Country guitar great Chet Atkins' longtime sidekick Paul Yandell has died, aged 76.
The revered Nashville, Tennessee studio musician had been battling a lengthy illness.
He spent 25 years as Atkins' sideman and recorded and toured with the Louvin Brothers and Kitty Wells.
He also recorded with Dolly Parton, George Strait, the Everly Brothers,Perry Como and Les Paul.
Another longtime collaborator, Steve Wariner, bestowed the final Certified Guitar Player honour on Yandell during a ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville earlier this year (Aug11).
Wariner, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles are the only other musicians to receive the accolade.
