Customer Reviews

Essential

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Chet Atkins is not the most flambouyant guitarist, but his skill and technique make him not only one of country music's best guitarists, but a highly influential guitar player during the formative years of rock 'n' roll, having played guitar on most of the Everly Brothers early recordings including "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie."

This 20-track collection begins with a 1954 recording of "Mr. Sandman" and concludes with 1982's "Chet's Medley." Heavily influenced by Merle Travis, this mostly instrumental set shows why Atkins is Nashville's superpicker. [The lone vocal is a duet with Doc Watson on "On My Way to Canaan's Land."] His song selections run the gamut from country to pop to tin pan alley to movie themes and all stops in between.

If this set leaves you wanting more, try and track down the two-disc set The RCA Years. Also superb is the two-fer set with Les Paul--Chester & Lester/Guitar Monsters and the pairing with Mark Knopfler on Neck and Neck. But the Essential Chet Atkins will serve adequately as a primer for this legendary guitarist. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED [Running time - 52:57]

Maybe Merle Travis invented fingerstyle guitar, but Chet Atkins perfected the artform. This is the perfect CD for ANY music fan. The instrumental classics run the gamut from pop melodies, such as "Mr. Sandman," "Alley Cat," and "Yesterday," to down home, foot stomping country and bluegrass guitar classics!

The highlights of this CD are the several duets Chet plays with other guitar greats. Anyone who really thinks they can play guitar should listen to Chet and Jerry Reed pair up on "Jerry's Breakdown," which is so blindingly fast it sounds like two banjo players on amphetamines. As if that weren't enough, listen to Chet's fingerstyle approach blend with the flat picking wizardry of Doc Watson on "Tennessee Rag/Beaumont Rag." As a sixth-year guitar player, I was stunned that anyone could play so well.

However, you need not be a guitar player to appreciate and love this CD. Anyone who loves music of all genres interpreted and played to perfection will enjoy this collection.

I'm sure Les Paul and Chet Atkins did more for the guitar than anyone of their generation. This great album scans most of his career and includes everything from 'Yakety Axe' and spin-off of Boots Randolphs' 'Yakety Sax' to a Beatle tune. I always found the trio of Floyd Cramer, Boots Randolph and Chet Atkins entertaining.

Saturday, September 05, 1998

As a 14-year-old, I saw Chet on the Grand Ole Opry playing his wonderful Finger Style Guitar. My life was forever changed. I had to play guitar the way Chet Played there on the Stage of the Grand Ole Opry on a hot summer evening.

I once worked in a Collectible Records shop. The owner of that shop had seen Elvis on TV when he was 8 years old. He said that Elvis made such an impression on him that he could still close his eyes and see Elvis on Stage.

Chet affected me that way. Till this day I can still see Chet in my mind's eye, there on the Stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

Singers never did that much for me. Oh I like singing, and have my favorite-singing artists, but Guitar Players did it for me. I always loved guitar, and Chet was my very favorite.

Not that Chet had me exclusively. In the 50s I liked Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, all the great Be Bop Modern Jazz Guitarist. But Chet was my most admired of all the guitarist I loved, and still enjoy so very much.

I heard these Chet Atkins recordings in the 1950s. They are both great. I heard them on the Radio, and went out and bought them. Mr. Sandman on a 78 RPM record.

Poor People of Paris on a 45 RPM recording. Jean's song it was called also, and was used by a morning DJ on a country music station down in Panama City Florida around the years 1956 and 1957. Loved to hear it every morning when I was getting ready for work.

1. Mr. Sandman 2. Poor People Of Paris (Jean's Song), The

How I love these two Chet Atkins Recordings. 8. Blue Angel

I played the Blue Angel recording of Chet's when I was a DJ back in 1968 to 1970. It's a great piece of music by Chet, my hero, then and still.

Another great Atkins recording is: 17. Londonderry Air

I had this recording in three records EP 45 RPM set from back in the late 50s. O'Danny Boy is also the Title. I had heard Slim Whitman sing it. It's a great Old Irish song, with such a wonderful melody. Chet was always a melody man. That is probably why Chet was never a really great be bop jazz guitarists, though he loves be bop Jazz Greatly.

Two of the World's greatest guitarist team up here on:

20. Beaumont Rag - (with Doc Watson)

Doc Watson plays finger Style Guitar, and was influenced by the man who influenced Chet more than any other guitarist. Both Chet and Doc named their children after their Greatest Guitar Hero, Merle Travis. Chet didn't have a son, so he named his daughter after Merle Travis. Merle Atkins, Chet's daughter must be honored to have been named after he Daddies greatest guitar hero.

These many different style songs show Chet's great versatility:

3. Boo Boo Stick Beat 4. Alley Cat 5. Travelin' 6. Yakety Axe 7. Yesterday 12. Jerry's Breakdown 13. Black Mountain Rag 14. Fiddlin' Around 15. Somewhere My Love 16. Entertainer, The - (from "The Sting")

Jerry's breakdown was no doubt written by one of Chet's guitar heroes Jerry Reed, who is a great and gifted guitar player/songwriter/singer, and not a bad actor in "Smokey and The Bandit."

If you want The Essential Chet Atkins, this is the CD for you. Buy it today. You will love it. Chet will enrich your life if you love guitar.

The Dobroman in Denver Colorado

All I can say is that from the moment I hit the play button, I was mesmerized by this CD. I listened to it over and over, and am still listening to it. The Essential Chet Atkins is just that, essential listening, not only if you're a Chet Atkins fan, but also if you appreciate distinctive guitar picking. From background music to front-line listening, this is a CD worth hearing--over and over and over. Also check out Chet Atkins with Mark Knopfler, a thoroughly pleasurable collaboration.

Now, I'm not a guitar player but I love to hear 'ol Chester pick! And you won't find a better intro to Chet Atkins, perhaps one of the most important musicians of our time, than here.

This man can sing a song with a guitar. You will recognize most of the tunes you hear on this recording, mostly classics from the fifties and yes,even "Yesterday" from the Beatles! You won't be disappointed with this one, even if you just keep it for the sake of filling a slot in the ole CD rack. Hey! if you play guitar, this is definatley a must, redardless of you style or genre of music.

the sounds and textures in his playing are great.very relaxing on this disc but timely.he is one of the greatest guitarist ever.

After having listened to Chet on this album, and the 3 CD Set I just received and listened to (this compilation goes a long way to flesh out the excellence of his CA in 3 Dimensions.),the immense talent and forbearance of Chet and His Guitar is immeasurable! Don't fight it! Experience it! David C. Shipston

The Chet Atkins "Essential" is a very good CD for all who enjoy clean guitar playing. One of Chet's best!