What Makes This Musician Great?–Maybelle Carter

He published his findings with the observation that there were more authentic British folk songs to be found in Appalachia than in Britain.

Here’s something to blow your mind – Maybelle hired a very young Chet Atkins to be her electric lead guitarist in the new group, and Chet ALWAYS took a back seat to Maybelle’s playing.  Trust me, that’s unheard of.

When I was a kid, we had a bully in school who delighted in picking on the girls, for some reason.  No matter what they accomplished, this moron always chimed in with something like, “Not bad for a girl.”  It was definitely not intended as a compliment.  The obvious implication was that no matter what the females think they’ve achieved, they’re still in the minor leagues of society, and will never measure up to the boys no matter what they do.  Second-class citizens all the way.  That’s why I’m not a big fan of having separate lists, contests, or rankings of achievements based on gender (or anything else, really).  That stupid kid made me realize that girls should never accept being measured up in any kind of lesser way than the boys, or else it justifies his position of, “not bad for a girl.”  And that’s where Maybelle Carter fits in.  Maybelle was not a great “female guitar player.”  Maybelle Carter was a great guitar player, period.  I realize that there aren’t a lot of iconic female guitarists out there to recognize, so it’s important to note the social significance of Maybelle’s accomplishments.  However, I don’t think it is hyperbole to suggest that there would be no guitar bands of the 60’s and 70’s without Maybelle Carter.

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