Everyone has their opinion. The guitarist guitar player? You don’t know about very many guitar players. Segovia is what you speak of. Joe Pass is what Chet would hope to be as good. Wes Montgomery? Come on. Chester can’t compete with most decent jazz players.
Agree. In terms is skill, speed and harmonic complexity you are right. But, I listen to Chet about 10-20 times more than any other instrumental guitarist and I think that says it all.
It was definitely the golden age for that style of guitar. Not that there are a lot of great pickers out there these days continuing the tradition and building on it, but they were the pioneers.
Absolutely love Mr. Guitar! I had the pleasure of meeting him several times and each was very special thrill. My hero! He even played and autographed my guitar once.
@@philliprapisura2880 The Entertainer is the only thing someone else does a better job than Chet. And yes, It's Richard Smith. Chet is still better though. Gotta give a mention to Chet playing Guy Van Duser's Stars and Stripes Forever arrangement and crushing it.
Very nice harmonics on the 2nd song he played, "Odd Folks of Okracoke." Chet mastered the use of harmonics, and even employed some finger tapping techniques (way before Eddie Van Halen) to accomplish some of his amazing harmonics.
My dad had a ton of Chet Atkins 8 tracks that we used to listen to driving through the mountains of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, etc. I couldn't tell you a song he played but I know his sound like no other.
Love when Carson asks the question "How do you play like that?" and Chet simply replies "You just gotta play to your touch". Been playing guitar since I was 17. I'm 36 now, and never heard anyone put it that way. Makes total sense now that I think of it. Chet Atkins was a master guitarist.
It's very very true. When I got my first guitar as a kid, I wanted to play Metallica and Megadeth. Imagine my horror when country music and bluegrass came out of my guitar! I've never known how to explain that to people who don't play, but Chet's phrase is as close as I've ever heard to putting it in a way that makes sense. There's what you like, and then there's what comes out of you, and sometimes, for some people, those two things are not in agreement!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could steer the culture back towards men like Chet Atkins: Epic talent, quiet dignity, self effacing. Let the work speak for itself. The lost art of the gentleman. Johnny too.
The guy was a real force of nature. My uncle, who has been playing guitar since the early 60s told me about the time he and his girlfriend went to see him live in a little place in Nashville, and they couldn't BELIEVE all that music was coming from just him.
He and the other incredible finger guitarist are rarely ever mentioned among the great guitarists of all time. But, we who love his music and theirs's know better.
Sure miss Chet and everything about him, PLUS: ZERO racism, ZERO bigotry and ZERO intolerance towards anyone. Just a gem! Sorely missed…glad his close friend Mark Knopfler is around.
A source of pride - so to speak for Chet was his all-inclusive nature. He was not dissuaded from signing Charlie Pride because of the color of his skin and the racial unrest in the mid-1960s. He proved through action that talent went beyond the Civil Rights Movement of the South. Politics was not a factor and he didn’t use Charlie Pride’s African-American heritage to make any other point besides the man could sing - and he had an audience who wanted to listen.
Chet is the man who first inspired Tommy Emmanuel to play guitar, and awarded the very first "Certified Guitar Player" (CGP) award to Tommy. Chet inspired so many others as well. A guitarist of his stature and influence had reason to be proud; yet, his humility and down=to-earth character were as much a part of his greatness as his playing.
Seems so humble and genteel. I love his live videos with Mark Knopfler. There is one back and form song where Mark gives this amazed look as Chet is soloing.
I WAS GIVEN. ON 8-TRACK TAPE BY MY FATHER THE "CHESTER AND LESTER:GUITAR MONSTERS:LIVE RECORDING".. I HAD TO IMPRESS MY FATHER.. I THINK THAT UNCLE~MR.JOHN-5 HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CHET ATKINS INFLUENCE ON HIM.. I LOVE THIS VIDEO.. THANK YOU FOR UPLOADING THIS VIDEO..
I play the nylon stringed guitar and to sit there next to Johnny with about a few million watching on TV and play a tune like Chet did is incredible. No amp no pedals, etc etc. He was an absolute master of the guitar.
I just found this. Now I understand why Steve Howe lists Chet as a major influence on his guitar playing. They are/were both great guitarists. This piece is so similar to Steve's "Clap".
Chad Atkins. One of the greatest guitars I’ve ever seen yet. He inspired me to play guitar. Yes and Jerry Reed was one. Great one also. I love to play style guitar. It is a beautiful way of playing a guitar. When you play finger style, you can put your whole heart and soul into it And it sounds beautiful. I myself have been playing since 1974. And still can’t play as well as chat. I keep trying, but have a hard time succeeding a very beautiful and very complicated guitarist. But that’s what makes guitar really challenging. Have a great day.👍🏼👍🏼🎸😎
Chet cooked and was an innovator and inspiration to many musicians. Lenny Breau, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel and many more pickers paid hommage to the " Country Gentleman. "
Listening to Chet talking about smiling on Welk's shoe, I keep thinking of Neil LeVang smiling away playing Ghost Riders in the Sky and the maracas guys smiling having the time of his life. Chet was incred
I met Chet in 1976 in Edmonton Canada where he was in concert . There were posters in the lobby reading " A Night WIth Chet Atkins . " After the show I grabbed a poster and told my wife ...im going to get him to autopgraph it . I walked back stage just like I belonged there . The security glanced at me but never stopped me . I saw Chet down the hall gointo his dressig room . I walked to his room , knocked on the door , and I introduced myself and asked hin if he would sign the poster . Just then a security lady walked in and asked me what I was doing there //// Chet said " oh he's fine , he's an old friend of mine " ... and signed it to me ..Your Friend Chet Atkins . I do not remember what I said ... we shook hands ... he had the biggest hands I ever saw .... and I left . I showed my wife what I had , and she was amazed and said , " i knew you were doing that " only you would do that " . All I remember is how c l a s s y he was. I have that poster still today up on my wall behind glass ... Thanks Chester .
Would see him on Hee Haw and other country shows but it is amazing how watching someone play a guitar and watching his interview is so much more entertaining than the losers on late night over the past decade or so. But I'm 62 so maybe that's the reason I feel that way. And always thought Phyllis Newman was pretty hot, even as a kid.
Absolutely amazing. Chet was obviously a highly talented and intelligent man. Love listening to his vinyl records to this day. Also, thumb pick on the G string?? Don't think I've seen that technique before. Gonna try it today!
Chet was playing a Jerry Reed tune called " the claw." Chet and Jerry made two albums together that if you like guitar picking you will love. Chet also recorded numerous compositions by Jerry , who Chet credits as getting him interested in playing again.
I heard a guy by the name of 'lighting Hopkins playing that first piece singing a lyric about mama had a turkey thought it was duck and not taking nothing from Atkins but in my opinion lighting was the greatest guitarists...
Chet Atkins was a great guitar 🎸 playrer. Would love to see appearances and episodes with Roy Clark, Dwight Yoakum, Glen Campbell, more of Dolly Parton, Roy Rogers, etc @Johnny Carson Full Shows, please!🙏 Of this show and others. All the performances and segments are nice, but I really want the full shows. Is it maybe easier to get more music clearances this way instead of full shows right now?? Just curious 🤔 If you have a minute to answer my questions that would be awesome Thanks.
With all due respect to Chet, its funny to me how every fingerstyle player whips out a Jerry Reed tune when they really want to entertain people. RIP Chet and Jerry.
He and Jerry were great friends. They wrote songs together and recorded albums together. Chet was known to declare that Jerry was the best guitarist he ever heard.
@@rockinredneck57 I know, I am just saying all fingerstyle players will get the biggest response from the crowd when they play one of Jerry's tunes. His little tunes are complete masterpieces.
Thanks for sh aring. I always wondered if Chet and Johnny crossed paths on the set of The Tonight show. I should have known as Johnny would not miss booking the best guitarist of the age
From back in the days where late night TV was actually entertaining! Atkins, if not the best was definitely up near the top. Very versatile. Loved the harmonics he was playing on the second piece.
