Finger Style Guitar Plus [Finger Style Guitar...Plus]

Performer: Chet Atkins
Producer: Chet Atkins
Distributor: City Hall

Notes: Personnel: Chet Atkins (electric guitar); Clarence E. "Hank" Snow (guitar); Floyd Cramer (piano); Murrey M. "Buddy" Harman Jr., Farris Coursey (drums). Recording information: RCA Victor Studio, Methodist Television Radio & Film Co (10/22/1956-11/29/1956). As a consummate display of Atkins' refined fingerpicking style, this album sets its own lofty standards. A nearly invisible rhythm section underpins Atkins' one-man guitar ensemble with very subtle rhythm support on side one, where each number shines like a finished gem. To cite two examples, "Swedish Rhapsody" has dignity and subtle swing -- the perfect expression of a country gentleman -- and the note selection on "Liza" is astonishingly right every time. On side two, Atkins goes it alone, often leaning toward short, sometimes hokey classical pieces, the exception being "Unchained Melody," which has a simply stated first chorus followed by an echo-delayed overdubbed second chorus. In general, the tunes with rhythm on side one are more ingratiating than the unaccompanied pieces on side two, yet they all display a relaxed, confident musicality at all times. ~ Richard S. Ginell As a consummate display of Chet Atkins' refined fingerpicking style, Finger Style Guitar Plus sets its own lofty standards. A nearly invisible rhythm section underpins Atkins' one-man guitar ensemble with very subtle rhythm support on side one, where each number shines like a finished gem. To cite two examples, "Swedish Rhapsody" has dignity and subtle swing -- the perfect expression of a country gentleman -- and the note selection on "Liza" is astonishingly right every time. On side two, Atkins goes it alone, often leaning toward short, sometimes hokey classical pieces, the exception being "Unchained Melody," which has a simply stated first chorus followed by an echo-delayed, overdubbed second chorus. In general, the tunes with rhythm on side one are more ingratiating than the unaccompanied pieces on side two, yet they all display a relaxed, confident musicality at all times. [This edition comes with an additional ten tracks of bonus material.] ~ Richard S. Ginell

Among fingerstyle country guitar players, perhaps only Merle Travis can rival Chet Atkins, whose distinctive sound defined an entire generation of Nashville country. Atkins has played an equally important role as a record producer. As RCA's chief Nashville producer in the '50s and '60s, Atkins oversaw sessions for Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Jim Reeves, Don Gibson, and countless others. He was one of the chief architects of the polished country style that came to be known as the "Nashville sound," but his own productions were more tasteful and appealing than those for which the genre is frequently lambasted. Atkins remained active into the '90s, but succumbed to cancer in 2001.

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