Christmas Classics - Chet Atkins

Details

The legendary country/pop guitarist Chet Atkins was born Chester Burton Atkins in 1924, Luttrell, Tennessee, US. His family were farmers, his grandfather, who fought on the Union side during the civil war, was a fiddle player, and his father James played piano and was a music teacher. Before eventually becoming a great record producer, Chet first took up the guitar at the age of nine, he bought a mail-order Sears Silvertone and soon became proficient at fingerpicking on this instrument, especially with his family musical background. Although his first instrument was also a fiddle, like his father, he was soon performing on radio stations locally with his pioneering country guitar picking style. The head of country music for RCAs Nashville office, Steve Sholes, was immediately impressed with Chets playing & he not only signed Chet as an artist but made him resident in-house guitarist for all RCAs Nashville recording sessions. He also performed the same function at the Grand Ole Opry, so from 1949 onwards, if you listen to country music, it was very likely you would be listening to Chet Atkins guitar playing. Chet was at RCAs Nashville offices when Elvis Presley was signed up and Scotty More, Presleys guitarist, certainly saw Chet as a role model. Atkins himself was greatly influenced by the great Merle Travis. During his time at RCA, he produced many successful acts, notably Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Waylon Jennings and Floyd Cramer and one of his signings to RCA was Charley Pride, one of the few black country artists to make it in Nashville. Along with Owen Bradley, Chet Atkins created the smooth Nashville sound which crossed over between country & popular music, giving it a worldwide appeal. Gretsch guitars in 1954, named a guitar after him and he put together many guitar method folios for several publishing houses, which are still popular even now. Chet, due to illness, retired from corporate business matters in the 1970s to concentrate on his guitar playing and he made many notable albums with artists as varied as Les Paul, Jerry Reed and even Dire Straits Mark Knopfler! From 1985 onwards there has been an annual 4-day conference for guitarists in his name and, at the end of 2000, a life-sized bronze statue of Chet and his guitar was erected in Nashville in his honour. With classics such as: Jingle Bell Rock, White Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy and many, many more, this excellent 26-track collection will really get you in the festive mood.

Track List