Eddie, Rosebud, and Alonzo performing

Eddie with Harry Lachance

Is Eddie re-enacting "The Preacher and the Bear?" Who knows?

Eddie strummin' along with Tom T. Hall

Eddie and Norman meet Little Jimmy Dickens

Eddie's friend Billy Grammer

Eddie and Buck White

Eddie, Buck White, and Claude Travis

Eddie and Tommy Emmanuel at the CAAS (photos courtesy of Bruce Hobley)

Tommy Emmanuel is a great picker.

Here's Eddie with Mr. and Mrs. Billy Grammer and Pat Travis Etherly

Eddie and Guy Van Duser (photos courtesy of Paulette Dubois)

Are they twins?

Steve Rector, Jean Ritchie, and Eddie

Eddie's version of Cannonball Rag opens every episode of KET's Kentucky Afield for this guy, Tim Farmer.

Tommy Owens and Maurice Jones

Tommy Owens delights the crowd with some thumbstyle tunes.

Maurice Jones picks "I'll See You in my Dreams" on his Samick.

Freddie Russell shows off a Gibson Super 400.

Freddie Russell and Steve King

Freddie Russell playing rhythm behind Owens and Jones.

Steve King is a familiar face at any pickin' party.

I have to start here, because this was the best decision I ever made.

My kids, Rosebud and Alonzo, started performing early.

Here's Alonzo, at Mountain View in 1987. He was already practicing to win the contest!

As you can see, he was concentrating real hard.

Here he is again in 1990.

Alonzo and I still enjoy picking together.

Today he gives me a run for my money.

Alonzo has grown into a great picker in his own right, and I'm very proud of him.

These guys gave me my first break. I played fiddle in their squaredance band. I have fond memories of playing with them.

Gayle Moseley, Joe Nunn, Gene Francis, Frank Hudson

In 2003, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Western Kentucky University during their commencement exercises. This was taken at the campus.

My daughter Rosie loves to sing, and she does it so well, it makes me proud.

I'm glad my kids don't mind being on stage with an old man like myself.

Here we are with Erika Brady, professor of folklife studies at WKU.

Dr. Brady, me, my wife Penny, and Rosebud

This was a golden moment, getting to hold Merle's Super 400.

This is Odell Martin's mother. This picture was taken in the late 90s.

My friend Tim Wiles. He was my apprentice for a while. We're smiling because we love pickin' those Travis tunes.

You can't go to Mountain View, Arkansas, without going to the nighttime picking on the town square. This was in 1986.

This was taken after I won the National Thumb Picking Championship in Mt. View, Arkansas in 1986.