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Atkins, Chet


"Once you become predictable, no one's interested anymore," Chet Atkins surmised. Throughout his singular career, "Mister Guitar" kept fans around the world intrigued by being anything but predictable. He developed his unique right-hand thumb-and-three-finger picking style after hearing Merle Travis on Cincinnati's WLW-AM and trying to figure out how one player could make all that music by himself. Blending elements of jazz with his country roots, Atkins' fretboard acumen soon became the benchmark by which all other guitarists measured their craft. Need proof? Check any early Beatles album and you'll hear Chet's style ringing through George Harrison's licks, an influence Harrison joyfully acknowledged. Combine the number of guitarists influenced directly by Atkins with those inspired by his acolytes and you begin to understand the enormous impact Atkins has had on everyone who has picked up the instrument in his wake.



A relentless perfectionist, Atkins typically took home his session tapes and worked (and reworked) his solos in his home studio until he was satisfied with the results. This audio woodshedding left hours of music in the RCA Victor tape archives, unheard by the public. Until now. This Sundazed Extended Play release unearths three originally unissued recordings from the vaults and a fourth recording that'saw release only on a budget album many decades ago. About his legacy, Atkins reflected, "Years from now, after I'm gone, someone will listen to what I've done and know I was here. They may not know or care who I was, but they'll hear my guitars speaking for me." And what a beautiful conversation it is.

Atkins, Chet

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Atkins, Chester - Guitar Blues / Brown Eyes A'Cryin' In The Rain - 7" Single
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Item #: MH-112 -

    Celebrate the birth of a major recording career- with Chester “Chet” Atkins’ debut single! Chet (then Chester) recorded “Guitar Blues” in 1946, at the young age of 22. Here, Chester tells us a story of through 2 minutes and 53 seconds of rhythmic thumb-picking melodies, a playful chorus by Dutch McMillin on clarinet, and harmonized twin-guitar leads with Roy Lanham. Chester also delivers a solo worthy of his idol, Les Paul. “Brown Eyes A’Cryin’ in the Rain” was penned by Bullet Records’...

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    Price: $28.98
    Atkins, Chet - Hi-Fi In Focus - LP
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    Item #: MH-8061 -

      Heralded hip hi-fi from '57! Chet's 1957 masterpiece! A stunning collection showing his virtuosity and diverse repertoire aimed to satisfy both his core country fans and a pop audience--including the rendition of "Walk, Don't Run" that inspired a Washington quartet's iconic hit cover. Hi-Fi in Focus, from the original masters, pressed on premium RTI vinyl! The distinctive cover of Hi-Fi in Focus set it apart from the usual Chet Atkins LP. The modern abstract photo, meant to depict high...

      Atkins, Chet - My Brother Sings - LP
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      Atkins, Chet - My Brother Sings - LP
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      Item #: LP 5496 -

        The great lost album of country music! Recorded at the then-new RCA Victor Studio B in Nashville, this amazing collection of Chet Atkins with brother Jim on vocals was cancelled before release, and the very few existing copies are now multi-thousand-dollar rarities, with one selling in 2012 for an astounding $8,100! Taped as a test for the brand-new Ampex machines and custom RCA mixing console at the facility, the sessions--intended simply for demonstration purposes--turned out so well that...

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        Atkins, Chet - Workshop - LP
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        Item #: MH-8064 -

          Chet at home - In Living Stereo! The best-selling album of Chet's lengthy career! Having set up a home studio in the '50s, he would lay down backing tracks at RCA with session musicians, then work at home on his own with unlimited freedom to refine the genesis of Chet Atkins' Workshop! Pressed on premium RTI vinyl, from the original masters!The album reflected the continued diversity of his repertoire and ongoing flair for experimentation. Jazz standards like George Shearing's "Lullabye of...