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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 51-75 of 366 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor E1VB-0924 10-in. 1/31/1951 You're always brand new Chet Atkins ; Danny Dill ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-0925 10-in. 1/31/1951 My crazy heart (for company) Chet Atkins ; Danny Dill ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader, songwriter  
Victor E1VB-0926 10-in. 1/31/1951 Hybrid corn Chester "Chet" Atkins Electric guitar solo, with bass leader, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Victor E1VB-0927 10-in. 2/2/1951 My life with you Annie Lou and Danny ; Chet Atkins ; Carter Sisters ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Female-male vocal duet, with female vocal trio and string band leader, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E1VB-0928 10-in. 2/2/1951 I'm crying Anita Carter Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-0929 10-in. 2/2/1951 A trinket of shiny gold Chet Atkins ; Carter Sisters ; Guitar Pickers (Chet Atkins) Female vocal solo, with vocal harmonies and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-2024 10-in. 4/23/1951 Just a sailor's sweetheart Rosalie Allen ; Black River Riders Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E1VB-2025 10-in. 4/23/1951 Somebody Rosalie Allen ; Black River Riders Female vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E1VB-2037 10-in. 4/23/1951 Jitterbug waltz Chester "Chet" Atkins Guitar solo, with guitar and bass overdubs instrumentalist, electric guitar, electric bass, leader  
Victor E1VB-2039 10-in. 4/24/1951 Cowpoke Elton Britt ; Skytoppers Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-2040 10-in. 4/24/1951 Lookin' around Elton Britt ; Skytoppers Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-2053 10-in. 4/26/1951 Crazy rhythm Chet Atkins ; The Beaver Valley Sweethearts Female vocal duet, with guitar and overdubs instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-2054 10-in. 4/26/1951 Pennsylvania The Beaver Valley Sweethearts Male vocal solo, with female vocal duet and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-2055 10-in. 4/26/1951 I've been wond'rin' my darlin' The Beaver Valley Sweethearts Male vocal solo, with female vocal duet and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor E1VB-2056 10-in. 4/26/1951 Lonely little robin The Beaver Valley Sweethearts ; Elton Britt ; Skytoppers Male vocal solo, with female vocal duet and string band instrumentalist, guitar, leader  
Victor G2WB-0218 10-in. 1/11/1956 I was the one Elvis Presley Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor F4WB-2260 10-in. 5/10/1955 That's why I cry Cecil Luna instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor F4WB-2263 10-in. 5/10/1955 Please believe me Cecil Luna instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor F4PB-2265 10-in. 5/11/1955 I'm hot to trot Terry Fell instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Victor F4PB-2267 10-in. 5/11/1955 Fa-so-la Terry Fell instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Victor E4LB-3655 10-in. 2/22/1954 (I was) standing in the station Shorty Long instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Victor E4LB-3656 10-in. 2/22/1954 Make with me de love Shorty Long instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Victor D7VB-0780 10-in. 8/11/1947 Ain'tcha tired of makin' me blue Chet Atkins ; Colorado Mountain Boys Male vocal solo, with string band leader, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor D7VB-0781 10-in. 8/11/1947 I'm gonna get tight Chet Atkins ; Colorado Mountain Boys Male vocal solo, with string band leader, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor D7VB-0782 10-in. 8/11/1947 Canned heat Chet Atkins ; Colorado Mountain Boys String band leader, instrumentalist, guitar, composer  
(Results 51-75 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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