Playing with Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins appeared in the Wheeling Area a few times over the years, twice at Oglebay Park and twice at Jamboree USA. The last time Chet performed at Jamboree USA, I got to perform a song with him. We met in the hallway downstairs in the dressing room area and briefly rehearsed “Up the Lazy River”. Chet said he would play it through as a ballad then the band would take it double time and I would solo. I usually play electric guitar with a flat pick and use a thumb pick for finger style. That night at the last minute, and I don’t know why, I decided to go with just my thumb and no pick. Chet asked me if that’s how I usually play and I think I said “sometimes”.
I was playing a Chet Atkins Gibson Electric Classical through the monitors. When I came in to play my solo it was loud in the monitor and I saw Chet flinch, so I immediately turned the guitar down a bit. After I played my first chorus, Chet said, “Play another one!”. I think I played 3 or 4 choruses before he played his chorus. I’m standing there and the moment is just electric, almost surreal. I look over and he’s smiling. I look at his guitar and it says “Chet Atkins” on the truss rod cover and I’m thinking, this is really happening. From the moment we met downstairs and rehearsed and ended up on stage he just made me feel relaxed and special. We finished the tune and he said as I was leaving the stage, “Roger Hoard, is that H-o-u-r-d? He’s a great player, plays with a lot of taste, we should try to keep him out of Nashville”. I then sat on the floor of the stage, in front of the backstage production desk and watched the rest of his set in total awe. After hearing him since I was 14 years old and trying to play his tunes, I was and still am amazed at the depth of his playing. His version of “Vincent” that night still echoes in my ears. Afterwards, he stayed for pictures with me and the band was just so cool to be around. Finally, George, his road manager, said’ “Chet, we have to go”. Everyone that knew Chet always said he was just the nicest, most humble guy to be around and from my experience it is certainly true.
A couple of years later, a friend of mine, Chris Pappas was in Nashville doing a project with Larry White and used Chet on a Session. According to Chris, he and Chet were talking and in the course of the conversation, Chris mentioned he was from Wheeling, West Virginia. Chet said, “Do you know a guitar player from Wheeling named Roger Hourd?” He mentioned something about me improvising that he remembered. “H-O-U-R-D” That cracks me up even to this day, he got the name wrong but remembered me. I’m still honored about that and I’ll always remember that evening. One of the high points of my playing career.