A NOTE FROM RICHARD

It has been a while since I have put up a note on the website. Hopefully this year will find me returning more to playing and singing. And hopefully my travels will lead me to a place near you, so that we will have the opportunity to meet. Up to this point in my musical career, I have been primarily a solo artist. There is a strong possibility that I may be doing some dates with a duet partner. We'll just have to see it if works out. More about that later.

Currently I am assisting my son with our family business that I founded almost 30 years ago. He assumed complete control a couple of years ago and has graciously allowed his Mother and I to continue functioning in the business. Operating a small business is becoming more of a challenge since the economy has slowed considerably and the uncertainty of what will happen in the future has made everyone apprehensive about making investments and even very cautious about spending money for necessities. But hard work and determination has always won out, and it will continue to do so.

This last November the music world lost one of its best finger style guitarists. Paul Yandell, CGP, departed this life and left behind a true legacy and a legion of fans and friends, not to count his wonderful wife, Marie, and their son and daughter in law. Paul Yandell is one of the dearest friends I have ever had and the hurt of losing him is still very present. He was a wealth of knowledge and expertise and so generous in sharing his many years of experience. I miss the phone calls and visits. We would talk about projects we were working on and many times Paul would share something about playing guitar, or maybe a recording technique, or how to get a better tone, and on and on. He had so much to give and it seemed that the extent of his knowledge and his willingness to share that knowledge was endless. With Paul Yandell as your friend, you knew you had a true and loyal friend. He had the unique ability of expressing himself very plainly in very few words. I didn't realize what a great privilege I had in having access to one of the best guitarists that ever lived. Many times he would share with me about an important project he would be working on. He knew that he could share anything with me in confidence, but what a privilege I had in knowing about new products far in advance of their actual happening. He was a huge fan of Gretsch Guitars and was involved in the development of new products and the improvement of existing products with Gretsch. Most especially, there are two Gretsch Guitars that probably never would have come to exist had it not been for the knowledge and expertise of Paul Yandell. The reissue of Chet's favorite guitar, his '59 Country Gentleman, was Paul's first important project. Then shortly thereafter another important guitar in Chet's career, the solid top stereo 6120 was reissued and designated the G6120CGP. I am privileged that I have owned both of these guitars and knew about their release far in advance of their actual production. I miss him terribly and his memory will always be with me. I thank God that I was honored to know this extraordinary individual. May God bless my dear friend and may he rest easy.

Richard