracking up. I've got a friend who is a an engineer and has his own studio and has been playing for over 35+ years, and I played this for him, and he went and got his book out from when he first began playing in 1976, still had the price sticker on it... $1.25. His brother learned to play just from that book.

[daffydoug]

@jesterd14 Yup! I too have a lot of fond memories from those old Mel bay books way back a few decades in my life!

We all got to start somewhere, and good ol' Mel helped a bunch of us!

[Hikikomori013]

Despite the joshing, it's true that Mel Bay put a lot of guitars in people's hands with his books. His Chord System and Modern Guitar Method are still highly regarded after more than 70 years.

Although the Chet Atkins books are not for the faint of heart or slow of finger.

[MichaelHansenFUN]

i got the feeling at "Mel Bay" was a joke amongs others. my guitar teacher laughed and I read somewhere that one guitar player threw the book away...

[daffydoug]

@MichaelHansenFUN It's weird. Mel put out a bunch of books on Chet's style through the years...and in later years, several detailed books with meticulous transcriptions by John Knowles of Chet's advanced arrangements.

The beginners books may be a joke, but Mel put out some advanced, very serious stuff.

[MadnessOfMarmots]

I love how at 2:30 Tommy screams, fighting back laughter. This must have been the most fun to play.

[drjeff1111]

That was Johnny Gimble on the fiddle. How he pulled that off I will never know. Clark Hagen did the bad guitar. And yes, Clark was so bad they started calling him "Hack Hagen". The part about the outhouse was written by Shel Silverstein. Great parody song that shows even the greatest musicians remember their roots.

[cgb777]

I about died laughing on the first guitar solo

[swift10falcon]

My brother wrote this song. Mark Denny. Howie and The Hillcats. He wrote it years before and and let Mr Atkins modify it a little to get his name on it. But its all good. Soup Granda came in on it after as well before Chet.

[Sunambra]

I don't take this seriously but to those that do it's like a great writer laughing at the alphabet or english lessons.

[PhilipPoland1987]

And the vilolin solo, great, what a taste!!

[PhilipPoland1987]

Great solo at 0.45

[Joeey]

Oh now, this is too cool.

[GNSstudios]

This is funny!

[subjulio]

I love this song!!

[RandomerThanAverage]

I still have my first Mel Bay book around here someplace. That was great. That these greats can poke fun at themselves and the whole process of learning just gives me more respect for them.

[MrLongtimegone]

I don't give a shit there is only one Chet

[muhreenuh]

LLL OOOO LLLL

[pngaia]

Ode to Chet and Tom. Mel bay.. helped . me and other players well, Tommy is best ever, showman and an extraordinaire,

[pngaia]

It's A PISS TAKE, played by the best. Funny session, I reckon

[jazzpsalti]

I think this tune should be called ode to chet... he wrote half the mel bay books LOL (no I know he didn't but you get the idea)

[dexterb4]

whoa. Thanks Gunfighter1b. I'm a bit embarrassed that I didn't realize that. Maybe I should check Mel Bay out myself. I like to pick a little too.

.

[dexterb4]

Hmm... I hate to say this but these two greats are simply making fun of the Mel Bay music instruction system. I don't know... I've never tried any of the Mel Bay books but I have to say that it makes me a little uncomfortable for my two favorite pickers, two of the best guitar players of all time, to be making fun of anybody or anything...

Hmm... whatever. I love Chet and Tommy. I grew up with Chet and nothing could make me not like him.

[Gunfighter1b]

They're not making fun of Mel Bay, they are thanking him for writing the books and making them so good. Listen to Red River Valley! And the fiddle. LOL, this song is great, and the books are a good way to learn.

If you've used Mel Bay #1 you can play Sparkling Stella,

[bluesexplosionrob]

The little solos inbetween made me cry with laughter.

[birdee801]

Chet was good too?? Haha Who do u think tommy emmanuel was inspired by when he was coming up? Chet Atkins and Merle Travis im guessing. The legends.

[daffydoug]

Chet came first, Tommy followed after being inspired by Chet after Chet showed him his typical kindness. There's more to the story.

[crunkykong]

@birdee801 Yup! Chet was incredible.

[Batman001]

The greatest thing ever.

5/5

[mekore]

reminds me how fun it is to learn to play guitar,....

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Where would we be today, with out Mel Bay?

[BlueMoonGuitar]

Mel Bay books are AWESOME!

The guy was amazing. The FIRST to light the way and actually write instruction materials for the guitar that MADE SENSE!

I really liked this song too LOL!!! Thanks!

Keep Rockin'!

[katanamanatee]

Ha ha, I love the comedy beginner trying too hard solos.

Great tune, I am not usually into the country sound but this is fun. Tommy is a fantastic player and this is a cool duet. Chet was a good player too.

[daffydoug]

Yeah! It's funny because here we have two masters of the guitar talking about learning beginner chords from a freakin' Mel Bay book! What could be funnier?

[nowomennoblabla]

NO they didnt learn anything from mal bay the way u think its ,they just made a song for him cuz he has pelped alot guitar players .a way of dedication.

[WildBillGrover]

Chet was a "good player too?" Holy crap, he was one of the best!!!!!!!!!!

[daffydoug]

He was THE best. Period!

[vittukuvituttaa]

Actually he IS Mr. Guitar!

@daffydoug

[daffydoug]

@vittukuvituttaa I know. That's why I've uploaded more than 400 of the master's tunes!

[hagtar12]

lol, im using the mel bay now. Pretty cool

[throbgod13]

Mel Bay...