Chet Atkins

From ArticleWorld

Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins was a country music guitarist and record producer. His incredible guitar playing and picking talent and style inspired many future guitarists in the country arena. Atkins also produced records for some of the biggest names in country, such as Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Connie Smith, Eddie Arnold, Charley Pride, and many more. Atkins joined with Owen Bradley to pioneer the smooth country style that became known as the Nashville sound.

Atkins was born on June 20, 1924 in Luttrell, Tennessee. The first instrument he learned was the fiddle, but soon moved to the guitar. Atkins had asthma very bad as a child and was rather sensitive. He made music both his passion and his obsession. Atkins taught himself on the guitar and was quite accomplished by the time he reached high school. After he graduated his brother helped him land a job at a Tennessee radio station where he played both the guitar and the fiddle.

Atkins traveled around the country playing in various bands everywhere from Ohio to Virginia to Chicago. While in Chicago he began playing with Red Foley and made his first Grand Ole Opry appearance with the band in 1946. It was hard for him to keep a steady solo gig because he was criticized for not sounding "country enough."

He finally was signed on with RCA. His first hit single release was "Mr. Sandman. He soon became the manager of RCA’s studio in Nashville. He was the first to get the idea to try and have country hits "cross over" to pop charts. Guitarists from all walks of music admired Atkins and his guitar playing. Before cancer caused his health to decline, Atkins wrote a book about his guitar collection and music. In a final thought, he said:

Years from now, after I'm gone someone will listen to what I've done and know I was here. They may not know or care who I was, but they'll hear my guitars speaking for me.