The Gretsch Company was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a twenty-seven year old German immigrant recently arrived in the US. Friedrich Gretsch manufactured banjos, tambourines, and drums, until his death in 1895. His son, Fred, moved operations to Brooklyn, New York in 1916. Gretsch then became one of the most prominent manufacturers of American musical instruments.

Guitar production began in the late 1930s, and Gretsch guitars became highly sought after, most notably in the 1950s and 1960s. They lost favor with players during the 1970s and 1980s for various reasons, including a problematic relationship with the Baldwin Piano Company. Gretsch eventually slid into bankruptcy, but it was revived by Fred W. Gretsch in 1989. Gretsch, who is great-great-grandson to Friederich Gretsch, and is sometimes referred to as Fred Gretsch III, remains president of the company to this day.

Most modern-era Gretsch guitars are manufactured in the Far East, though US-made "Custom Shop" models remain available. In 2003 Gretsch entered into an agreement with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), under the terms of which Fred Gretsch III would continue to own the company, with FMIC handling most development, distribution and sales.

History

Beginnings

Gretsch was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a young German immigrant. His Brooklyn shop was made for the manufacture of banjos, tambourines, and drums. In 1895, at the age of 39, Gretsch died, and the successful company was taken over by his son Fred. By 1916, Fred had moved the company into a larger 10-story building in the Williamsburg district, becoming one of the most prominent American musical instrument makers.

The 1950s and 1960s

By the mid 1950s, after Fred's son Fred Jr. had taken the reins. It was during this time the company introduced several distinctive models, including the 6120 "Nashville," the Duo Jet chambered "solidbody", the Country Club, and the White Falcon.

During this time, Chet Atkins became an endorser of Gretsch. Atkins was one of the pre-eminent guitarists of his day, and his endorsement gave Gretsch greater visibility in competition with Gibson and Fender. Gretsch ultimately sold thousands of guitars with Chet's name on the pickguard, most notably the 6120 Chet Atkins model, one of which was purchased in 1957 by a young guitar player named Duane Eddy. The worldwide success of Eddy's "twangy" instrumental records, television appearances, and extensive touring helped expose the Gretsch guitar to the teenage rock and roll market. George Harrison, years later, would refer to this model as "the Eddie Cochran/Duane Eddy guitar". Other Chet Atkins models were the Country Gentleman (named after an instrumental hit for Chet) and the Tennessean , a lower cost version of the Country Gent.

Many rockabilly players had followed in the footsteps of Eddie Cochran, who also wielded a 6120 (though modified with a Gibson P-90 pickup in the neck position) and Gene Vincent's guitarist Cliff Gallup, who played a Duo Jet. Elvis Presley himself later owned a Gretsch Country Gentleman - (recently manufactured as "Gretsch Country Classic" but now renamed Chet Atkins Country Gentleman), playing it briefly both on stage and in the studio. Gretsch quickly became a legitimate competitor to both Gibson and its main rivals, Fender and Rickenbacker. Gretsch fortunes rose yet again in the early sixties when George Harrison played a Gretsch Country Gentleman on the ''Ed Sullivan Show''. Despite popular belief, he acquired two Country Gentleman guitars; his first was destroyed when it fell out of the trunk of their car on the roadway. He would later switch to a Gretsch Tennessean and his Country Gentleman made its last appearance in the music video of 'You're Going To Lose That Girl' in the movie 'Help!' The Ed Sullivan Country Gent was given to Ringo Starr by Harrison's wife, Olivia (http://www.thecanteen.com/hudson.html).

The British Invasion brought with it, in addition to an extensive use of Rickenbackers, further popularity to Gretsch models. In addition to the Beatles, Brian O'Hara of the Fourmost used a Country Gentleman; it has been suggested that George Harrison gave him this guitar after acquiring the Tennessean. John Lennon at one point acquired a Nashville (double cutaway) The Animals' Hilton Valentine played a Tennessean on the classic House of the Rising Sun. Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones used a 1963 model 6118 Double Anniversary from late 1963 - mid 1964, used on the Stones' version of I Wanna Be Your Man as well as the Rolling Stones' first album as well as a few tracks on 12 X 5, notably It's All Over Now. Gerry Marsden from Gerry and the Pacemakers can also be seen using a Gretsch guitar.

Beginning in 1966, Gretsch had weekly television exposure when the company supplied the guitars and drums for ''The Monkees'', extending the demand for guitars. Both Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison of the Velvet Underground used a Gretsch Country Gentleman during the bands' lifetime (although not simultaneously - they shared the same guitar), as did The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire. As the sixties waned into the seventies, Gretschs were seen in the hands of Stephen Stills and Neil Young, who each played Falcon models on the Buffalo Springfield's lone hit, "For What It's Worth". Pete Townshend of the Who also used a '59 orange Gretsch 6120 (given to him by Joe Walsh) on their 1971 Who's Next and 1973 Quadrophenia albums, including their hits, "Bargain", "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "5:15".

Gretsch electric twelve-string and The Monkees

According to the audio commentary by Michael Nesmith for the episode "I've Got A Little Song Here" on ''The Monkees: Season One'' DVD set, prior to The Monkees, Nesmith liked twelve string electric guitars. At the time, only Rickenbacker and Vox mass-produced them. Nesmith, however, preferred the bluesy twangy sound of a Gretsch over the distinctive pop sound of a Rickenbacker. According to Nesmith, there was a luthier in Los Angeles that converted six string electric guitars into twelve string guitars. Nesmith bought himself a Gretsch Country Gentleman to convert into a twelve string, and that is the guitar he used in the pilot episode of ''The Monkees'', "Here Come The Monkees". (''Note:'' Upon close examination of the film footage, the guitar Nesmith identifies as a Country Gentleman is actually a Gretsch Tennessean. When the pilot episode aired, the music scenes were re-shot. As a result, Mike is holding the original Gretsch as the band is setting up, but has the famous blonde Gretsch once they start playing.) Once the pilot was sold as a series, and Gretsch made the deal to supply the group with instruments, Nesmith contacted Fred Gretsch, and asked if he could make him a twelve-string electric guitar. Gretsch agreed, and the result is the famous blonde electric twelve string that Nesmith used during the Monkees' entire run, on the series, in the recording studio, and in concert. Meanwhile, Fred Gretsch liked the finished instrument so much, he put the electric twelve string into production. One of the first was given to George Harrison and was later known as the "George Harrison Model" (Harrison, preferring his Rickenbacker twelve-string, gave the guitar to a friend).

From 1966 through 1968, Gretsch also produced the Gretsch 6123, which was a Monkees signature electric six string guitar. However, since the Monkees' target demographic was preteen-aged girls, the guitar (bright red in color, with a dubious "Monkees" logo on the pickguard) was not a sales success, since few of these girls played guitar, and even fewer had the cash to cover the $469 price tag.

Sale, Gretsch family regains interest

Fred Gretsch never found an adequate successor, and in 1967 Gretsch was sold to Baldwin Pianos, becoming a subsidiary.

During the "Baldwin era," new models were introduced throughout the seventies and old favorites soldiered on. Solidbody guitars rose to prominence in rock, with the harder styles of the era favoring Stratocasters and Les Pauls, and hollowbodies fell in popularity. In 1979, after Fred Jr's death, Chet Atkins withdrew his endorsement in response to quality problems and Gretsch's unwillingness to pursue his vision of a nylon-string electric guitar. Factory fires in the early 1970s caused serious problems, and production was finally halted by Baldwin in 1981.

In 1989, another Fred Gretsch, nephew of Fred Jr., and his wife Dinah acquired their namesake company. The first new model was the Traveling Wilburys model, an Asian import which looked much like a Danelectro. While the guitar did little credit to Gretsch classics of the past, it served notice that Gretsch was back.

After numerous failed attempts to acquire facilities or contract production in the United States, Fred Gretsch and long-time Gretsch employee Duke Kramer, who advised Gretsch, turned to Terada of Japan, and production began anew. A range of reissues appeared throughout the nineties to mixed reviews. They were of generally high quality, but with notable non-vintage details and features; occasional US-built "Custom Shop" models were offered at significantly higher prices.

Resurgence

In the 1980s, rockabilly revival player Brian Setzer rekindled interest in the brand with his band The Stray Cats. His influence continued through the 1990s with The Brian Setzer Orchestra and its fusion of "hyperbilly" guitar and powerful big band arrangements. In 1990, he became the first player since Chet Atkins to be honored with a signature-model Gretsch, the Brian Setzer 6120, which is now one of an extensive line of Setzer signature models. Jim Heath, aka Reverend Horton Heat has been an important Gretsch proponent in the modern era, and also has a signature model.

The FMIC era

In late 2002, Gretsch and Fender reached an agreement giving Fender most control over marketing, production, and distribution of guitars (although the Gretsch family still owns Gretsch Guitars).

Fender quickly set about improving the line by upgrading substandard electrical components and bringing modern production more closely in line with designs and practices of the classic era. Body and headstock shapes, which on reissues from the 90s and early 00s had varied from 50s-60s practice, were made more vintage-correct. Hollowbodies were returned to 3-ply construction rather than the 5-plies of the 1990-2002 period. Filtertron double-coil pickups were redesigned by TV Jones to sound more like vintage pickups. Duo Jets were more extensively chambered, again in accordance with vintage practice, and the trestle bracing of the 1959-1961 era was re-introduced on the Setzer line and other selected models.

An array of models based on vintage designs has been introduced, with widespread approval among players and even collectors. While such judgments are always subjective and sometimes contentious, many feel FMIC-era Gretschs exhibit the highest level of overall build quality, attention to detail, and consistency in Gretsch's long history.

Gretsch also introduced new models consistent with its heritage but aimed at modern players, with features like premium pickups manufactured by TV Jones, locking Sperzel tuners, and ML bracing designed by Mike Lewis of FMIC and Masao Terada of the Terada company in Japan, where all Gretsch pro-line guitars are now built.

In January 2007, upon an agreement with the Atkins family, Gretsch announced the return of Chet Atkins as an endorser. The Country Classic models became Country Gentlemen once again, the name "Chet Atkins Hollowbody" returned to the 6120 Nashvilles, and the Tennessee Rose became the Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose. In July 2008, a limited run of Chet Atkins 6120 Stereo guitars was introduced, based on a famous prototype from 1956 which featured in several landmark Atkins recordings, but was never produced in series.

Billy Zoom, of the Los Angeles punk band X, was honored with a limited-edition Gretsch Custom Shop Jet model in 2008; this guitar is based on Zoom's own vintage Jet, and includes more extensive internal chambering than any other modern Jet, exactly reproducing the construction revealed when Zoom's original guitar was CAT-scanned at a medical facility during development.

At the same time, FMIC has refined and improved the mid-priced Electromatic line by discontinuing the low-end bolt-neck models of the late 90s and early 2000s, which incorporated generic humbucking pickups and wraparound bridges. The Electromatic Hollowbody line has proven particularly successful, from the 5125 - 5129 series with its US-made DeArmond 2000 pickups and the similar 5120 series. The 5120, a single-cutaway model inspired by the 6120, has become the best-selling guitar in Gretsch history, with an active after-market in replacement pickups from TV Jones and other makers for players who feel they provide a more characteristic tone than the stock "Gretschbucker" double-coil pickups. The double-cutaway 5122 model, introduced in 2008 and inspired by the 6122 Country Gentleman, fills out the Korean-built Electromatic Hollow line.

The Electromatic line also includes Pro Jet and Double Jet chambered solidbodies based on Gretsch's venerable Duo Jet line; these are equipped with Gretsch mini-humbuckers unavailable on any other guitar. Final members of the Electromatic line are the Corvette series, thin mahogany solidbodies based on the identically named and same-shaped model of the early sixties – but with the newly designed Mega'Tron double-coil pickups exclusive to the Corvette line. Both G. Love and Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy have been honored with signature-series Electromatic Corvettes, the G. Love introduced in January 2008 and Stump's "Stump-o-matic" in January 2009.

Current models

Hollow body electric

Single cutaway body style

+Professional collection	!Model	!Name
G6073	''Electrotone Bass''
G6117T-HT	Anniversary
	Anniversary125th AnniversaryAnniversary with BigsbyAnniversary Lacquer/TV JonesAnniversary Junior
	Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose
G6119BG6119BO	''Broadkaster Bass''
G6120KS	Keith Scott Nashville
G6120RHH
G6120-6/12	Nashville Double Neck (6 and 12-string)
	Chet Atkins Hollow Body
G6120DSWG6120W-1957G6120-CGP	Chet Atkins Western StyleChet Atkins Stereo
G6120-125	Chet Atkins 125th Anniversary Limited Edition (limited to 25 pieces)
G6120DSW-R	Chet Atkins Relic
G6120SSLG6120SSLVOG6120SSUG6120SSUGR	Brian Setzer Nashville
G6120SHBKG6120SHAG6120SHBG6120SHTG6120SHPG6120SHLG6120SHBKTVG6120SHATVG6120SHBTVG6120SHTTVG6120SHPTVG6120SHLTV	Brian Setzer Hot Rod
	Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
G6126TCC	Chris Cheney Signature Model
G6130	Knotty Pine Roundup
G6136DSG6136T-LDSG6136DCG6136TG6136T-LTVG6136CST
G6136DSBKG6136TBK	Black Falcon
G6136TSL	Silver Falcon
G6136I	Bono Irish Falcon
G6136-1958	Stephen Stills White Falcon
G6136DL
G6136WCST	Chet Atkins Western Style
G6136SLBP	Brian Setzer Black Phoenix
6143, 6144, 6145
G6192G6192TG6193G6193TG6196G6196TG6196TSP-2GG6196TSP-BY
G7593	White Falcon I

+Electromatic collection	!Model	!Name
G5120G5120BKG5120SBG5125G5126G5127G5128G5129	Electromatic Hollow Body

Double cutaway body style

+Professional collection	!Model	!Name
G6120DC	Chet Atkins Nashville
G6122-1962G6122IIG6122-12	Chet Atkins Country GentlemanChet Atkins Country Gentleman 12 (12-string)
G6136DCG6136LSB	White Falcon''White Falcon Long Scale Hollow-Body Bass''

+Electromatic collection	!Model	!Name
G5122DC	Electromatic Hollow Body

Solid body electric

Single cutaway body style

+Professional collection	!Model	!Name
	Chet Atkins Solid Body
	Duo Jet
G6128-TDS-R	Duo Jet Relic (limited to 75 pieces)
G6128TVPG6128T-TVP	Power Jet
G6128B	''Thunder Jet Bass''
	Silver Jet
G6129AUG6129TGG6129TL	Sparkle Jet
G6129BZ	Billy Zoom Custom Shop Tribute Silver Jet
Gretsch 6131	Jet Firebird
G6131TVPG6131T-TVP	Power Jet Firebird
	White Penguin
G6134B	Black Penguin
G6138	[[Bo Diddley (rectangular)
G6199
G6199B	''"Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird Bass''

+Electromatic collection	!Model	!Name
G5210G5215	Junior Jet
G5220G5225	Junior Jet II
G5235G5235TG5236G5236TG5238G5238T	Pro Jet
G5245TG5246TG5248T	Double Jet
525052555259	Special Jet
5265	Baritone Jet
G5566	Jet Double Neck (lead and baritone)
G5700G5715	Lap Steel
G5810G5850	Bo Diddley (rectangular)Mini Diddley (rectangular)

Double cutaway body style

+Professional collection	!Model	!Name
G6128T-1962	Duo Jet
G6129T-1962	Silver Jet

+Electromatic collection	!Model	!Name
G5135G5135GLG5135PS	Electromatic CorvetteG. LovePatrick Vaughn Stump Stumpomatic

Acoustic

+Arch top	!Model	!Name
Synchromatic Archtop
G100G100CEG100BKCE	Synchromatic ArchtopSynchromatic Archtop Cutaway Acoustic/Electric
Professional collection
G400G400BG400CG400UV	Synchromatic ArchtopSynchromatic Archtop CutawayJimmie Vaughan Synchromatic
G6040MCSS	Synchromatic Archtop Cutaway

+Flat top	!Model	!Name
Professional collection
G6022G6022CG6022EG6022CWFF	RancherRancher CutawayRancher Acoustic/ElectricRancher Falcon Cutaway
Flat Top collection
G5010G5012G5013G5015	Rancher Junior
G5020CG5022CG5023CG5025C	Rancher Jumbo
G5030G5030CG5032G5032CG5033G5033CG5035G5035C	Dreadnought, Dreadnought Cutaway

Drums

During the 1950s and 1960s, many renowned Jazz drummers, such as Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach, and even Billy Cobham (during the early 70's in the early Mahavishnu days) utilized Gretsch drums. They were all playing the now classic "round badge" kits. Micky Dolenz also used Gretsch drums during the filming of the Monkees TV series. Phil Collins used a Gretsch drum kit for many years while touring with Genesis, also legendary studio and all around drummer Vinnie Colaiuta plays Gretsch. Charlie Watts (the Wembley Whammer) of the Rolling Stones has played Gretsch drums for forty-five years. Other artists who have used Gretsch drums include Brad Wilk from Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine, Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Debbi Peterson of The Bangles and Steve Ferrone of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Replicas

Harmonix Music Systems released a replica Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar controller with along side the release of "The Beatles: Rock Band".

Notes

Bacon, T. (2000). (Ed.). Fuzz & Feedback: Classic Guitar Music of the 60's. Miller Freeman Books. San Francisco. ISBN 0-87930-612-2.

External links

Gretsch

Category:Guitar manufacturing companies Category:Percussion instrument manufacturing companies Category:Manufacturing companies based in New York Category:Companies established in 1883 Category:Companies based in New York City

de:Gretsch es:Gretsch eo:Gretsch fr:Gretsch ko:그레치 hr:Gretsch it:Gretsch he:Gretsch nl:Gretsch ja:グレッチ no:Gretsch pt:Gretsch fi:Gretsch sv:Gretsch

name	Chet Atkins
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Chester Burton Atkins
alias	Mr. GuitarThe Country Gentleman
birth date	June 20, 1924
birth place	Luttrell, Tennessee, US
death date	June 30, 2001
death place	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
instrument	Guitar, violin
genre	Country, classical, folk, jazz
occupation	Musician, songwriter, producer
years active	1942–2001
label	RCA, Columbia
website
notable instruments	Country GentlemanTennessean6120Gibson Chet Atkins SST }}

Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.

Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, George Barnes and Les Paul, brought him admirers within and outside the country scene, both in the United States and internationally. Atkins produced records for The Browns, Porter Wagoner, Norma Jean, Dolly Parton, Dottie West, Perry Como, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Waylon Jennings and many others.

Among many honors, Atkins received 14 Grammy Awards as well as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, nine Country Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year awards, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Biography

Childhood and early life

Chet Atkins was born on June 20, 1924, in Luttrell, Tennessee, near Clinch Mountain. His parents divorced when he was six, after which he was raised by his mother. He was the youngest of three boys and a girl. He started out on the ukulele, later moving on to the fiddle, but traded his brother Lowell an old pistol and some chores for a guitar when he was nine. He stated in his 1974 autobiography, "We were so poor and everybody around us was so poor that it was the forties before anyone even knew there had been a depression." Forced to relocate to Fortson, Georgia, to live with his father because of a critical asthma condition, Atkins was a sensitive youth who made music his obsession. Because of his illness, he was forced to sleep in a straight-back chair in order to breathe comfortably. On those nights, he would play his guitar until he fell asleep holding it, a habit which lasted his whole life. While living in Fortson, he attended historic Mountain Hill School. He would return in the 1990s to play a series of charity concerts to save the school from demolition.

Stories have been told about the very young Chet who, when a friend or relative would come to visit, and if that person played a guitar, would crowd in and put his ear so very close to the instrument that it became difficult for that person to play.

Atkins became an accomplished guitarist while he was in high school. He would use the restroom in the school to practice, because it gave better acoustics. His first guitar had a nail for a nut and was so bowed that only the first few frets could be used. He later purchased a semi-acoustic electric guitar and amp, but he had to travel many miles to find an electrical outlet since his home had no electricity.

Later in life he lightheartedly gave himself (along with John Knowles, Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Wariner and Jerry Reed) the honorary degree CGP, standing for "Certified Guitar Player". In 2011 Daughter Merle Atkins Russell bestowed the CGP degree upon long time sideman Paul Yandell. She then declared no more CGP's would be allowed by the Atkins estate.

His half-brother Jim was a successful guitarist who worked with the Les Paul Trio in New York.

Atkins did not have a strong style of his own until 1939 when (while still living in Georgia) he heard Merle Travis picking over WLW radio. This early influence dramatically shaped his unique playing style. Whereas Travis's right hand used his index finger for the melody and thumb for bass notes, Atkins expanded his right hand style to include picking with his first three fingers, with the thumb on bass.

Chet Atkins was a Ham Radio General class licensee. Formerly using the call-sign, WA4CZD, he obtained the vanity call sign W4CGP in 1998 to reflect the C.G.P. name. He was an ARRL member.

Early musical career

After dropping out of high school in 1942, Atkins landed a job at WNOX-AM radio in Knoxville. There he played fiddle and guitar with singer Bill Carlisle and comic Archie Campbell as well as becoming a member of the station's Dixieland Swingsters, a small swing instrumental combo. After three years, he moved to WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Merle Travis had formerly worked.

After six months he moved to Raleigh and worked with Johnnie and Jack before heading for Richmond, Virginia, where he performed with Sunshine Sue Workman. Atkins's shy personality worked against him, as did the fact that his sophisticated style led many to doubt he was truly "country." He was fired often but was soon able to land another job at another radio station due to his unique playing ability. Atkins and Jethro Burns of Homer and Jethro married twin sisters, Leona and Lois Johnson who sang as Laverne and Fern Johnson: the Johnson Sisters. Leona Atkins outlived Atkins by eight years, dying in 2009 at the age of 85.

Traveling to Chicago, Atkins auditioned for Red Foley, who was leaving his star position on WLS-AM's ''National Barn Dance'' to join the Grand Ole Opry. Atkins made his first appearance at the Opry in 1946 as a member of Foley's band. He also recorded a single for Nashville-based Bullet Records that year. That single, "Guitar Blues", was fairly progressive, including as it did, a clarinet solo by Nashville dance band musician Dutch McMillan with Owen Bradley on piano. He had a solo spot on the Opry; but when that was cut, Atkins moved on to KWTO-AM in Springfield, Missouri. Despite the support of executive Si Siman, however, he soon was fired for not sounding "country enough."

Signing with RCA Victor

While working with a Western band in Denver, Colorado, Atkins came to the attention of RCA Victor. Siman had been encouraging Steve Sholes to sign Atkins, as his style (with the success of Merle Travis as a hit recording artist) was suddenly in vogue. Sholes, A&R; director of country music at RCA, tracked Atkins down to Denver.

He made his first RCA recordings in Chicago in 1947. They did not sell. He did some studio work for RCA that year but had relocated to Knoxville again where he worked with Homer and Jethro on WNOX's new Saturday night radio show ''The Tennessee Barn Dance'' and the popular ''Midday Merry Go Round''.

In 1949 he left WNOX to join Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters back on KWTO. This incarnation of the old Carter Family featured Maybelle Carter and daughters June, Helen and Anita. Their work soon attracted attention from the Grand Ole Opry. The group relocated to Nashville in mid-1950. Atkins began working on recording sessions, performing on WSM-AM and the Opry.

While he hadn't yet had a hit record on RCA his stature was growing. He began assisting Sholes as a Session Leader when the New York–based producer needed help organizing Nashville sessions for RCA artists. Atkins's first hit single was "Mr. Sandman", followed by "Silver Bell", which he did as a duet with Hank Snow. His albums also became more popular, and he was featured on ABC-TV's ''The Eddy Arnold Show'' during the summer of 1956; as well as on ''Country Music Jubilee'' in 1957 and 58 (by then renamed ''Jubilee USA'').

In addition to recording, Atkins became a design consultant for Gretsch, who manufactured a popular Chet Atkins line of electric guitars from 1955–1980. Atkins also became manager of RCA's Nashville studio, eventually inspiring and seeing the completion of the legendary RCA Studio B, the first studio built specifically for the purpose of recording on the now-famous Music Row.

Performer and producer

When Sholes took over pop production in 1957—a result of his success with Elvis Presley—he put Atkins in charge of RCA's Nashville division. With country music record sales declining as rock and roll took over, Atkins and Bob Ferguson took their cue from Owen Bradley and eliminated fiddles and steel guitar as a means of making country singers appeal to pop fans. This became known as the Nashville sound which Atkins said was a label created by the media attached to a style of recording done during that period to keep country (and their jobs) viable.

Atkins used the Jordanaires and a rhythm section on hits like Jim Reeves' "Four Walls" and "He'll Have to Go" and Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me" and "Blue Blue Day". The once rare phenomenon of having a country hit cross over to pop success became more common. He and Bradley had essentially put the producer in the driver's seat, guiding an artist's choice of material and the musical background.

Atkins made his own records, which usually visited pop standards and jazz, in a sophisticated home studio, often recording the rhythm tracks at RCA but adding his solo parts at home, refining the tracks until the results satisfied him. Guitarists of all styles came to admire various Atkins albums for their unique musical ideas and in some cases experimental electronic ideas. In this period he became known internationally as "Mister Guitar", inspiring an album named ''Mister Guitar'', engineered by both Bob Ferris and Bill Porter, his replacement.

At the end of March 1959, Porter took over as chief engineer at RCA's Nashville studio, in the space now known as "Studio B". (At the time there was only one studio at RCA, with no letter designation.) Porter soon helped Atkins get a better reverberation sound from the studio's German effects device, an EMT plate reverb. With his golden ear, Porter found the studio's acoustics to be problematic, and he devised a set of acoustic baffles to hang from the ceiling, then selected positions for microphones based on resonant room modes. The sound of the recordings improved significantly, and the studio achieved a string of successes. The Nashville sound became more dynamic. In later years, when Bradley asked how he achieved his sound, Atkins told him "it was Porter." Porter described Atkins as respectful of musicians when recording—if someone was out of tune he would not single that person out by name. Instead, he would say something like, "we got a little tuning problem ... Everybody check and see what's going on." If that didn't work, Atkins would instruct Porter to turn the offending player down in the mix. When Porter left RCA in late 1964, Atkins said, "the sound was never the same, never as great."

Atkins's trademark "Atkins Style" of playing uses the thumb and first two—sometimes three—fingers of the right hand. He developed this style from listening to Merle Travis occasionally on a primitive radio. He was sure no one could play that articulately with just the thumb and index finger (which was exactly how Travis played) and he assumed it required the thumb and two fingers—and that was the style he pioneered and mastered.

He enjoyed jamming with fellow studio musicians which led to them being asked to perform at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960. Although that performance was canceled due to rioting, a live recording of the group (''After the Riot at Newport'') was released. Atkins performed by invitation at the White House for presidents Kennedy through George H. W. Bush. Atkins was a member of the Million Dollar Band during the 1980s. He is also well known for his song "Yankee Doodle Dixie", in which he played "Yankee Doodle" and "Dixie" simultaneously, on the same guitar.

Before his mentor Sholes died in 1968, Atkins had become vice president of RCA's country division. In 1987 he told Nine-O-One Network Magazine that he was "ashamed" of his promotion: "I wanted to be known as a guitarist and I know, too, that they give you titles like that in lieu of money. So beware when they want to make you vice president." He had brought Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Connie Smith, Bobby Bare, Dolly Parton, Jerry Reed and John Hartford to the label in the 1960s and inspired and helped countless others. He took a considerable risk during the mid-1960s, when the Civil Rights Movement sparked violence throughout the South by signing country music's first African-American singer Charley Pride, who sang rawer country than the smoother music Atkins had pioneered.

Atkins's own biggest hit single came in 1965, with "Yakety Axe", an adaptation of his friend saxophonist Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax". He rarely performed in those days, and eventually had to hire other RCA producers like Bob Ferguson and Felton Jarvis to alleviate his workload.

Later career

In the 1970s, Atkins became increasingly stressed by his executive duties. He produced fewer records but could still turn out hits such as Perry Como's pop hit "And I Love You So". He recorded extensively with close friend and fellow picker Jerry Reed, who'd become a hit artist in his own right. A 1973 diagnosis of colon cancer, however, led Atkins to redefine his role at RCA, to allow others to handle administration while he went back to his first love, the guitar, often recording with Reed or even Homer & Jethro's Jethro Burns (Atkins's brother-in-law) after Homer died in 1971.

By the end of the 1970s, Atkins's time had passed as a producer. New executives at RCA had different ideas. He first retired from his position in the company, and then began to feel stifled as an artist because RCA would not let him branch out into jazz. His mid-1970s collaborations with one of his influences, Les Paul, ''Chester & Lester'' and ''Guitar Monsters'', had already reflected that interest; ''Chester & Lester'' was one of the best-selling recordings of Atkins's career. At the same time he grew dissatisfied with the direction Gretsch (no longer family-owned) was going and withdrew his authorization for them to use his name and began designing guitars with Gibson. He left RCA in 1982 and signed with Columbia Records, for whom he produced a debut album in 1983.

Jazz had always been a strong love of his, and often in his career he was criticized by "pure" country musicians for his jazz influences. He also said on many occasions that he did not like being called a "country guitarist", insisting that he was a guitarist, period. Although he played 'by ear' and was a masterful improviser he was able to read music and even performed some classical guitar pieces. When Roger C. Field, a friend, suggested to him in 1991 that he record and perform with a female singer he did so with Suzy Bogguss.

He returned to his country roots for albums he recorded with Mark Knopfler and Jerry Reed. Knopfler had long mentioned Atkins as one of his earliest influences. Atkins also collaborated with Australian guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel. On being asked to name the ten most influential guitarists of the 20th century, he named Django Reinhardt to the first position, and also placed himself on the list.

In later years he even went back to radio, appearing on Garrison Keillor's ''Prairie Home Companion'' radio program, on American Public Media radio, even picking up a fiddle from time to time.

Legacy

Atkins received numerous awards, including 14 Grammy Awards and nine Country Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year awards. In 1993 he was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. ''Billboard'' magazine awarded him their Century Award, their "highest honor for distinguished creative achievement", in December 1997.

Atkins is notable for his broad influence. His love for numerous styles of music can be traced from his early recording of stride-pianist James P. Johnson's "Johnson Rag," all the way to the rock stylings of Eric Johnson, an invited guest on Atkins's recording sessions who, when Chet attempted to copy his influential rocker "Cliffs of Dover", led to Atkins's creation of a unique arrangement of "Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)."

Chet's recordings of "Malaguena" inspired a new generation of Flamenco guitarists; the classical guitar selections included on almost all his albums were, for many American artists working in the field today, the first classical guitar they ever heard. He recorded smooth jazz guitar still played on American airwaves today.

While he did more performing in the 1990s his health grew frail as he was diagnosed with cancer again in 1996. He died on June 30, 2001 at his home in Nashville.

Atkins was buried at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens in Nashville.

Atkins was quoted many times throughout his career, and of his own legacy he once said:

A stretch of Interstate 185 in southwest Georgia (between LaGrange and Columbus) is named "Chet Atkins Parkway". This stretch of interstate runs through Fortson, GA where Atkins spent much of his childhood.

In 2002, Atkins was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His award was presented by Marty Stuart and Brian Setzer and accepted by Atkins's grandson, Jonathan Russell. The following year, Atkins ranked No.28 in ''CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music''.

At the age of 13, jazz guitarist Earl Klugh was captivated watching Atkins's guitar playing on ''The Perry Como Show.'' Similarly he was an extremely big influence on Doyle Dykes. Atkins also inspired Drexl Jonez and Tommy Emmanuel.

Clint Black's album "Nothin' but the Taillights" includes the song "Ode to Chet," which includes the lines "'Cause I can win her over like Romeo did Juliet, if I can only show her I can almost pick that legato lick like Chet" and "It'll take more than Mel Bay 1, 2, & 3 if I'm ever gonna play like CGP." Atkins plays guitar on the track. At the end of the song Black and Atkins have a brief conversation.

Chet's song Jam Man is currently used in commercials for Esurance.

In 1967 a tribute song called "Chet's Tune" was produced for his birthday, with contributions by a long list of RCA/Victor artists including Eddy Arnold, Connie Smith, Jerry Reed, Willie Nelson, Hank Snow, and others. The song was written by Nashville songwriter Cy Coben, a friend of Atkins. The single reached #38 on the country charts.

Discography

Industry awards

Country Music Association

1967 Instrumentalist of the Year

1968 Instrumentalist of the Year

1969 Instrumentalist of the Year

1981 Instrumentalist of the Year

1982 Instrumentalist of the Year

1983 Instrumentalist of the Year

1984 Instrumentalist of the Year

1985 Instrumentalist of the Year

1988 Instrumentalist of the Year

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Inducted in 1973

Grammy Awards

1971 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Jerry Reed – ''Me and Jerry''

1972 Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Snowbird"

1975 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Merle Travis – ''The Atkins-Travis Traveling Show''

1976 Best Country Instrumental Performance – "The Entertainer"

1977 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Les Paul – ''Chester and Lester''

1982 Best Country Instrumental Performance – ''Country After All These Years''

1986 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Mark Knopfler – "Cosmic Square Dance"

1991 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Mark Knopfler – "So Soft, Your Goodbye"

1991 Best Country Vocal Collaboration with Mark Knopfler – "Poor Boy Blues"

1993 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Jerry Reed – ''Sneakin' Around''

1993 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award'

1994 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Asleep at the Wheel, Eldon Shamblin, Johnny Gimble, Marty Stuart, Reuben "Lucky Oceans" Gosfield & Vince Gill – "Red Wing"

1995 Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Young Thing"

1997 Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Jam Man"

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Posthumously inducted in 2002

See also

Notes

References

Kienzle, Rich (1998). "Chet Atkins". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 26–7.

External links

Chet Atkins at the Country Music Hall of Fame

[ Allmusic entry for Chet Atkins]

Chet Atkins Official Web site

Bob Moore's A-Team Musicians Website

Chet Atkins Interview – ''Vintage Guitar'' magazine, June 1996(This reference no longer exists at this link – May 2011)

Chet Atkins on the Pop Chronicles

Category:1924 births Category:2001 deaths Category:Amateur radio people Category:American classical guitarists Category:American country guitarists Category:American country singers Category:American folk guitarists Category:American jazz guitarists Category:American music industry executives Category:American record producers Category:Cancer deaths in Tennessee Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer Category:Fingerstyle guitarists Category:Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Category:Million Dollar Band (country music group) members Category:Musicians from Tennessee Category:People from Knoxville, Tennessee Category:People from Luttrell, Tennessee Category:RCA Records Nashville artists Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees

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