Chet Atkins Genius Musician

Jazz Guitar Legends

Johnny Smith

These are all excellent Albums, but, they are not Johnny Smith's Best Albums. His Best Album was "The Perfect Match" with Jazz Accordionist Art Van Dame. His second best Album was one recorded with Stan Getz in the early to mid 60s. You will have to find a Collectible Vinyl Shop to find these Albums. But if you love Jazz, Guitar, it is worth the trouble to find these two Johnny Smith Albums.

Chet Loved the Guitar Work of Johnny Smith. Chet appeared in Concert with Johnny Smith. Chet Atkins Loved Jazz.

Barney Kessel

Barney Kessel Web page by The Guitar Man

Kevin Eubanks web page by The Guitar Man

Buddy Emmons Jazz Steel Guitar web page by The Guitar Man

Chet loved Classical Guitar, and Flamenco Guitar. Chet saw the full possibility of Thumb and Finger Style Guitar.    And Chet took the style into new ground, much higher ground. 

Chet Atkins did not keep Finger Picking on the level of just playing a neat style where the bass, rhythm, harmony, and melody were played. Chet did new and more advanced music playing Finger Style, and he did many styles of music using Finger Style Guitar.

5. Guitar Legend: The RCA Years
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: April 4, 2000

Chet Atkins came from a musical family. His Father taught Piano and sang in a Gospel Group.  Chet brother Jim was a very gifted musician having sang and played rhythm Guitar in the original Les Paul Trio.

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Chet's Brother Jim was a management type of person. Jim Atkins Managed Radio Station KOA, a 50,000 watt AM station in Denver Colorado, around 1950. Chet played on KOA when his brother Jim was managing the Station.

I have listed 44 of Chet's Albums near the end of this article.

Stay Tuned released in the 80s sold more Albums than all of Chet's Previous albums put together and this album made Chet well known to all the younger Guitar Players who were in to Rock Music and Jazz. In some ways this Album did more to make Chet a legend than any other album he recorded. This album forever established Chet as one of the Guitar Greats. This album Took Chet much beyond Country Music and established him as a Jazz Artists, more of an experimental Jazz Artists. This album shocked many of Chet long established fans, but it made him more fans than even he had ever dreamed of having, and the album brought him more respect from the Entire Music Community than any album he had ever recorded.

Both Jim Atkins and Chet Atkins were great managers, so one has to assume that they were genetically endowed with natural management ability. It seems to much to assume that both were great management types by coincidence.

Chet's first major job in Music was on a radio station in Knoxville Tennessee when he was about 17 years old. Chet first played the fiddle on radio but was encouraged to move to Guitar when a management person heard Chet doing some great Guitar work.  Within a short time after Chet was hired by the Radio Station in Knoxville, he had his own radio show. This is pretty amazing, a 17 year old with their own radio show, on a station they had just started working at.

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Location: Denver, CO

Chet must have been a very "Make it Happen Person" who could influence and control people to do what he wanted. Only a person who was indeed a real "Make it Happen Person" could have achieved many things in show business that Chet Atkins Achieved over the years.

It's not enough to just be good on Guitar, one also has to be able to make the things happen that get them what they want. Chet must have been one of the all time great "Make it Happen Person" for he opened doors for a Guitar Player that had never been opened before.

Chet got on the Grand Ole Opry in 1946 and was a featured Guitarist on the Red Foley Segment of the Opry that went out over the NBC Radio Network. No Guitar Player other than Chet was ever a featured instrumentalist on the Opry being a star in their own right. This took more than just being good on the Guitar, this required some special abilities in dealing with people, and there can be little doubt that Chet had these special abilities to deal with people to make the things happen that he wanted to happen.

Around 1946 Chet got a recording contract with a Small Record Label, "Bullet Records." Then he quickly got a recording contract with the Giant of Record Companies, "RCA Records." Chet was signed to compete with the then Chart Topper Merle Travis. However, Chet's singing did not go over. He never got hit records on those very early recordings. Chet's  First Recordings in the 40s were quite good, but his singing style just did not endure him to those who love singing.

I'm sure Chet's failure as a singer was not a pleasant thing to endure, but Chet was lucky this happened for it forced him to become a star as a Guitar Player, the area where he had the most expertise. I'm sure Chet was secure enough with himself to have not felt he was a failure because his singing records did not become popular.

I have listed 44 of Chet's Albums near the end of this article.

Most great men have to endure set backs and failures. Lesser men will quit when they have setbacks and failures. But great men keep keeping on until they succeed at what they are trying to accomplished. This is one thing that sets great men aside from the non great men. There can be no doubt that Chet Atkins was a great man in music, and in life. His achievements were phenomenal.

In Chet's biography he tells of being fired quite often from radio stations because he did not play "Country Enough." Chet was highly influenced by music outside of Country Music. One of Chet Atkins Great Guitar heroes was George Barnes, the Great Child Guitarists Star From Chicago Illinois who had his own Orchestra And Radio Show on NBC Radio when he was only 17 years old.  Chet played with George Barnes and came to admire him greatly. Though George Barnes Played Backup Guitar on many Country Music Hit Recordings, he was basically a Jazz Guitarist. No doubt Chet came to love Jazz by being exposed to the Music of George Barnes.    And Jazz Probably showed up in Chet's Playing when he was backing some down home Country Singers, and this did not go over well with Radio Station Managers. So Chet was fired for not playing "Country Enough" and fired quite a number of times.

If you can't play by the rules, then you had better become the man who makes the rules. Chet did just this. He became a management person at RCA Records. He could now play the way he wanted to play because he was now making the rules.

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Location: Denver, CO

Chet's recording of "Mr. Sandman" hit the Country Charts in the early 50s, at least before 1955. This proved that Chet could be Star on the Guitar, this proved he did not have to sing to be a Star. More Chet Atkins Recordings Followed for RCA.

Chet's Album "A Session With Chet Atkins" was recorded with the most popular Country Music Instrumentalist. I think Chet was trying to keep it Country. However, I think that Chet realized he did his best music when he was not trying to keep it Country.  So Chet begin recording a series of albums that made him more popular than any other Guitar Player had ever been in the past.

8. Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: 1965

I have listed 44 of Chet's Albums near the end of this article.

Chet plays duets with the Man who inspired him to be a Finger Style Guitarist. Merle Travis and Chet Atkins are very much at one together on this album.

Chet Albums "Finger Style Guitar" and "Chet Atkins in Three Dimensions" were both landmarks in the Guitar Recordings. Both Albums shows the great musical ability of Chet Atkins. Chet was now making the rules, since he was in management at RCA Records, and so he no longer had to play "Country Sounding Music." He could instead play good music from any Genre.

Finger Style Guitar/Stringin' Along With Chet Atkins
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: November 24, 1998

Chet recorded four Classical Guitar Pieces on the "Chet Atkins in 3D" album. He played Classical music on the electric steel string Guitar. Chet was not afraid to take risks, but this risk kind of backfired for him. The Classical Music People criticized Chet for playing Classical Music on a steel string electric Guitar.

I have listed 44 of Chet's Albums near the end of this article.

Chet does some incredible music on the Three Dimensions Albums. This albums showed the world how versatile the Master Guitar was for there as Folk, Pop, and Classical Music on this album.

In my opinion, the recordings of Chet Playing Classical Music on a steel string electric Guitar were Chet's best Classical Guitar Recordings. The songs were played with Great Artistry. I enjoyed them so very much.  However, Chet never again used a steel string electric Guitar to record Classical Music.

In the 60s Chet was finding and producing many Country Music Singers on RCA Records. Chet had great success with Don Gibson. Some of the Don Gibson songs are now classics in Country Music. Chet was also very busy recording himself as a Guitar Player, and he was getting recordings that were selling in great numbers, and opening new doors for the Guitar.

"Chet Atkins In Hollywood" was recorded with Strings. Everyone was recording with strings during that time period. The "Chet Atkins In Hollywood" album is a great recording, taking Guitar to higher ground as a solo instrument.

The Most Popular Guitar/Down Home Guitar
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: May 30, 1995

About the time the "Chet Atkins In Hollywood Album" was recorded, Chet also recorded "Guitar Country" which was a great recording of many older Country Songs, and Chet made them sound so good. I learned many of the Songs that Chet Played on this album.

Chet's "Down Home" album was recorded in the 60s and was a tremendously successful album for the Great Guitarists. This album had basically Country Songs and it was a terrific album that Chet's Fans loved.

I think that possibly the 60s was Chet's most productive time as a recording artists. He produced many diverse Guitar Albums during this time. Some of Chet's fans purchased every album Chet made in the 60s. His record sales were very high in the 60s.

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Chet started using the nylon string Guitar to record in the 60s. He had some very good albums which featured many great songs that were recorded using the nylon string Guitar. And Chet was using steel string acoustic Guitar on many recordings during the 60s. The gifted Guitarists was so very productive in recording great albums during the 60s. The 60s was certainly a wonderful time for Chet Atkins Fans.

Chet was not so productive in the 70s, but he recorded two great albums that sold like Hot Cakes. One album was with Les Paul and another album was with Merle Travis. Chet Atkins Fans were thrilled with these two albums.  Chet also recorded an album with Doc Watson.

The 80s saw Chet leaving RCA records and recording his "Stay Tuned Album with Columbia, or the now Sony Records. "Stay Tuned" featured many younger and brilliant Rock Guitarists who had made their mark on the music world. Jazz Guitarists Earl Klugh and George Benson were also on the "Stay Tuned" album with Chet. The "Stay Tuned" album in the 80s sold more copies than all of Chet Atkins previous albums combined. A whole new generation of Chet Atkins Fans came into being. The "Stay Tuned" album made Chet more popular than he had ever been in the past. Chet was  getting close to being 60 years old when the "Stay Tuned" album was recorded. This proves that Chet never became stale, never sit still, but was always advancing as a musician.

Stay Tuned -- Chet Atkins; Audio CD
Buy new: $11.98

In Hollywood
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)

Chet stated that he practice 8 hours a day, every day, never missing a day, all his life. This, in addition to his professional playing. Chet was not just playing during his 8 hours practice time every day, he was always advancing his Music and Guitar ability when he was practicing 8 hours a day. Those Guitar players who think they can pick the Guitar up once in a while and be good players should be reminded that one of the greatest Guitarist of all time practiced 8 hours every day so he could be one of the Greatest Guitarist of all time.

A side note here on Guitar Players, professional and amateur. Most amateur players can play the notes, but their execution is not good, and often they cannot play in time and  rhythm. Any Guitar player who cannot play in time and rhythm, is a Guitar Player who cannot really play Guitar, instead they can only play notes and it is questionable if their notes are really music.

Almost Alone -- Chet Atkins; Audio CD
Buy new: $9.98

 
3. Me & Chet/Me & Jerry -- Chet Atkins; Audio CD

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Many amateur Guitar Players cannot play in time and rhythm, and have very poor execution ability for two reasons.    One reason is that the amateur never practices his/her Guitar Playing with rhythm accompaniment, therefore they never develop a sense of time and rhythm. Most amateurs do not practice enough to get their execution to the point of being automatic, occurring with no conscious thought or effort. Only when a Guitar Player's exception is so developed that they no longer have to concentrate on making the notes, can the Guitarists then put their attention on the artistry of their music. To achieve getting the execution to the point of being automatic, without effort, one must do a tremendous amount of the right kind of practice which means practicing with something beating time for them to practice to. A Drum machine or play along tapes are by far the best practice buddies.   Without a drum machine or play along tapes, or CDs, most amateurs will never achieve getting their execution to the point of being able to concentrate on being artistic.

Two hours a day practice with a drum machine or play along trax is equal to 8 hours of practice with no drum machine or play along tracks. And no matter how good one might become on execution, they still need some practice time each day with a drum machine or practice trax as accompaniment.

I have listed 44 of Chet's Albums near the end of this article.

Chet Atkins [Box] [BOX SET] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: December 21, 1999
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Just playing every day is not enough. One must always be trying to improve their skills every day. One cannot really improve their skills in Guitar Playing unless they can play with precision time and rhythm, and to do this one must feel the time and  rhythm.

Does anyone think that Chet Atkins was able to develop his Guitar Playing to the point of becoming a professional when he was 17 years old by picking up the Guitar for 10 or 15 minutes each day, or every now and then? Chet tells of the time he was practicing his Guitar after midnight.  Chet paid his dues to learn to play the Guitar. He did not wake up one morning and find he was a Genius Guitar Player.  No one ever wakes up one morning finds they are a great Guitar Player like Chet Atkins. If one practices enough, with the right kind of practice, after a certain length of time, and I'm not talking a week or two, one might wake up one morning and find they have become pretty good on the Guitar.

If Chet Atkins had to practice 8 hours a day all his life to become and stay a good Guitar Player, do you think you might have to put in some practice time to be good on the Guitar?

Chet followed up the "Stay Tuned" album with a number of other and more modern music albums. He had a special on Cable TV, on ShowTime. His popularity continued to soar.

Chet Atkins has received great acclaim as a record producer, and rightfully so. He is credited with having been one of the people who created the "New Country Music Sound" that was more citified, and away from Country Music's Roots. In his later years, Chet said that Country Music had gone too far and that real Country Music was fast disappearing.  Chet was against real Country Music Disappearing for he great honored the pure art form of real Country Music.

Sails
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: June 1, 1987
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I have listed 44 of Chet's Albums near the end of this article.

12. Me & Chet/Me & Jerry
~ Chet Atkins (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: November 24, 1998

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Chet lived to be 77 years old and left a great mark on the world of music.  When Chet first started recording Guitar Music, there were few Guitar Instrumental Recordings made, the Guitar was considered mostly a backup instrument, and part of the rhythm section. Chet was one of the Guitar Players that changed the Guitar's Position in Music.

Chet Atkins inspired many great musical personalities to play the Guitar. When Chet passed on he was not considered just a Country Guitar Player, he was greatly respected as a Guitar Player who was considered to have gone far beyond Country Music.  Many big name Guitar Stars have stated they were inspired by Chet Atkins. This is a great tribute to one of the highest level musicians to ever live, Chet Atkins Genius Musician and Guitar Player; Genius Music Management person who did more than any other single person to popularize the Guitar as a respected Solo Instrument that has taken it's place in the music world.

by Robert Lee Johnson

The Guitar Man

Columbus Georgia - Guitar Instrumental

Music Video by Robert Lee Johnson Author Of This Web Page

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Needless to say, Chet Atkins was my first, and always my great inspiration and influence in music.  If I have accomplished anything in music during my lifetime it was because Chet Atkins was the mentor who guided me as a Guitar Player.  Like Chet, I always honored the Guitar above all instruments in music, and always believed that the Guitar Itself is the Star of any Music I play.

You can listen to my music on these web pages.

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Location: Denver, CO

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