Chet Atkins • The Most Popular Guitar

Review by William Ruhlmann

Chet Atkins hit the jackpot with his 12th 12" LP release, Chet Atkins' Workshop, which soared into the pop Top Ten, and RCA Victor Records hopefully released his 13th one with the title The Most Popular Guitar and adorned it with a cover picture of a comely girl in a negligee. The notion here seems to have been to present Atkins not so much as a guitar instrumentalist (though his guitar playing was, as usual, front and center) as the leader of a lush studio orchestra and chorus playing easy listening favorites in the manner of Percy Faith. The varied selections ranged from show tunes like the leadoff track, George and Ira Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" from Porgy and Bess, to recent pop hits like the Platters' "My Prayer" and swing era favorites such as "East of the Sun (West of the Moon)." But no matter the source, the treatment was in middle-of-the-road ballad form, with piano and harpsichord, muted horns, swirling strings, and wordless choruses augmenting Atkins' dreamy electric-guitar stylings. But perhaps Chet Atkins was not destined to become the next Ray Conniff. In any case, The Most Popular Guitar, despite spending ten weeks in the Billboard LP chart, did not match the sales of Chet Atkins' Workshop, and the guitarist was free to go his own way, making whatever style of record he wanted in the future.

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Revisión por William Ruhlmann

Chet Atkins alcanzó el premio mayor con su 12º lanzamiento de 12 "LP, Chet Atkins 'Workshop, que se disparó en el Top Ten pop, y RCA Victor Records lanzó su 13º con el título The Most Popular Guitar y lo adornó con una portada de una nena agradable en una negligencia. La noción aquí parece haber sido presentar a Atkins no tanto como un instrumentista de guitarra (aunque su forma de tocar la guitarra era, como siempre, el centro y el centro) como el líder de una orquesta de estudio exuberante y un coro fácil de tocar. escuchando favoritos a la manera de Percy Faith. Las variadas selecciones iban desde temas como la pista de salida, "It Ain't Necessarily So" de George e Ira Gershwin, desde Porgy and Bess, hasta éxitos pop recientes como "My Prayer" de los Platters y los favoritos de la era del swing como "East of the Sun (West of the Moon)". Pero independientemente de la fuente, el tratamiento fue en forma de balada a mitad de camino, con piano y clave, cuernos apagados, cuerdas giratorias, y coros sin palabras que aumentan la energía de ensueño de Atkins Estilos de guitarra eléctrica. Pero quizás Chet Atkins no estaba destinado a convertirse en el próximo Ray Conniff. En cualquier caso, la guitarra más popular, a pesar de pasar diez semanas en la lista de Billboard LP, no coincidió con las ventas de Chet Atkins 'Workshop, y el guitarrista era libre de seguir su propio camino, creando el estilo de grabación que deseaba en el futuro.

 Tracklist:
A1 - It Ain't Necessarily So - 2:43
A2 - My Dear Little Sweetheart - 2:48
A3 - Stay As Sweet As You Are - 3:38
A4 - Monte Carlo Melody - 2:30
A5 - When Day Is Done - 2:20
A6 - My Prayer - 2:22
B1 - Rock-A-Bye Bay - 2:40
B2 - Vanessa - 3:57
B3 - Intermezzo - 3:04
B4 - Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo - 2:40
B5 - East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon) - 2:38
B6 - Goin' Home - 2:53

Label: RCA Victor ‎– LPM-2346, RCA Victor ‎– LPM 2346
Released: 1961
Genre: Jazz, Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Smooth Jazz

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