CHIP YOUNG, guitarist on 1971 Summer Side of Life album has died:
http://www.tennessean.com/story/ente...dies/20763781/
Nashville guitarist and producer Chip Young — whose famed thumb-picking style fueled Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” among many other classic recordings — died Saturday at age 76.
In a career spanning 50 years, Mr. Young backed up the likes of Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kris Kristofferson and Porter Wagoner. As a producer, he helped shape Billy Swan’s 1974 crossover smash “I Can Help” and other recordings at his own studio, Young ‘Un Sound.
Whether he was playing or producing, Mr. Young was a jovial presence in the recording studio. Steve Wariner remembered Mr. Young greeting him warmly when he played on one of his early recordings.
“He played all kinds of styles,” he said. “On my records he usually played acoustic guitar, but he could play electric; he played great thumb-style, and was very versatile. He always brought an old Martin (guitar), and played beautiful acoustic guitar on my stuff, my early records. He was always a pleasure to be with in the studio. It always made me smile when I saw he was going to be in my session. I (said), 'Oh, we're going to have fun.'"
Born Jerry Marvin Stembridge in 1938 outside of Atlanta, Mr. Young changed his name at the start of his recording career — taking a page from his friend, country star Jerry Reed. It was Reed who urged Mr. Young to come to Nashville in 1964, and gave him his first gig as a touring guitarist.
One year later, Mr. Young followed Reed into studio work. His first Music Row recording session was for Bobby Vinton’s “What Color (Is a Man),” kicking off a five-decade run as one of the most sought-after thumb-picking guitarists around. Over the years, that included sessions with Reba McEntire, Roger Miller, George Strait, Skeeter Davis, Vern Gosdin, Gordon Lightfoot, Charlie Rich, Leon Russell and Faron Young.
"Some of the time you didn't know who the artist was until you got there," Young said in 2010 during an appearance at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "But it was a lot of fun."
His impeccable picking set the tone for “Jolene,” which went on to become one of Parton’s biggest hits and country music’s most enduring songs. But according to Wariner, that’s not the sort of thing you’d hear Mr. Young talk about.
"It always amazes me, those guys like him who have all of the right to boast as much as they would want to," Wariner said. "Chip, he's the guy that could, but never would. You'd never hear him boast about, 'Oh, I played on those hits.' You could be naming those records, standing right beside him, and he wouldn't even say he played on them."
In 2000, Mr. Young released an album of his own, “Having Thumb Fun With My Friends,” teaming up with peerless pals such as Reed, Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore and Jimmy Capps.
Mr. Young is survived by his wife of 23 years, Diane Parker-Stembridge; daughter, Megan Lee Bare; grandchildren, Bella Jean Bare and Beckham Woods Bare; sister, Sarah Zink; brothers, Bill (Mary) Stembridge, Roger (Betty) Stembridge, John (Millie) Stembridge, Joe (Brenda) Stembridge; and many nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Trevecca Community Church of the Nazarene, with interment to follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park.
CHIP YOUNG-guitarist on SSOL has died
