Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician, occasional vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, who along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, among others, created the country music style that came to be known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country music's appeal to adult pop music fans. He was primarily known as a guitarist. He also played the mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and ukulele.
Chet Atkins is the most recorded solo instrumentalist in music history. As a studio musician, his string-tickling work has gilded the records of Elvis Presley, Kitty Wells, The Everly Brothers, Hank Williams and dozens of other Nashville legends. He has won nine CMA Awards as Musician of the Year, four Playboy jazz poll honors and thirteen Grammies, more than any other artist in the history of country music.Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001) was an influential guitarist and record producer. His picking style, inspired by Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, George Barnes and Les Paul, brought him admirers both within and outside the country scene. Atkins produced records for Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith, and Waylon Jennings.
Supporting Red Foley, Atkins made his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in 1946. That same year, he made his first records, recording for Bullet. Atkins also began making regular performances on the WRVA radio station in Richmond, VA, but he was repeatedly fired because his musical arrangements differed from the expectations of the station's executives. He eventually moved to Springfield, MO, working for the KWTO station. A tape of one of Atkins' performances was sent to RCA Victor's office in Chicago. Eventually, it worked its way to Steve Sholes, the head of country music at RCA. Sholes had heard Atkins previously, and had been trying to find him for several years. By the time Sholes heard the tape, Atkins had moved to Denver, and was playing with Shorty Thompson & His Rangers.Upon receiving the call from RCA, he moved to Nashville to record.
Atkins became RCA's house guitarist for all Nashville sessions in 1949. While he worked for RCA, he played on many hit records, fashioning the lush Nashville sound. In 1953, he was made a consultant to RCA's Nashville division; that same year, he started to release solo instrumental albums. His first hit arrived in 1955, when "Mr. Sandman" charted, followed by "Silver Bell," a duet with Hank Snow.
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By the late '50s, Atkins's reputation was secure - not only did his records sell, but he designed guitars for Gibson and Gretsch. Atkins became the manager of RCA's Nashville division in 1957, as his performing career gained momentum; "Yakety Axe," his first Top 5 hit, arrived in 1965.
During the '60s, he produced hits for the majority of RCA's Nashville acts, including Elvis Presley and Eddy Arnold, and discovered a wealth of talent, such as Don Gibson, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride and Bobby Bare.
Atkins His solo popularity faded in the early '70s and he turned to the Nashville String Band, a trio he formed with Homer and Jethro; they released five albums between 1970 and 1972. Atkins continued to record for RCA throughout the '70s. He left the label in 1982, signing with Columbia, where he released Work It Out With Chet Atkins, in 1983. During his time at Columbia, Atkins departed from his traditional country roots, concentrating on jazz instead. He returned to country on occasion, notably on duet albums with Mark Knopfler and Jerry Reed. During the '90s, he was relatively quiet, recording infrequently.
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Chet Atkins, Elvis Presley, Gordon Stoker, Ben and Brock Spear |
Sadly, Atkins was diagnosed with cancer, and in 1997 doctors removed a tumour from his brain. In his last months, the cancer had made Atkins inactive, and he finally lost the battle on June 30, 2001, at his home in Nashville. Throughout his career, Chet Atkins earned numerous awards, including 11 Grammy awards and nine CMA Instrumentalist of the Year honors, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from NARAS. Although his award list is impressive, it only begins to convey his contribution to country music. (Edited mainly from All Music Guide)