''Chet Atkins' Gallopin' Guitar'' is the first studio album released by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

guitarist

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 (musician), Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nash ...

on the

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

label (see

1953 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1953. Specific locations * 1953 in British music * 1953 in Norwegian music Specific genres *1953 in country music *1953 in jazz Events *February 6 – Contralto Kathleen ...

). It was available as a 10-inch vinyl record.

History

Atkins had previously recorded on

Bullet Records At least five record labels with the name Bullet Records have existed. Bullet Records, Nashville, 1946-1952 The earliest Bullet Records was a record label based in Nashville, United States, which was started in 1946 by Jim Bulleit and C.V. Hit ...

and also as a sideman with various acts. He was brought to RCA by

Steve Sholes Stephen Henry Sholes (February 12, 1911 – April 22, 1968) was a prominent American recording executive with RCA Victor. Career Sholes was born in Washington, D.C., and moved with his family to Merchantville, New Jersey, at the age of ni ...

in 1947. After playing on a variety of radio shows, Radio manager Si Simon had been promoting Atkins by sending acetates of Chet's live radio performances to various record companies. One landed in Sholes' hands. Chet had relocated to Denver after being fired by KWTO in Missouri for "not sounding country enough." He was to be brought into RCA as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. Arrangements were made for Atkins to travel to Chicago to do a demo recording.Atkins, Chet and Neely, Bill. (1974). "Country Gentleman". Chicago. Harry Regnery Company. . He cut eight "sides" (songs) in Chicago with his idol George Barnes on rhythm guitar, Augie Klein on accordion, Charles Hurta on fiddle, and Harold Siegel on bass. Five of those eight songs recorded April 11, 1947 included Chet singing. RCA released the songs on a 10" vinyl as Chet Atkins and his Colorado Mountain Boys.Atkins, Chet and Cochran, Russ. (2003). "Me and My Guitars". Milwaukee. Hal Leonard Corporation. . Chet later spent time trying to locate those early demos of himself singing in order to destroy them. Atkins later traveled to New York to record as a sideman and, because of an impending musician's strike, to also stockpile solo recordings for release in case the strike was a protracted one. After these initial recordings, he was still unemployed. He returned to Knoxville and continued on radio there until he joined

The Carter Sisters The Carter Sisters, (also known as the second version of The Carter Family) were an American band consisting of Maybelle Carter and her daughters June Carter Cash, Helen Carter, and Anita Carter. Each played an instrument, with June being a pio ...

and Mother

Maybelle Carter "Mother" Maybelle Carter (born Maybelle Addington; May 10, 1909 – October 23, 1978) was an American country musician and "among the first" to use the Carter scratch, with which she "helped to turn the guitar into a lead instrument." It ...

. The song "Gallopin' on the Guitar" had been released as a single in 1947 and was a minor hit, often being used as a radio theme song by 1949.Oermann, B. Chet Atkins, c.g.p.
/ref> Also in 1953, his single "Country Gentleman", co-written with

Boudleaux Bryant Felice Bryant (born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto; August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003) and Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant (; February 13, 1920 – June 25, 1987) were an American husband-and-wife country music and pop songwriting team. They were be ...

, was a minor hit. It was recorded in a garage. Atkins stayed with RCA for 36 years until he moved to

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

in 1983.

Track listing

# "Gallopin' Guitar" (

) # "Stephen Foster Medley" (

Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Folk music, folk music during the Romantic music, Romantic period. He wr ...

(uncredited), arranged by Atkins) # "

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

" (

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. He was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musician ...

) # "Hangover Blues" (Atkins,

) # "Black Mountain Rag" (Tommy Magness) # "

Lover, Come Back to Me "Lover, Come Back to Me" is a popular music, popular song composed by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the Broadway show ''The New Moon'', where the song was introduced by Evelyn Herbert and Robert Halliday (as Robert Misson ...

" (

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his Musical theatre, musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moo ...

) # " The 3rd Man Theme" (

Anton Karas Anton Karl Karas (7 July 1906 – 10 January 1985) was an Austrian zither player and composer, best known for his internationally famous 1948 soundtrack to Carol Reed's ''The Third Man''. His association with the film came about as a result o ...

) # "Imagination" (Atkins)

Personnel

*Chet Atkins –

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

* Henry "Homer" Haynes – guitar * Ken "Jethro" Burns –

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

*Charlie Grean –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

References

External links

Black Mountain Rag Video
{{Authority control 1953 debut albums Chet Atkins albums Albums produced by Steve Sholes RCA Victor albums