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I'm a big fan of Chet and would like I suggest a couple other guitarists you might like if you enjoy Chet's style of music. The first is another CGP, who wrote several songs that were recorded by many artists, including Chet. His name is Jerry Reed, the same guy who was in those Burt Reynolds movies. Jerry was also a good singer. On guitar, especially finger picking, Jerry was one of the best. He was also one of Cher's favorite guitarists. Check out the YouTube video if Chet and Jerry playing the Ray Charles song, Georgia. Jerry's voice and guitar playing on that song are amazing. Check out the look on Chet Atkins' face while he watches Jerry play. Chet was a much better technical player, one if the best to ever live, but he loved Jerry's creativity. I'm a huge fan of both guys. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=__gKk0aY82sOkay one more of Jerry and Chester!http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=92jNtakMDZoOne more suggestion. Before Chet's era there was a guy who invented this style if picking, called Travis picking. His name was Merle Travis and is one of my favorites as well. He played with a cool sense of melody and a joy that Jerry Reed had throughout his performances. Merle also made difficult tubes seem effortless, like the guitar was just playing itself. Merle Travis was a cool dude and a brilliant performer. Check him out on YouTube. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8VikAbi4hTs
Guy 13,I'm not sure about the nature of the recordings you mention that were found in Chet's studio. I'm sure there are many still there and unpublished or not processed. I have tons of unreleased tapes of my own experiments and trial runs that will never be released; that is normal with recording musicians. I have almost all of his American recordings on both RCA and Columbia and wouldn't part with anything other than a duplicate. I once worked with a gentleman who would sequester himself with each new Atkins release for at least a week and then would resurface and we would run through the material. He had loads of talent and a great ear and it was almost like playing with Chet himself when we got together. I treasure those sessions.
Until I took up guitar playing again in my forties, I didn't care for him too much either. I kept reading about what a stellar player he was in all the guitar magazines and that prompted me to investigate further. When I got some of his sheet music/tablature and began to try and play some of his licks and songs, THEN it began to dawn on me how technically well schooled he was. He doesn't knock you over the head with his virtuosity, but he does have it abundance. There are a lot of players like Chet that I appreciate and can learn from who I don't love to the point that I'd put them in my "desert island" music rotation. For me, a lot of the country-esque virtuosos like Chet, Albert Lee, Junior Brown, Pete Anderson, Hank Garland, Jerry Reed, & James Burton fall into that camp. Not a bad analogy for Chet, "country version of Wes Montgomery." Wes was another one I admire but don't love.
Another one those threads that just ends in mid air. I was a fan of Chet's when a teenager in high School in the 60's his picking was just easy listening. Another fantastic picker from that era was the lead guitarists with Marty Robbins and his 12 string, watching him pick that thing was amazing and the sounds were extraordinary, got to see him live a couple of times with Marty in concert.A picker from a later time that impressed me a great deal when i saw him live also was Jose Feliciano, to see and hear him do the battle of bilbao on a acoustic 6 string was just out of this world plus his classical renditions were mesmerizing.Just my .02cts worth. jim
Hi Jim,until only a few months ago, I never heard of Chet Atkins music.After learning about it from a Audio Circle member and listening to some music samples on Amazon I bought seven CD of Chet,I like most of them. of course some more than other as usual.I will do some search on Amazon to listen to some samples of Jose Feliciano and Marty Robbins and his 12 stringsto see if I will go ahead an buy some CDs of them.My early experience with acoustic and electric guitar goes backto 1963 with Laurendo Almeida (Not sure of the spelling of his name) and a few years later with The Ventures.I will get back here when I know more about the two references you mentioned above.Thanks.Guy 13
Guy 13 glad to hear that you were satisfied with you Chet Adkins CD's another artist actually two guitar players you might look into is Los Indios Tabaharas, two brothers from Brazil that were very popular some years back.Jim
Hi (Again) Jim,thanks for the additional name.Guy 13
Hey Guy 13,Any luck with finding the other pickers I mentioned? On the Marty Robbins just lock for his gun fighter and more gun fighter ballads. Mostly cowboy music from the 1800's cowboy days, the one cut El Paso went huge in the early sixties.Jim
