Without Chet Atkins, country music may never have crossed over into the pop charts in the '50s and '60s. Although he has recorded hundreds of solo records, Chet 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 is without parallel. Atkins' style grew out of his admiration for Merle Travis, expanding Travis' signature syncopated thumb and fingers roll into new territory.

Interestingly, Chet Atkins didn't begin him 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, TN, as well as becoming part of the Dixie Swingers. Atkins worked with Homer and 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, VA, but he was repeatedly fired because his musical arrangements differed from the expectations of the station's executives. He eventually moved to Springfield, MO, 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, CO and was playing with Shorty Thompson and His Rangers. Upon receiving the call from RCA, he moved to Nashville to record.

Once he arrived in Nashville, Chet 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 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, Chet 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 of these instruments continued to sell in the '90s.

Steve 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 5 hit in 1965 with a reworking of Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax, retitled Yakety Axe, in addition to being a sizeable country hit, the song crossed over to the pop charts. Atkins' role behind the scene 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 Steve 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 and 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. Columbia Records signed him in 1982. Primed for a new chapter in his creative life, Chet gave himself a 'degree' in 1983. It is Certified Guitar Player and he began signing his name as 'Chet Atkins, C.G.P.' Leaning increasingly toward pop-jazz, Chet issued Work It Out With Chet (1983), East Tennessee Christmas (1983), Stay Tuned (1985), Street Dreams (1986), Sails (1987), Chet Atkins C.G.P. (1988) and Read My Licks (1994). Chet's 1990 release of Neck & Neck is a duet CD with Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler. He reunited with Jerry Reed for an instrumental CD in 1992, Sneakin' Around, and a new generation of performers has lined up to collaborate with the legend. They include country singer Suzy Bogguss, former Toto bassist David Hungate, champion fiddler Mark O'Connor and jazz greats George Benson, Larry Carlton and Earl Klugh. Chet is Emmylou Harris's banjo teacher.

As a producer, Chet Atkins continued to do occasional work with acts such as South African balladeer Roger Whittaker and radio star Garrison Keillor. He appeared frequently on the latter's Prairie Home Companion show and remained a popular concert attraction, often appearing with symphony orchestras. He also starred in his own Cinemax cable-TV special, A Session with Chet Atkins, C.G.P. In 1987 Chet introduced an instructional video, Get Started on the Guitar, which has since outsold all other home videos of its type. Thanks to the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society, he has become the subject of an annual four-day Nashville convention featuring admirers from around the world.

Today, Chet Atkins continues his career as actively as ever. He has just completed recording his 10th album for Columbia Records, due for release in March 1996. Entitled Almost Alone the album features 11 great Chet Atkins guitar arrangements played 'solo', with only an orchestra accompanying 4 tunes. For the many long-term Chet Atkins fans who love listening to his mastery in it's purest form, this album has been long-awaited. And Chet has just completed an advanced guitar instructional video, The Guitar Of Chet Atkins, due for release in April 1996. Here Chet shows the viewer nine complicated guitar arrangements, and then slows it down to show how it's done. Anyone with some ability on the guitar will be able to learn a massive amount about Chet's technique and some of his trade secrets. And as the viewer learns, he is entertained with Chet's wit and wisdom and gets to know Chet Atkins more personally than ever before.

Throughout his career, Chet earned numerous awards, including 11 Grammy awards and nine CMA 'Instrumentalist of the Year' honours, as well as 'Lifetime Achievement Award' from NARAS. Although his award list is impressive, they only begin to convey his contribution to country music.

Chet Atkins remains a vital musical force in the community he helped to create. His works in music will remain unparalleled forever. He is a musician's musician and a gentleman's gentleman. He has a lasting legacy and a level of excellence that stands as a standard for everyone who will ever work in Music City.

He has done more than play, produce and perform. He has built a culture. He has helped forge a community. He has drawn a blueprint for greatness. He has helped found an industry. He is one of the architects of The Nashville Sound. And his saga continues.