Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Without Chet Atkins, country music may never have crossed over into the pop charts in the 1950s 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, Tennessee, as well as becoming part of the Dixie Swingers. Atkins worked with Homer & 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, Virginia, but he was repeatedly fired because his musical arrangements differed from the expectations of the station's executives. He eventually moved to Springfield, Missouri, 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 him for several years. By the time Sholes heard the tape, Atkins had moved to Denver and was playing with Shorty Thompson & His Rangers. Upon receiving the call from RCA, he moved to Nashville to record.
Once he arrived in Nashville, Atkins recorded eight tracks for the label, five of which featured the guitarist singing. Impressed by his playing, Sholes made Atkins the studio guitarist for all of the RCA studio's Nashville sessions in 1949. The following year, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters hired him as a regular on the Grand Ole Opry, making his place in Nashville's musical community secure. While he worked for RCA, he played on many hit records and helped fashion the Nashville sound. RCA appreciated his work and made him a consultant to the company's Nashville division in 1953. That year, the label began to issue a number of instrumental albums that showcased Atkins' considerable talents. Two years later, he scored his first hit with a version of "Mr. Sandman"; it was followed by "Silver Bell," a duet with Hank Snow. By the late '50s, Atkins was known throughout the music industry as a first-rate player. Not only did his records sell well, he designed guitars for Gibson and Gretsch, models that remained popular into the next century.
Sholes left for New York in 1957 to act as head of pop A&R, leaving Atkins as the manager of RCA's Nashville division. However, the guitarist didn't abandon performing, and throughout the early '60s his star continued to rise. He played the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960; in 1961, he performed at the White House. Atkins had his first Top Five hit in 1965 with a reworking of Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax," retitled "Yakety Axe." In addition to being a sizable country hit, the song crossed over to the pop charts. Atkins' role behind the scenes was thriving as well. He produced hits for the majority of RCA's Nashville acts, including Elvis Presley and Eddy Arnold, and discovered a wealth of talent, including Don Gibson, Waylon Jennings, Floyd Cramer, Charley Pride, Bobby Bare, and Connie Smith. Because of his consistent track record, Atkins was promoted to vice president of RCA's country division when Sholes died in 1968.
The following year, Atkins had his last major hit single, "Country Gentleman." In the late '60s and early '70s, several minor hits followed, but only one song, "Prissy" (1968), made it into the Top 40. Instead, the guitarist's major musical contribution in the early part of the '70s was with Homer & Jethro. Under the name the Nashville String Band, the trio released five albums between 1970 and 1972. Following Homer's death, Atkins continued to work with Jethro.
Atkins continued to record for RCA throughout the '70s, although he was creatively stifled by the label by the end of the decade. The guitarist wanted to record a jazz album, but he was met with resistance by the label. In 1982, he left RCA and signed with Columbia, releasing his first album for the them, Work It Out With Chet Atkins, in 1983. During his time at Columbia, Atkins departed from his traditional country roots, demonstrating that he was a bold and tasteful jazz guitarist as well. He did return to country on occasion, particularly on duet albums with Mark Knopfler and Jerry Reed, but by and large, Atkins' Columbia records demonstrated a more adventurous guitarist than was previously captured on his RCA albums.
Sadly, Atkins was diagnosed with cancer, and in 1997 doctors removed a tumor from his brain. In his last months, the cancer had made Atkins inactive, and he died on June 30, 2001 at his home in Nashville. Throughout his career, Chet Atkins earned numerous awards, including 11 Grammy awards and nine CMA Instrumentalist of the Year honors, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from NARAS. Although his award list is impressive, it only begins to convey his contribution to country music.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chet-atkins-mn0000094205#biography
Without Chet Atkins, country music may never have crossed over into the pop charts in the 1950s 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, Tennessee, as well as becoming part of the Dixie Swingers. Atkins worked with Homer & 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, Virginia, but he was repeatedly fired because his musical arrangements differed from the expectations of the station's executives. He eventually moved to Springfield, Missouri, 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 him for several years. By the time Sholes heard the tape, Atkins had moved to Denver and was playing with Shorty Thompson & His Rangers. Upon receiving the call from RCA, he moved to Nashville to record.
Once he arrived in Nashville, Atkins recorded eight tracks for the label, five of which featured the guitarist singing. Impressed by his playing, Sholes made Atkins the studio guitarist for all of the RCA studio's Nashville sessions in 1949. The following year, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters hired him as a regular on the Grand Ole Opry, making his place in Nashville's musical community secure. While he worked for RCA, he played on many hit records and helped fashion the Nashville sound. RCA appreciated his work and made him a consultant to the company's Nashville division in 1953. That year, the label began to issue a number of instrumental albums that showcased Atkins' considerable talents. Two years later, he scored his first hit with a version of "Mr. Sandman"; it was followed by "Silver Bell," a duet with Hank Snow. By the late '50s, Atkins was known throughout the music industry as a first-rate player. Not only did his records sell well, he designed guitars for Gibson and Gretsch, models that remained popular into the next century.
Sholes left for New York in 1957 to act as head of pop A&R, leaving Atkins as the manager of RCA's Nashville division. However, the guitarist didn't abandon performing, and throughout the early '60s his star continued to rise. He played the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960; in 1961, he performed at the White House. Atkins had his first Top Five hit in 1965 with a reworking of Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax," retitled "Yakety Axe." In addition to being a sizable country hit, the song crossed over to the pop charts. Atkins' role behind the scenes was thriving as well. He produced hits for the majority of RCA's Nashville acts, including Elvis Presley and Eddy Arnold, and discovered a wealth of talent, including Don Gibson, Waylon Jennings, Floyd Cramer, Charley Pride, Bobby Bare, and Connie Smith. Because of his consistent track record, Atkins was promoted to vice president of RCA's country division when Sholes died in 1968.
The following year, Atkins had his last major hit single, "Country Gentleman." In the late '60s and early '70s, several minor hits followed, but only one song, "Prissy" (1968), made it into the Top 40. Instead, the guitarist's major musical contribution in the early part of the '70s was with Homer & Jethro. Under the name the Nashville String Band, the trio released five albums between 1970 and 1972. Following Homer's death, Atkins continued to work with Jethro.
Atkins continued to record for RCA throughout the '70s, although he was creatively stifled by the label by the end of the decade. The guitarist wanted to record a jazz album, but he was met with resistance by the label. In 1982, he left RCA and signed with Columbia, releasing his first album for the them, Work It Out With Chet Atkins, in 1983. During his time at Columbia, Atkins departed from his traditional country roots, demonstrating that he was a bold and tasteful jazz guitarist as well. He did return to country on occasion, particularly on duet albums with Mark Knopfler and Jerry Reed, but by and large, Atkins' Columbia records demonstrated a more adventurous guitarist than was previously captured on his RCA albums.
Sadly, Atkins was diagnosed with cancer, and in 1997 doctors removed a tumor from his brain. In his last months, the cancer had made Atkins inactive, and he died on June 30, 2001 at his home in Nashville. Throughout his career, Chet Atkins earned numerous awards, including 11 Grammy awards and nine CMA Instrumentalist of the Year honors, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from NARAS. Although his award list is impressive, it only begins to convey his contribution to country music.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chet-atkins-mn0000094205#biography
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Biografía de Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Sin Chet Atkins, es posible que la música country nunca hubiera llegado a las listas de éxitos del pop en las décadas de 1950 y 1960. Aunque grabó cientos de discos en solitario, la mayor influencia de Atkins se produjo como músico de sesión y productor discográfico. Durante los años 50 y 60, ayudó a crear el sonido Nashville, un estilo de música country que debía casi tanto al pop como a los honky tonks.
Y como guitarrista, no tenía parangón. El estilo de Atkins surgió de su admiración por Merle Travis, ampliando el característico redoble sincopado de pulgar y dedos de Travis hacia nuevos territorios. Curiosamente, Atkins no empezó su carrera musical tocando la guitarra. Por recomendación de su hermano mayor, Lowell, empezó a tocar el violín siendo un niño. Sin embargo, Chet seguía sintiéndose atraído por la guitarra, y a los nueve años cambió una pistola por una guitarra. Atkins aprendió su instrumento rápidamente, convirtiéndose en un consumado intérprete cuando dejó el instituto en 1941. Gracias a diversos contactos, acabó actuando en el programa de Bill Carlisle en la WNOX de Knoxville, Tennessee, y formó parte de los Dixie Swingers. Atkins trabajó con Homer & Jethro mientras estaba en la emisora de radio. Después de tres años, se trasladó a una emisora de radio de Cincinnati.
Como telonero de Red Foley, Atkins hizo su primera aparición en el Grand Ole Opry en 1946. Ese mismo año, grabó sus primeros discos para Bullet. Atkins también empezó a actuar regularmente en la emisora de radio WRVA de Richmond (Virginia), pero fue despedido en repetidas ocasiones porque sus arreglos musicales diferían de las expectativas de los ejecutivos de la emisora. Finalmente se trasladó a Springfield, Missouri, para trabajar en la emisora KWTO. Una cinta de una de las actuaciones de Atkins fue enviada a la oficina de RCA Victor en Chicago. Finalmente, llegó a manos de Steve Sholes, responsable de música country de RCA. Sholes ya había escuchado a Atkins y llevaba varios años intentando encontrarlo. Cuando Sholes escuchó la cinta, Atkins se había trasladado a Denver y tocaba con Shorty Thompson & His Rangers. Al recibir la llamada de la RCA, se trasladó a Nashville para grabar.
Una vez en Nashville, Atkins grabó ocho temas para la discográfica, en cinco de los cuales cantaba el guitarrista. Impresionado por su forma de tocar, Sholes nombró a Atkins guitarrista de estudio para todas las sesiones del estudio RCA de Nashville en 1949. Al año siguiente, Mother Maybelle y las Carter Sisters le contrataron como habitual en el Grand Ole Opry, lo que le aseguró un lugar en la comunidad musical de Nashville. Mientras trabajó para RCA, participó en muchos discos de éxito y ayudó a dar forma al sonido de Nashville. RCA apreció su trabajo y le nombró asesor de la división de Nashville de la compañía en 1953. Ese año, la discográfica empezó a publicar una serie de álbumes instrumentales que mostraban el considerable talento de Atkins. Dos años más tarde, consiguió su primer éxito con una versión de "Mr. Sandman", a la que siguió "Silver Bell", a dúo con Hank Snow. A finales de los 50, Atkins era conocido en toda la industria musical como un intérprete de primera categoría. No sólo sus discos se vendían bien, sino que diseñaba guitarras para Gibson y Gretsch, modelos que siguieron siendo populares hasta el siglo siguiente.
Sin Chet Atkins, es posible que la música country nunca hubiera llegado a las listas de éxitos del pop en las décadas de 1950 y 1960. Aunque grabó cientos de discos en solitario, la mayor influencia de Atkins se produjo como músico de sesión y productor discográfico. Durante los años 50 y 60, ayudó a crear el sonido Nashville, un estilo de música country que debía casi tanto al pop como a los honky tonks.
Y como guitarrista, no tenía parangón. El estilo de Atkins surgió de su admiración por Merle Travis, ampliando el característico redoble sincopado de pulgar y dedos de Travis hacia nuevos territorios. Curiosamente, Atkins no empezó su carrera musical tocando la guitarra. Por recomendación de su hermano mayor, Lowell, empezó a tocar el violín siendo un niño. Sin embargo, Chet seguía sintiéndose atraído por la guitarra, y a los nueve años cambió una pistola por una guitarra. Atkins aprendió su instrumento rápidamente, convirtiéndose en un consumado intérprete cuando dejó el instituto en 1941. Gracias a diversos contactos, acabó actuando en el programa de Bill Carlisle en la WNOX de Knoxville, Tennessee, y formó parte de los Dixie Swingers. Atkins trabajó con Homer & Jethro mientras estaba en la emisora de radio. Después de tres años, se trasladó a una emisora de radio de Cincinnati.
Como telonero de Red Foley, Atkins hizo su primera aparición en el Grand Ole Opry en 1946. Ese mismo año, grabó sus primeros discos para Bullet. Atkins también empezó a actuar regularmente en la emisora de radio WRVA de Richmond (Virginia), pero fue despedido en repetidas ocasiones porque sus arreglos musicales diferían de las expectativas de los ejecutivos de la emisora. Finalmente se trasladó a Springfield, Missouri, para trabajar en la emisora KWTO. Una cinta de una de las actuaciones de Atkins fue enviada a la oficina de RCA Victor en Chicago. Finalmente, llegó a manos de Steve Sholes, responsable de música country de RCA. Sholes ya había escuchado a Atkins y llevaba varios años intentando encontrarlo. Cuando Sholes escuchó la cinta, Atkins se había trasladado a Denver y tocaba con Shorty Thompson & His Rangers. Al recibir la llamada de la RCA, se trasladó a Nashville para grabar.
Una vez en Nashville, Atkins grabó ocho temas para la discográfica, en cinco de los cuales cantaba el guitarrista. Impresionado por su forma de tocar, Sholes nombró a Atkins guitarrista de estudio para todas las sesiones del estudio RCA de Nashville en 1949. Al año siguiente, Mother Maybelle y las Carter Sisters le contrataron como habitual en el Grand Ole Opry, lo que le aseguró un lugar en la comunidad musical de Nashville. Mientras trabajó para RCA, participó en muchos discos de éxito y ayudó a dar forma al sonido de Nashville. RCA apreció su trabajo y le nombró asesor de la división de Nashville de la compañía en 1953. Ese año, la discográfica empezó a publicar una serie de álbumes instrumentales que mostraban el considerable talento de Atkins. Dos años más tarde, consiguió su primer éxito con una versión de "Mr. Sandman", a la que siguió "Silver Bell", a dúo con Hank Snow. A finales de los 50, Atkins era conocido en toda la industria musical como un intérprete de primera categoría. No sólo sus discos se vendían bien, sino que diseñaba guitarras para Gibson y Gretsch, modelos que siguieron siendo populares hasta el siglo siguiente.
Sholes se marchó a Nueva York en 1957
para ejercer de jefe de A&R del pop, dejando a Atkins como director
de la división de Nashville de la RCA. Sin embargo, el guitarrista no
abandonó la interpretación, y a principios de los 60 su estrella siguió
en ascenso. Tocó en el Festival de Jazz de Newport en 1960 y en 1961
actuó en la Casa Blanca. Atkins tuvo su primer éxito en el Top 5 en 1965
con una versión de "Yakety Sax" de Boots Randolph, retitulada "Yakety
Axe". Además de ser un considerable éxito country, la canción pasó a las
listas de éxitos pop. El papel de Atkins entre bastidores también fue
próspero. Produjo éxitos para la mayoría de los artistas de la RCA en
Nashville, como Elvis Presley y Eddy Arnold, y descubrió un gran número
de talentos, como Don Gibson, Waylon Jennings, Floyd Cramer, Charley
Pride, Bobby Bare y Connie Smith. Gracias a su constante trayectoria,
Atkins fue ascendido a vicepresidente de la división country de RCA
cuando Sholes murió en 1968.
Al año siguiente, Atkins tuvo su último gran éxito, "Country Gentleman". A finales de los 60 y principios de los 70, le siguieron varios éxitos menores, pero sólo una canción, "Prissy" (1968), entró en los 40 Principales. En cambio, la mayor contribución musical del guitarrista a principios de los 70 fue con Homer & Jethro. Bajo el nombre de Nashville String Band, el trío publicó cinco álbumes entre 1970 y 1972. Tras la muerte de Homer, Atkins siguió trabajando con Jethro.
Al año siguiente, Atkins tuvo su último gran éxito, "Country Gentleman". A finales de los 60 y principios de los 70, le siguieron varios éxitos menores, pero sólo una canción, "Prissy" (1968), entró en los 40 Principales. En cambio, la mayor contribución musical del guitarrista a principios de los 70 fue con Homer & Jethro. Bajo el nombre de Nashville String Band, el trío publicó cinco álbumes entre 1970 y 1972. Tras la muerte de Homer, Atkins siguió trabajando con Jethro.
Atkins siguió grabando para RCA durante los años 70, aunque a finales de la década la discográfica le asfixió creativamente. El guitarrista quería grabar un álbum de jazz, pero se encontró con la resistencia de la discográfica. En 1982, abandonó RCA y firmó con Columbia, con la que publicó su primer álbum, Work It Out With Chet Atkins, en 1983. Durante su estancia en Columbia, Atkins se alejó de sus raíces country tradicionales, demostrando que también era un guitarrista de jazz audaz y de buen gusto. Volvió al country en alguna ocasión, sobre todo en álbumes a dúo con Mark Knopfler y Jerry Reed, pero en general, los discos de Atkins en Columbia mostraron a un guitarrista más aventurero de lo que se había visto en sus álbumes de RCA.
Por desgracia, Atkins fue diagnosticado de cáncer y en 1997 los médicos le extirparon un tumor del cerebro. En sus últimos meses, el cáncer dejó inactivo a Atkins, que falleció el 30 de junio de 2001 en su casa de Nashville. A lo largo de su carrera, Chet Atkins obtuvo numerosos premios, entre ellos 11 Grammy y nueve CMA al Instrumentista del Año, así como el Lifetime Achievement Award de la NARAS. Aunque su lista de premios es impresionante, sólo empieza a reflejar su contribución a la música country.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chet-atkins-mn0000094205#biography
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