Chet Atkins and His Guitar Music

Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 14:49:43 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
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Chet Atkins Great Guitarist
Chet Atkins Made Guitar Music, Guitar Instrumentals, more popular than they
had ever been before Chet came on the Scene. When Chet's first recorded
songs hit the music market, you seldom heard a Guitar Instrumental on Radio.
And there were few Guitar Instrumentals in the Record Stores. Jazz Guitar
Recordings and the Multi Track Recordings of Les Paul with Mary Ford were
close to being it for the Guitar Instrumental Recorded Guitar Music Market.
Chet Changed that pretty fast.
Chet's Recording of "Mr., Sandman" was on the Top 40 Charts. It was, and
still is, a real rarity to see Guitar Instrumentals on the Top 40 Charts.
Chet never had many songs to get on the Top 40 Charts, however, his Albums
had great sales from the start. Some Guitar Players bought every Chet Atkins
Album that hit the market. I purchased 40 of Chet's Albums. I learned many
songs from the Chet Atkins Albums.
I became a Chet Atkins Fan when I saw him in person. The impact Chet had on
me was as great as the impact that Elvis made on his Fans. In my mind's eye
I can still see Chet on Stage with a Slap Rhythm Guitar Player and a stand
up Bass accompanying his Music. When I saw Chet the first time, I knew I had
to learn to play Finger Style Guitar.
Chet was always interested in Music Education. An Acuff Rose Chet Atkins
instruction book was published in the 50s. I learned to play Finger Style
Guitar from that 50s instruction book. Chet released some Guitar
Instructional LPs. I purchased one of those and learned to play "Nine Pound
Hammer" Finger Style.
Chet was truly an Amazing Guitar Player and he was an all round Amazing Man.
He became a Record Producer for RCA Records in Nashville, then became a Vice
President of RCA, heading up the Nashville Division. At RCA Chet signed and
developed many Country Music Artists, and he did much recording of the Pop
Artists in the late 50s and 60s.
Chet was always in tune with the music scene. The music of Chet Atkins was
ever changing. Chet Never Became Stale. He was always advancing in music.
Chet stated that he never let a day go by that he did not practice his
Guitar for 8 hours. Chet was truly a Virtuoso of Guitar. He influenced more
Guitar Players than any other musician. Even Earl Klugh said that Chet
Atkins Influenced his Jazz Guitar Playing.
Chet's Music knows no bounds. He played many different Genres. Chet Recorded
four classical Guitar songs around 1960. He used his electric Steel String
Guitar to play Classical Music, and I loved those recordings very much.
However, Chet was criticized heavily for using Electric Steel String Guitar
to play Classical Music. As far as I know, Chet never recorded another piece
of Classical Music using an Electric Steel String Guitar. Chet Atkins was
not one to be tethered to tradition, and that is why he recorded Classical
Music using the Electric Steel String Guitar., I considered the Electric
Steel String Classical Guitar Recordings as his best work in playing
Classical Music. It's to bad that Chet received so much criticism for these
recordings. They were truly great pieces of music by the Master of Guitar.
Chet took up the Classica Guitar, and even took lessons for Classical
Guitar. On one of Chet's Albums he had his Classical Guitar Teacher Playing
with him.
Chet recorded many Albums using Nylon String Guitar. The scope of the songs
Chet Played on Nylon String Guitar was great.
Chet Atkins had the first Solid Body Classical Guitar designed and built,
then persuaded Gibson Guitar to offer Guitar Players the Chet Atkins Solid
Body Nylon String Guitar. Later Gibson built some Thin body fully enclosed
Nylon String Chet Atkins Guitar, with no F holes. On most of Chet's personal
appearances, he was seen playing the finest thin body enclosed Nylon String
Guitar.
The Chet Atkins Gretsch 6120 is now legendary. Duane Eddy played a 6120 on
his many Top 40 Hit Recordings. Duane Eddy said that the 50s Chet Atkins
Gretsch Guitar was the best one he had ever played. Many Rockabilly Artists
played the Chet Atkins Gretsch in the 50s and early 60s. Many modern
Rockabilly Bands pride themselves on featuring the Sound of the Chet Atkins
Gretsch 6120. By the way, a Chet Atkins Gretsch 50s model of the 6120 is
very collectable and sells for much money at this time. The 6120 will
probably become more collectable and worth more money, as time goes by.
When Chet Atkins was about 60 years old he recorded his most popular Album:
Stay Tuned. I have read that the "Stay Tuned" Chet Atkins Album was his 79th
Album, and that the "Stay Tuned Album" sold more copies than his previous 78
Albums put together.
Many of Chet's Fans from the past had a hard time accepting the "Stay Tuned"
Album by Chet, but they still purchased the album. With the release of the
"Stay Tuned" album, the younger Guitar Players discovered Chet Atkins. The
"Stay Tuned" Chet Atkins Album made Chet better known than he had ever been
known in the past. At this time most ever Guitar Player in the world is
familiar with the Music of Chet Atkins.
Though Chet's accomplishments on Guitar are well recognized, his ability as
a producer and Management person is considered to be even greater than his
ability on Guitar. Chet was truly a make it happen person. I heard him say
in an interview on TV that he believed that a person could do anything they
set their mind to, then he added, within reason. Chet's philosophy served
him well for he accomplished so much in the world of music.
Chet became a staff Guitarist on a Radio Station in Tennessee when he was
only 17 years old. Within a short time, Chet had his own radio show. This
was truly amazing since Guitar Players had never had their own radio shows.
Chet was the only Featured Guitar Player that was ever on the Grand Ole
Opry. Chet had a featured spot on the NBC portion of the Grand Ole Opry,
starting around 1946. Chet had his own radio program on WSM Radio. No Other
Guitar Player has ever had their own radio show on WSM in Nashville. Chet is
the Only Guitar Instrumentalist that I know of who is in the Country Music
Hall of Fame.
The Lists of Accomplishments by Chet Atkins is much to long for this
document. Chet Atkins opened many Doors for The Guitar Players of the world.
His Guitar Work on Recordings showed the world what a wonderful instrument
the Guitar is.
Chet was truly an Amazing Guitarists.
Chet Atkins was truly an Amazing Man.
Are you a Chet Atkins Fan?
How many Chet Atkins Albums do you own?
Do you own a Chet Atkins Gretsch?
Do you own a Chet Atkins Gibson Guitar?
By Robert Lee Johnson
The Guitar Man
and
The Dobro Man
www.mp3.com/theguitarman
www.besonic.com/dobroman
fidelity is quite good on the Lo Fi Plays on Besonic Com web site
http://artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Solo_Guitar_Man/