Administrator reflects on Atkins’ influence on his own music style

Richard Hood works as the executive assistant to the president of ULM. But when he’s not behind the desk, he’s probably playing the guitar. Or, he’s giving presentations about Chet Atkins.

In past years, Hood has given many presentations at the Chet Atkins Convention, which occurs every July in Nashville, Tenn.

But this year, Hood was also asked to give his presentation at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville on March 2 and 3. His presentation, “The Life and Music of Chet Atkins,” was part of a special emphasis and exhibit about Atkins’ life and career.

Hood’s admiration for Chet Atkins began when he was sitting at home one Sunday night in the late 1960s. Hood was watching “The Ed Sullivan Show” with his father on the family TV. The musical guest was announced: Chet Atkins. The curtains opened, and there sat Chet, alone on the stage with a guitar in his hands.

Stunned by the music coming from the guitar, Hood’s dad looked over and said, “Boy, if you could play the guitar like that, I’d buy you one tomorrow.”

Hood took his dad’s challenge. He received his first guitar, a Sears Harmony acoustic guitar, for Christmas that same year and learned how to play the unique fingerpicking style Chet Atkins is known for.

When Hood’s mother used to take him to Stensen’s Music Box in Ruston, he’d walk straight to the record section to look for the new Chet Atkins album. Then, he’d go home and try to imitate the music.

Hood has never had any formal lessons and said he learned a lot from listening to those records through the years. “Even though he wasn’t sitting there next to me, my instructor was Chet because those records would teach me so much,” Hood said.

Hood said fingerpicking was not an easy style to learn. “It’s kind of like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time,” Hood said. “You have to play the bass as if it were the metronome and also think about the rhythm and melody as you’re playing.”

Not only does he talk about Chet’s life, but he also performs Chet’s music. Over the years, he’s performed covers of Chet Atkins’ tunes hundreds of times at churches and civic group events around northern Louisiana.

Hood said he performs because he feels like he has a calling. “It’s such a beautiful way and style to play the guitar, and I feel called to try and keep that type of guitar playing alive,” Hood said.

His wife Donna Hood loves to hear him play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” “I just get to hear a talented musician enjoying his music,” his wife said.

So does Hood think he’s as good as Chet? “Heavens no,” Hood said. “It’s like asking if I can throw a football like Peyton Manning or hit a baseball like Babe Ruth.”

“We’re not even on the same planet,” Hood said.

Still, Hood definitely has fans on campus. Paul Karlowitz, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “I love to listen to good guitar players. As good as he is, he could make a washtub with a stick and a rubber band sound good.”

Hood continues to give his presentation every year at the Chet Atkins Convention because he wants the music of Chet Atkins to live on.

“Those people have a great deal of respect for Chet both musically and as a person. So I feel that whatever applause I receive or recognition from the people isn’t because of me, but because they enjoy that emphasis on Chet,” Hood said.