 Sales of his "Modern Guitar Method" series are estimated to be more than 20 million copies.Bay established the structure for modern guitar education and helped increase the popularity of guitar.The comedy song "Ode to Mel Bay" (written and first recorded by Michael "Supe" Granda of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and featured on the album The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World by Tommy Emmanuel and Chet Atkins), pokes fun lovingly at Mel Bay's books.