Hey there! My name is Thomas Pickels and I'm President of the
Panama City Thumbpickers Club
I am delighted to be able to share with you what is happening here in Panama City Florida.
It all started with a passion. I'll never forget the first time I went to the
Chet Atkins website .
I happen to stubble across the Clubs and Organizations page.
I became friends with Palmer Moore, and Mike Denmark at that time. Which was
a few years back. I was pickin by myself and occasionally going to gospel pickings located in
Bonifay Florida. When I spoke with these two guys they inspired me to start a club. Of course
living in Malone, Florida there were none that I knew of to be found. It was a little bitty country
town. So with not being able to really accomplish a club there that didn't stop me. As years passed
by, I had a chance to move to Panama City, Florida. After moving here I got settled in and made
even more friends. Like the owners of Lietz Music in Panama City, Florida. I remember one day
it dawned on me that I was'nt in Kansas any more lol. I was sitting in a room playing on a Gibson
335, and a Nashville Gretsch .When some people in the store would come up and say we really
appreciate what your playing. Comments like, we mostly hear rock and other types of music and
we wish we could hear more of the Chet Atkins music. Thats what pulled the trigger and fired me
to go start again. Same things apply with learning Chet tunes. You mess up, you try again. So I
made phone calls got contacts and I listend to different suggestions. After establishing resources
I made phone call after phone call. I enjoyed every minute of it to! It was tuff but it was well
worth it! We just had our first meeting Jan 2, 2009. Here are a few pictures.
Mike Denmark good friend of mine
Wayne and Charlie Bass keep on pickin! Wayne learning a lick from Ted
To see more pictures and stories on the meeting, go to the meetings and members page.
Also I couldn't end this page without the introduction of a great friend. A brother to me really, Vice President Chris Galloway! That gospel jam I was telling you about in Bonifay, well thats were I met a Chet fan named Chris. We've been friends for a while now and we tried to put this thing
together!