GRETSCH GUITAR
1954年, Chet Atkins 開始對結他音色的追求甚切, 對結他設計有很強的構思。一次偶然遇上 Gretsch 結他品牌的营業代表 Jimmie Webster, 並查詢有否適合自己的結他, 主要是設計、配備和顏色。翌年, Gretsch 結他廠便有一支橙紅色, 兩個 DeArmond® 拾音器和鍍金配件, 聲稱這是特為西部鄉謠歌手而製, 型號 "Streamliner Special" 的結他面世。
CHET ATKINS - Signature Guitar
Gretsch 這一支 6120 型號結他面世, 樂手的口碑甚佳, 很快便跟據 Chet Atkins 的要求, 以 6120 型號為蓝本, 裝上由他指定添加的一支 Bigsby® 可旋轉的延音臂, 琴身的墊手板除了 Gretsch 品牌名字之外, 並刻上他的親筆簽名, 這支命名為 "Chet Atkins Signature Guitar" 的結他繼而面世。
這結他在搖滾和鄉謠樂壇面世之後, 被不少樂手廣泛選用, 當時同受歡迎且有影響力的歌手 Eddie Cochran 和 Duane Eddy 亦各執一支在表演台上出現。至今, 這型號仍帶領着流行樂壇, 是結他製造的典範。
"Chet Atkins Picks on The Beatles"
1966年, Chet Atkins 首次以結他演譯 "The Beatles" 的作品, 由 RCA 唱片公司錄製的專輯唱片; 封套設計, 正面有四個當年瘋魔潮流的"披頭四"冬菇頭髮型, 和一支 Gretsch 品牌電結他; 背面是手握電話的 Chet Atkins, 同樣以"披頭四"(假)髮型示人的相片, 這是樂迷難得見到 Chet 不苟言笑背後的另一面。唱片面世後, 即登上 "Billboard Country Album 鄉謠榜" 列第六位; "Pop Albums Charts 流行專輯榜" 列第112位; 該唱片獲提名1967年 "Grammy Awards 格蘭美獎" 最佳樂器演譯。
CHET ATKINS PICKS ON THE BEATLES
Side one
I Feel Fine
Yesterday
If I Fell
Can;t Buy Me Love
I'll Cry Instead
Things We Said Today
Side two
A Hard Day's Night
I'll Follow the Sun
She's a Woman
And I Love Her
Michelle
She Loves You
"Michelle" -The Beatles
"If I Fell" - The Beatles
Chet Atkins – guitar
Charlie McCoy - harmonica
CHET'S TUNE - Nashville All Stars 群 星 拱 照
1967年, 鄉謠歌手作曲家 Cy Coben (1919-2006) 一篇給 Chet Atkins 作回顧速寫的作品, 交由近四十位來自"Nashville Sound 納殊維爾之聲" 的歌手, 各自唱出每句歌詞, 以表揚他在樂壇幕前或幕後所作出的貢獻。翌年, Chet Atkins 晉升為 RCA Radio Corporation of America 美國本土的副總裁, 公司經他簽下的歌手藝人很多, 包括有 Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Connie Smith, Bobby Bare, Jerry Reed 和 Charlie Pride 等。
"CHET'S TUNE" by Some of Chet's Friends (Nashville All-Stars) Part 1 & 2
Written-By – Cy Coben
"CHET'S TUNE" Lyric - Part 1
Jerry Reed: Guitar
Floyd Cramer: Piano
Eddy Arnold: "Who's the tall man with a guitar in his hand, it's Chet"
Dottie West: "He's the guitar picker's picker, no one picks 'em quicker than Chet"
Archie Campbell: "He first learned to play down in Tennessee way"
Bobby Bare: "Then he started in to roam"
Norma Jean: "Playing here and there, playin' everywhere"
George Hamilton IV: "Till Nashville called him home"
Skeeter Davis: "Lucky are the strings that are caressed by the fingers of Chet"
Jimmy Dean: "All the guitars in the land have voted him the man,
whose business they'd like to get"
Hank Locklin: "From Australia to Kokomo"
Jim Ed Brown: "From Africa to Ohio"
Hank Snow: "Toes are a'tappin and fingers are a-snappin' to
the music of the Country Gentlemen"
John D. Loudermilk: "Guitar-pickin' Chet Atkins"
Anita Kerr Singers: "He first learned to play down in Tennessee way,
then he started in to roam.
Playing here and there, playin' everywhere,
till Nashville called him home"
Connie Smith: "Lucky are the strings that are caressed by the fingers of Chet"
Homer & Jethro: "All the guitars in the land have voted him the man,
whose business they'd like to get"
Waylon Jennings: "From Liverpool to Tokoyo"
Willie Nelson: "From Montreal to El Paso"
Porter Wagoner: "Toes are a'tappin and fingers are a-snappin' to the music of
the Country Gentlemen"
Don Bowman: "Guitar-pickin' Chet Atkins"
Anita Kerr Singers: "Guitar-pickin' Chet Atkins"
Jerry Reed: Guitar
"CHET'S TUNE" Lyric - Part 2
Jerry Reed: Guitar
Lester Flatt: "10 golden fingers playing six silver strings, that's Chet"
Red Lane: "On electric guitar, a classic, or acoustic, he's a gas, that's Chet"
Scotti Carson: "He's humble and he's shy, he's a self-effacing guy,
you'd never know that he's a star"
Pat Daisy: "Tell him he plays great, and he will quickly numerate"
Dickie Lee: "All the better pickers than him there are"
Johnny Russell: "On the radio, when they play his records, right away you say Chet"
Charlie Walker: "He can play any tune, from a hoedown to "Clair de Lune"
Billy Edd Wheeler: "How versatile can you get"
Norro Wilson: "His shelves are filled with great awards
Bud Brewer: "But he don't care, he just picks chords
Nat Stuckey: "All he really wants to do is play guitar his whole life through,
so we say to him play on"
Dallas Frazier: "Chester Atkins, we love you"
Danny Davis & Nashville Brass: Band solo
Anita Kerr Singers: "He's humble and he's shy, he's a self-effacing guy,
you'd never know that he's a star.
Tell him he plays great, and he will quickly numerate,
all the better pickers than him there are"
Buck Trent: Banjo backing Anita Kerr Singers
Kenny Price: "On the radio, when they play his records, right away you say Chet"
Dolly Parton: "He can play any tune, from a hoedown to "Clair de Lune"
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: "How versatile can you get"
Charley Pride: "He's the troubadour of Nashville town, he's Mister Guitar of world renown"
Jessi Colter: "Hope he stays the way he is, he's the finger-pickin' king"
Mac Wiseman: "So we say to him, play on"
Johnny Bush: "Chester Atkins, we love you"
Anita Kerr Singers: "Chester Atkins, we love you"
Jerry Reed: "Well chief, they asked me to put an ending on this record for you,
and I just happened to make up one. A'one, two, ready go, what fun"
二十年之後 .... Chet Atkins with Mark Knopfler & Friends - Live 1987
Chet Atkins & Friends
1. "Deep Thumb Blues" - Chet Atkins
2. "I'll See You in My Dreams"
"Walk of Life" - Atkins and Mark Knopfler
3. "All I Have to Do Is Dream"
"Bye Bye Love"
"Wake Up Little Susie"
"Why Worry" - Atkins and Everly Brothers
4. "Precious Memories" - Atkins and Emmylou Harris
5. "Waltz for the Lonely" - Atkins
6. "I Keep Forgettin'" - Atkins and Michael McDonald
7. "Rose in Paradise" - Atkins and Waylon Jennings
8. "Good Hearted Woman" - Atkins, Jennings and Willie Nelson
9. "Island in the Sea" - Atkins and Nelson
10. "Sunrise" - Atkins and David Pack
11. "Imagine" - Atkins and Knopfler
12. "I Still Can't Say Goodbye" - Atkins
13. "Corrina, Corrina" - Atkins and guests
Dire Straits Members 1985--1988
Mark Knopfler - lead guitar, lead vocals
Jack Sonni - rhythm guitar
John Illsley - bass guitar, backing vocals
Alan Clark - keyboards Guy Fletcher - synthesizer, backing vocals
Terry Williams - drums
Chris White - saxophone
Joop de Korte - percussion (1985--1986)
NEXT .... CHET ATKINS - 4/4 : Certified Guitar Player