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Chet Atkins

Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known also as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music style which expanded its appeal to adult pop music fans. He was primarily a guitarist, but he also played the mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and ukulele, and occasionally sang.

Atkins's signature picking style was inspired by Merle Travis. Other major guitar influences were Django Reinhardt, George Barnes, Les Paul, and, later, Jerry Reed. His distinctive picking style and musicianship brought him admirers inside and outside the country scene, both in the United States and abroad. Atkins spent most of his career at RCA Victor and produced records for the Browns, Hank Snow, Porter Wagoner, Norma Jean, Dolly Parton, Dottie West, Perry Como, Floyd Cramer, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Waylon Jennings, Roger Whittaker, Ann-Margret and many others.

Rolling Stone credited Atkins with inventing the "popwise 'Nashville sound' that rescued country music from a commercial slump" and ranked him number 21 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Among many other honors, Atkins received 14 Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received nine Country Music Association awards for Instrumentalist of the Year. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. George Harrison was also inspired by Chet Atkins; early Beatles songs such as "All My Loving" show the influence.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 20, 1924 (Luttrell), Died June 30, 2001 (Nashville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1947 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, leader, electric guitar, vocalist, composer, songwriter, violin, electric bass, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 266 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor E0VB-3317 10-in. 1/18/1950 Second-hand heart Ernie Lee ; Southerners (Ernie Lee) Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-3318 10-in. 1/18/1950 Headin' home to old Kentucky Ernie Lee ; Southerners (Ernie Lee) Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-3319 10-in. 1/18/1950 I'm a lonesome man Ernie Lee ; Southerners (Ernie Lee) Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-3320 10-in. 1/18/1950 Tormented Ernie Lee ; Southerners (Ernie Lee) Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-3325 10-in. 1/18/1950 I said my nightshirt (and put on my pray'rs) June Carter Cash ; Homer and Jethro Female vocal solo, with male vocal duet, string band, and comic dialog instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-3326 10-in. 1/18/1950 (Put another nickel in) Music! Music! Music! June Carter Cash ; Homer and Jethro Mixed vocal trio, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-4550 10-in. 10/19/1950 Disc jockey's nightmare Homer and Jethro Male vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-4551 10-in. 10/19/1950 Oh babe! Homer and Jethro Male vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-4552 10-in. 10/19/1950 That Texas land Homer and Jethro Male vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-5501 10-in. 8/20/1950 The lovebug itch Eddy Arnold Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-5502 10-in. 8/21/1950 White Christmas Eddy Arnold Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-5503 10-in. 8/21/1950 Santa Claus is coming to town Eddy Arnold Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-5508 10-in. 8/22/1950 The fiery bear Jack Holden ; Frances Kay Female-male vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5509 10-in. 8/22/1950 What would Washington say? Jack Holden ; Frances Kay Female-male vocal duet, with string band. instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5510 10-in. 8/22/1950 Bashful rascal Bashful Rascals (June Carter) ; June Carter Cash Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5511 10-in. 8/22/1950 For crying out loud! Bashful Rascals (June Carter) ; June Carter Cash Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5512 10-in. 8/23/1950 Somebody's crying Anita Carter Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5513 10-in. 8/23/1950 Johnny's got a sweetheart Anita Carter Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5514 10-in. 8/22/1950 Confusin' "Sister" Billie Rose Atkins ; Chet Atkins ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Female-male vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader, vocalist  
Victor E0VB-5515 10-in. 8/22/1950 Music in my heart "Sister" Billie Rose Atkins ; Chet Atkins ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Female-male vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader, vocalist  
Victor E0VB-5516 10-in. 8/23/1950 I've got my share of trouble Carter Sisters Female vocal solo, with female vocal trio and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5517 10-in. 8/23/1950 Columbus G-A Carter Sisters Female vocal solo, with female vocal trio and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5518 10-in. 8/23/1950 Willow, will you weep for me Carter Sisters ; Maybelle Carter Female vocal ensemblet and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5519 10-in. 8/23/1950 Gotta find me somebody to love Carter Sisters ; Maybelle Carter Female vocal solo, with female vocal duet and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E0VB-5520 10-in. 8/23/1950 Indian love call Chester "Chet" Atkins ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Electric guitar solo, with string band leader, instrumentalist, electric guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 266 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Atkins, Chet," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103333.

Atkins, Chet. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103333.

"Atkins, Chet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103333

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