Product Details

• Actors: Chet Atkins
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: July 3, 2001
• Run Time: 44 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005KH20
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #123,737 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This is 44 minutes of pure joy. As a tribute to guitar master Chet Atkins, it's too short by half, but this TNN documentary (originally broadcast nearly 10 months before Atkins died at age 77 in June 2001) succeeds as both a concise chronology of Atkins's career and a loving valentine from the great musicians who benefited from Atkins's mentorship, collaboration, and shared love of music. Every testimony is genuinely sincere, just like Atkins was, and gracefully balanced with Chet's own picking (as astonishing as ever), interview clips, and fond reminiscences of his early days as a Tennessee performer. Appropriate emphasis is given to Atkins's career as a celebrated producer and talent scout, and while Dolly Parton, George Benson, and Suzy Bogguss explain how Atkins supported their careers, other veterans like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Les Paul describe Atkins's crucial influence in the creation and development of "the Nashville Sound."

All of the interviewees are exceptionally well-chosen, ranging from country legends like June Carter Cash to contemporary guitar heroes like Mark Knopfler (who championed Atkins on their bestselling duo recordings), Steve Howe (from Yes), Peter Frampton, and Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, who dedicates his own unique career to promoting Atkins's legacy. Archival clips show Atkins perfecting his amazing ability to play two melodies at once, providing a rich survey of his mastery throughout six decades of multiple musical styles. At one point, Dolly Parton affectionately praises Atkins for "spreading gold dust around the world," and this splendid show offers ample proof that Atkins's gold will shine forever. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description
Chet Atkins is a true American music icon. He is the most recorded instrumentalist in history and has been awarded 13 Grammys. From humble beginnings in the hills of Tennessee and through the ups and downs of a career that revolutionalized country music and helped shape rock and roll, the incredible life of Chet Atkins is chronicled through original interviews, archival footage and performances. Guests include Dolly Parton, Mark Knopfler, Les Paul, John Fogerty, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Suzy Bogguss, George Benson, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, and Peter Frampton. 44 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great video...kind of short though, November 15, 2001

By	"dr_willard" (Buffalo, WV United States) - See all my reviews

This video is a really good one and is professionally done. The only problem I had with it was it's shortness and the fact that it didn't show him play very much.

Basically, it is a bunch of interviews with Chet and those around him, including a jog through his childhood.

If you want to know more about the man, I would recommend it. If you are looking for videos of his playing, look elsewhere.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No music just interviews, July 31, 2001

By	Wayne Barnes (New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this to hear Chet Akins, who recently passed away, play some of his great guitar music. As interview after interview went on I kept thinking that at any moment they would show him at a concert or at a studio playing his guitar. Well whenever he did start to play they overlayed more interviews about how great Chet was. Well he was great I just wanted to hear him prove it once again. A real disappointment.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not pure joy, February 5, 2002

By	Dr. M. Villanueva (Albuquerque, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This is a documentary, this is not a performance DVD. I am pretty disappointed. If you like recording PBS documentaries, then buy this DVD, it has that special salutory educational theme. If you really want to see Chet play..... well, buy a CD and use your imagination instead.