Without Chet Atkins, country music may never have crossed over into the pop charts in the '50s and '60s. Although he recorded hundreds of solo records, Atkins' largest influence came as a session musician and a record producer. During the '50s and '60s, he helped create the Nashville sound, a style of country music that owed nearly as much to pop as it did to honky tonks. ~~~ And as a guitarist, he was without parallel. Atkins' style grew out of his admiration for Merle Travis, expanding Travis' signature syncopated thumb and fingers roll into new territory. Interestingly, Atkins didn't begin his musical career by playing guitar. On the recommendation of his older brother, Lowell, he began playing the fiddle at a child. However, Chet was still attracted to the guitar, and at the age of nine he traded a pistol for a guitar. Atkins learned his instrument rapidly, becoming an accomplished player by the time he left high school in 1941. Using a variety of contacts, he wound up performing on the Bill Carlisle Show on WNOX in Knoxville, TN, as well as becoming part of the Dixie Swingers. Atkins worked with Homer &amp; Jethro while he was at the radio station. After three years, he moved to a radio station in Cincinnati. ~~~ 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.. ~~~ Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Country Gentleman

Chet Atkins

Bill Neely

Ballantine Books

This is an updated edition of Chet Atkin's famous guitar method. It contains numerous picking studies, chord etudes and great Atkin's style guitar solos. Written in notation and tablature.

Complete Chet Atkins Guitar Method [With CD]

Arts & Photography

Music

Mel Bay Publications,Inc.

This tribute, just released by Mel Bay Publications, contains twenty-two of Chet's greatest solos and duets along with interviews with his daughter, Merle Atkins Russell and close friends such as Jerry Reed, Vince Gill, Eddy Arnold, Don Mclean and many others. This book offers touching insight into the character of an American original, who did much to shape the course of music history and the guitar. Most importantly, Chet Atkins helped thousands of people over the course of his life through kindness and generosity. To quote Jerry Reed, "There is only one." This book is a tribute to a special man, a special artist... a hero to the millions of lives he touched. The Atkins Family has shared many rare photographs which are presented in a special eight-page color insert. Selections include, Heartaches, Caravan, When You Wish Upon a Star (live version), Music to Watch Girls by, Stars and Stripes Forever, Jerry's Breakdown, Nashtown Ville and many others. All music is in standard notation and in tablature. 208 pages.

Chet Atkins in Three Dimensions, Volume 1: 50 Years of Legendary Guitar

Deyan Bratic

John McClellan

For each song you'll learn the chords, the melody, plus some of Chet's hottest licks. Tips on tuning, changing chords, fingerpicking, and much more are carefully explained. Includes a DVD. DVD is region 0, playable worldwide.

Get Started on Guitar

John Knowles

Grossman's Guitar Workshop

(Guitar Recorded Versions). Features 14 fingerstyle favorites transcribed in notes &amp; tab from this unparalleled player: Arkansas Traveler * Blue Echo * Chinatown, My Chinatown * The Claw * Lady Madonna * Lover, Come Back to Me * My Little Waltz * Oh By Jingo, Oh By Gee, You're the Only Girl for Me * Slinkey * Trambone * When You Wish upon a Star * Wobegon (The Way It Used to Be) * Yankee Doodle Dixie. Includes a note from Chet Atkins, tips on playing his music, photos and a guitar notation legend.

Chet Atkins - Vintage Fingerstyle (Artist Songbooks Series)

Hal Leonard

Chet Atkins Note-For-Note

Biographies & Memoirs

Arts & Literature

Music Sales Corp

Country Music Hall of Fame Series Vol 4 Piano Vocal Guitar

Kitty Wells

Patsy

Connie B. Gay

Lefty Frizzell

Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation

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Books by Chet Atkins