WS Atkins plc

Type	Public limited company
Traded as	LSE: ATK
Industry	Construction, design, engineering and business services
Founded	1938
Founder(s)	Sir William Atkins
Headquarters	Epsom, Surrey, United Kingdom
Number of locations	Offices in 28 countries
Key people	Allan Cook (Chairman) Uwe Krueger (Chief Executive)
Products	Consultancy services
Revenue	£1,564.3 million (2011)[1]
Operating income	£107.0 million (2011)[1]
Net income	£72.6 million (2011)[1]
Employees	17,522 (March 2011)[2]
Subsidiaries	Faithful+Gould
Website	www.atkinsglobal.com

WS Atkins plc (commonly known as Atkins) (LSE: ATK) is a multinational engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services company headquartered in Epsom, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1938 by Sir William Atkins.

Atkins is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK, the largest multi-disciplinary consultancy in Europe and the world's 13th-largest design firm according to the Engineering News-Record.^[3][4] It employs approximately 17,500 staff based in 180 offices across 28 countries and has undertaken projects in over 150 countries. Its motto is "Plan Design Enable".

Atkins is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History[link]

The original company, WS Atkins & Partners, was established by the late Sir William Atkins in 1938 with offices in Westminster in London. In its early years the practice specialised in civil and structural engineering design work but expanded rapidly after World War II into specialist services in town planning, engineering sciences, architecture and project management.

In 1996, WS Atkins was admitted to the London Stock Exchange and began trading as WS Atkins plc. In 1996 it also acquired Faithful and Gould, a cost and project management consultancy firm.^[5]

The project with which Atkins is most widely associated is the Burj al Arab, which was completed in 1999.^[6]

The company has been trading under the Atkins name since 2002. In that year it also bought Hanscomb, construction consultants.^[7]

The company experienced a number of financial difficulties in 2002 and the previous Chief Executive, Robin Southwell resigned, along with Finance Director Ric Piper, who was also told his new job at Trinity Mirror was no longer open to him.^[8] Keith Clarke replaced him, joining from Skanska.^[9]

Atkins was one of the five shareholders in Metronet, the tube maintenance company which failed in 2007 leading to Atkins having to write off its investment.^[10]

In 2009 Atkins was appointed the official engineering design services provider for the London 2012 Games: services in which the company will provide for the event include building services design, civil engineering and structural engineering, acoustics, fire protection engineering and accessibility advice.^[11]

Atkins staff levels declined as a result of the global recession, with losses of approximately 3000 staff between April 2009 and February 2011, although the overall headcount remained relatively stable with the acquisition of PBSJ in 2010.^[12][13] Atkins bought PBSJ (an American provider of engineering, planning, architecture, construction, environmental and programme management services) in August 2010.^[14]

In June 2011, Atkins announced it was buying the oil and gas business of Finnish global consulting firm, Pöyry for €17.25 million. As a result of the acquisition, around 130 staff from Pöyry's Perth, Stavanger and Aberdeen offices are expected to integrate into Atkins' Energy business unit.^[15]

Operations[link]

An Atkins' construction site house at a building site in Hong Kong.

Atkins primarily divides its operations into the following business segments:

Asia Pacific[link]

Atkins provides engineering, planning, urban design, architectural and rail design services.

In mainland China, the focus is on urban planning together with architectural and landscape architectural design, while in Hong Kong, Atkins delivers services in urban rail development and highways/bridges design. In India, the focus is on reducing carbon with architectural and landscape architectural designing.

Europe (ex. United Kingdom)[link]

Atkins has operations in Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Portugal and Ireland. Of these, Scandinavia is a key market for the provision of rail and urban planning services.

Middle East[link]

Atkins provides a full range of design, engineering and project management services for buildings, transportation and other infrastructure programmes. The organisation also delivers services to public sector bodies such as transport authorities, municipal bodies and planning councils as well as the private sector.

It continues to move from established sectors such as residential and commercial high rise buildings to developing new sectors such as transport (airports and rail), infrastructure (mixed use and water), health, defence and energy.

North America[link]

Atkins provides infrastructure planning, engineering, construction management, environmental consulting, urban planning, architecture and programme management services to state and local government clients, Federal agencies and private businesses.

In the transportation sector, the organisation provides engineering design and programme management services for ground, rail, aviation and marine transportation projects for both private and public sector clients.

In water and environment Atkins delivers environmental services, including feasibility evaluations, compliance, and resource and water management.

In the buildings sector Atkins provides engineering, planning, architecture, surveying and construction management services to public and private clients.

United Kingdom[link]

In the United Kingdom, Atkins delivers engineering and integrated technical design as well as project and cost management services to a wide range of clients in the public, regulated and private sectors. Its areas of operation include water, environment, education, aerospace, defence and infrastructure design as well as significant activity in the transportation sectors.

In highways, the organisation provides: transport planning, advising the UK Government and highway authorities on transport policy and investment appraisals; design of road improvements; the application of intelligent transport systems to enhance network performance; and integrated road network management and highway maintenance services.

In rail, Atkins supplies specialist design services across a range of engineering disciplines, including signalling, civil engineering, electrification and specialist services in strategic planning, safety and systems integration principally for heavy rail, rolling stock and metro markets.

Energy[link]

Atkins is engaged in the developing energy market and also the allied issues of climate change, sustainability and energy security.

In electricity generation, it is helping both conventional and nuclear sectors maintain output and extend the life of assets. They are also engaged in planning and enabling the next generation of nuclear power stations as well as providing support in decommissioning.

In the oil and gas industry, the organisation provides design and integrity management services with activity at all stages of the value chain.

Atkins is also active in the energy efficiency and renewable markets, providing a range of services in all aspects of renewable energy technology, from initial feasibility studies to detailed engineering.

Equity investments[link]

Atkins also holds equity investments in PPP/PFI joint ventures, including TranSys which provides the Oyster card contactless payment system to Transport for London.

Corporate affairs[link]

Uwe Krueger was appointed as chief executive in August 2011 following Keith Clarke's retirement.^[16]

Board of directors[link]

As of September 2011, the current WS Atkins board members are:^[17]

• Allan Cook, Chairman
• Uwe Krueger, Chief Executive
• Heath Drewett, Group Finance Director
• Alun Griffiths, Group HR Director
• Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce, Non-executive Director
• Fiona Clutterbuck, Non-executive Director
• Joanne Curin, Non-executive Director
• Raj Rajagopal, Non-executive Director
• Rodney E. Slater, Non-executive Director

Notable projects[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The lobby of the Burj Al Arab hotel.

The MS Oasis of the Seas at anchor in Nassau, Bahamas.

Some of the notable past and current Atkins projects are as follows:

• Burj Al Arab Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Extension of Masjid al-Haram, Saudi Arabia
• DIFC Lighthouse Tower, United Arab Emirates
• DSEC Commercial Tower, United Arab Emirates
• Bahrain World Trade Centre, Bahrain
• Jinji Hotel, China
• Tianjin World Financial Center, China
• The Regatta, Jakarta, Indonesia
• The Centaurus Islamabad, Pakistan
• Songjiang Quarry Hotel, China
• Bay Pointe Cardiff, UK
• Dubai Light Rail Transit, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Gautrain High Speed Rail, South Africa
• Birmingham New Street Station redevelopment, UK
• Mecca Metro, Saudi Arabia
• Lulu Cochin Mall, Kochi, India
• Oasis of the Seas Cruise Liner, USA
• Capital Fort, Sofia, Bulgaria
• Xi'an Xianyang International Airport Terminal, China
• Oxford Circus Diagonal Crossing, London
• Asian Beach Games, Oman
• Coed Darcy Sustainable Village, UK
• M50 Motorway upgrade, Ireland
• Future Rapid Effect System armoured fighting vehicle programme, UK
• Newport Railway Station, UK

and other solutions provided by Atkins are as follows:

• Terminal area masterplan and terminal building design for Yinchaun Hedong Airport (China)
• Design, engineering and planning consultancy for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (UK)
• Wing design and analysis for the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft (UK)
• Masterplanning and detailed design services for the Durrat Al Bahrain resort (Bahrain)
• Local transport planning policy evaluation for the Department for Transport (UK)
• Planning and infrastructure support for the London 2012 Olympics Park (UK)
• Highways management services for Cambridgeshire County Council (UK)
• Managing Agent for HBOS’s property portfolio (UK)
• Project management and cost estimating for the construction of the World Trade Center Memorial and Visitors Center, New York (USA)
• Design for The Bulwell Academy, Bulwell, Nottingham (UK)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Atkins (company)

• WS Atkins
• Keith Clarke CBE interview

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The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (April 2010)

A company is a business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be made to exist in law and then a company is itself considered a "legal person". The name company arose because, at least originally, it represented or was owned by more than one real or legal person.

In the United States, a company may be a "corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, fund, or organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not, and (in an official capacity) any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or similar official, or liquidating agent, for any of the foregoing."^[1] In the US, a company is not necessarily a corporation.^[2]

In English law and in the Commonwealth realms a company is a body corporate or corporation company registered under the Companies Acts or similar legislation.^[3] It does not include a partnership or any other unincorporated group of persons, although such an entity may be loosely described as a company.

Meaning and definition[link]

A company can be defined as an "artificial person", invisible, intangible, created by or under Law, with a discrete legal entity, perpetual succession and a common seal. It is not affected by the death, insanity or insolvency of an individual member.

The English word has its origins in the Old French military term compaignie (first recorded in 1150), meaning a "body of soldiers",^[4] originally taken from the Late Latin word companio "companion, one who eats bread with you", first attested in the Lex Salica as a calque of the Germanic expression *gahlaibo (literally, "with bread"), related to Old High German galeipo "companion" and Gothic gahlaiba "messmate". By 1303, the word referred to trade guilds. Usage of company to mean "business association" was first recorded in 1553 and the abbreviation "co." dates from 1769.

History[link]

According to one source, "it may be formed by Act of Parliament, by Royal Charter, or by registration under company law (referred to as a limited liability or joint-stock company)."^[5] In the United Kingdom, the main regulating laws are the Companies Act 1985 and the Companies Act 2006.^[5] Reportedly, "a company registered under this Act has limited liability: its owners (the shareholders) have no financial liability in the event of winding up the affairs of the company, but they might lose the money already invested in it".^[5] In the USA, companies are registered in a particular state—Delaware being especially favoured—and become Incorporated (Inc).^[5]

In North America, two of the earliest companies were The London Company (also called the Charter of the Virginia Company of London)—an English joint stock company established by royal charter by James I of England on April 10, 1606 with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America—and Plymouth Company that was granted an identical charter as part of the Virginia Company. The London Company was responsible for establishing the Jamestown Settlement, the first permanent English settlement in the present United States in 1607, and in the process of sending additional supplies, inadvertently settled the Somers Isles, alias Bermuda, the oldest-remaining English colony, in 1609.

Types[link]

For a country-by-country listing, see Types of business entity.

There are various types of company that can be formed in different jurisdictions, but the most common forms of company (generally formed by registration under applicable companies legislation) are:

• A company limited by guarantee. Commonly used where companies are formed for non-commercial purposes, such as clubs or charities. The members guarantee the payment of certain (usually nominal) amounts if the company goes into insolvent liquidation, but otherwise they have no economic rights in relation to the company. This type of company is common in England. A company limited by guarantee may be with or without having share capital.
• A company limited by shares. The most common form of company used for business ventures. Specifically, a limited company is a "company in which the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount individually invested" with corporations being "the most common example of a limited company. This can be a public company or private company."^[1] This type of company is common in England.
• A company limited by guarantee with a share capital. A hybrid entity, usually used where the company is formed for non-commercial purposes, but the activities of the company are partly funded by investors who expect a return. This type of company may no longer be formed in the UK, although provisions still exist in law for them to exist.^[6]
• A limited-liability company. "A company—statutorily authorized in certain states—that is characterized by limited liability, management by members or managers, and limitations on ownership transfer", i.e., L.L.C.^[1]
• An unlimited company with or without a share capital. A hybrid entity, a company where the liability of members or shareholders for the debts (if any) of the company are not limited. In this case doctrine of veil of incorporation does not apply.

Less commonly seen types of companies are:

• Companies formed by letters patent. Most corporations by letters patent are corporations sole and not companies as the term is commonly understood today.
• Charter corporations. Before the passing of modern companies legislation, these were the only types of companies. Now they are relatively rare, except for very old companies that still survive (of which there are still many, particularly many British banks), or modern societies that fulfil a quasi regulatory function (for example, the Bank of England is a corporation formed by a modern charter).
• Statutory Companies. Relatively rare today, certain companies have been formed by a private statute passed in the relevant jurisdiction.

Note that "Ltd after the company's name signifies limited company, and PLC (public limited company) indicates that its shares are widely held."^[5]

In legal parlance, the owners of a company are normally referred to as the "members". In a company limited or unlimited by shares (formed or incorporated with a share capital), this will be the shareholders. In a company limited by guarantee, this will be the guarantors. Some offshore jurisdictions have created special forms of offshore company in a bid to attract business for their jurisdictions. Examples include "segregated portfolio companies" and restricted purpose companies.

There are however, many, many sub-categories of types of company that can be formed in various jurisdictions in the world.

Companies are also sometimes distinguished for legal and regulatory purposes between public companies and private companies. Public companies are companies whose shares can be publicly traded, often (although not always) on a regulated stock exchange. Private companies do not have publicly traded shares, and often contain restrictions on transfers of shares. In some jurisdictions, private companies have maximum numbers of shareholders.

See also[link]

	Business and economics portal
	Companies portal

• Corporate personhood

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c} Black's Law and lee Dictionary. Second Pocket Edition. Bryan A. Garner, editor. West. 2001.
2. ^ http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/company
3. ^ Companies Act 2006, Section 1
4. ^ Harper, Douglas. "company". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=company. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Company." Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. Crystal Reference Systems Limited. 27 Nov. 2007. Reference.com
6. ^ Companies Act 2006

Further reading[link]

Look up company in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Dignam, A and Lowry, J (2006) Company Law, Oxford University Press ISBN 978-0-19-928936-3.
• John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, The Company: a Short History of a Revolutionary Idea (New York: Modern Library, 2003)

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[link]

Childhood and early life[link]

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.^[1] 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.^[2] 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[2]

Atkins became an accomplished guitarist while he was in high school.^[1] He would use the restroom in the school to practice, because it gave better acoustics.^[3][4] His first guitar had a nail for a nut and was so bowed that only the first few frets could be used.^[5] 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.^[6]

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".^[5] 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.^{[citation needed]}

His half-brother Jim was a successful guitarist who worked with the Les Paul Trio in New York.^[2]

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.^[2][7] 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.^[8]

Early musical career[link]

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.^[2] 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.^[9]

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.^[10] 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."^[2]

Signing with RCA Victor[link]

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.^[2]

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).

Atkins's Gretsch Country Gentleman, model G6122-1962

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.^[5]

Performer and producer[link]

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"^[11] and Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me" and "Blue Blue Day".^[12] 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.^[5] 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.^[13] In later years, when Bradley asked how he achieved his sound, Atkins told him "it was Porter."^[14] 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."^[14] 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."^[14]

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."^[15] 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.^[16] 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.^[5]

Later career[link]

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.^[5]

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.^[10]

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.^[5]

He returned to his country roots for albums he recorded with Mark Knopfler and Jerry Reed.^[5] 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.^[17]

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.^[5]

Legacy[link]

Atkins received numerous awards, including 14 Grammy Awards and nine Country Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year awards.^[10] 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.^[18]

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.^[19]

Atkins was buried at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens in Nashville.^[20]

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

Years from now, after I'm gone, someone will listen to what I've done and know I was here. They may not know or care who I was, but they'll hear my guitars speaking for me.

A stretch of Interstate 185 in southwest Georgia (between LaGrange and Columbus) is named "Chet Atkins Parkway".^[21] 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.^[16] 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.^[22] Similarly he was an extremely big influence on Doyle Dykes. Atkins also inspired Drexl Jonez and Tommy Emmanuel.^[23]

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.^[24][25]

Discography[link]

Industry awards[link]

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[link]

Biography portal

Notes[link]