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Chet Atkins

Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), also known as "Mister Guitar" and "the Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music style which expanded its appeal to adult pop music fans. He was primarily a guitarist, but he also played the mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and ukulele, and occasionally sang.

Atkins's signature picking style was inspired by Merle Travis. His other major guitar influences were Django Reinhardt, George Barnes, Les Paul, and, later, Jerry Reed. His distinctive picking style and musicianship brought him admirers inside and outside the country scene, both in the United States and abroad. Atkins spent most of his career at RCA Victor and produced records for the Browns, Hank Snow, Porter Wagoner, Norma Jean, Dolly Parton, Dottie West, Perry Como, Floyd Cramer, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Waylon Jennings, Roger Whittaker, Ann-Margret and many others.

Rolling Stone credited Atkins with inventing the "popwise 'Nashville sound' that rescued country music from a commercial slump" and ranked him number 21 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In 2023, Atkins was named the 39th best guitarist of all time. Among many other honors, Atkins received 14 Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received nine Country Music Association awards for Instrumentalist of the Year. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.

Birth and Death Data: Born Luttrell (town in Tennessee), Died June 30, 2001 (Nashville (capital and largest city of Tennessee, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1947 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, electric guitar, leader, vocalist, composer, songwriter, violin, electric bass, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 226-250 of 366 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia CO49907 10-in. 9/1/1953 Look what followed me home tonight (Mama, can't I keep it) George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO49908 10-in. 9/1/1953 No one knows it better than me George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO49909 10-in. 9/1/1953 Love, love, love George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO49910 10-in. 9/1/1953 The first time I told you a lie George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50354 10-in. 10/28/1953 Just call on me Dusty Owens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50355 10-in. 10/28/1953 Somewhere she's waiting Dusty Owens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50356 10-in. 10/28/1953 Hello, operator Dusty Owens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50357 10-in. 10/28/1953 The life you want to live Dusty Owens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50362 10-in. 10/30/1953 There'll be no teardrops tonight Anita Carter Female vocal solo, with string band and violin ensemble instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50363 10-in. 10/30/1953 Heartless romance Anita Carter Female vocal solo, with string orchestra instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50364 10-in. 10/30/1953 Don Juan Anita Carter ; The Carter Sisters Female vocal solo, with string band & violin ensemble instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50365 10-in. 10/30/1953 Faithless Johnny Lee Anita Carter ; The Carter Sisters Female vocal solo, with string orchestra instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50719 10-in. 1/7/1954 It's been nice George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50720 10-in. 1/7/1954 Walking shoes George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50721 10-in. 1/7/1954 I think I'm going to cry George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO50722 10-in. 1/7/1954 Sweetheart George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51169 10-in. 3/22/1954 Forever yours Maddox Brothers & Rose Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51170 10-in. 3/22/1954 You won't believe this Maddox Brothers & Rose Mixed vocal duet, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51171 10-in. 3/22/1954 I could never stop loving you Maddox Brothers & Rose Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51172 10-in. 3/22/1954 Fountain of youth Maddox Brothers & Rose Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51173 10-in. 3/22/1954 Marry me again Rose Maddox Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51174 10-in. 3/22/1954 Poor little heartbroken rose Rose Maddox Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51175 10-in. 3/22/1954 Waltz of the pines Rose Maddox Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51176 10-in. 3/22/1954 I wonder if I can lose the blues this way Rose Maddox Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO51201 10-in. 3/28/1954 The world is a monster Rocky Porter Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
(Results 226-250 of 366 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Atkins, Chet," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103333.

Atkins, Chet. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103333.

"Atkins, Chet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103333

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