Chet Atkins/Mark Knopfler
b. Chester Burton Atkins, 20 June 1924, Luttrell, Tennessee, USA, d. 30 June 2001, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The man known as "Mister Guitar" was one of the most influential and prolific guitarists of the twentieth century, as well as an important producer and an RCA Records executive. The son of a music teacher and brother of guitarist Jim Atkins (who played with Les Paul), Atkins began as a fiddler in the early 40s, with the Dixieland Swingers in Knoxville, Tennessee. He also played with artists including Bill Carlisle and Shorty Thompson. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1946 and his first recording session took place that year, for Jim Bulleit's label. In 1947 Atkins was signed to RCA, recording 16 tracks on 11 August, including a number of vocals. Atkins first performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1948, working with a band that included satirists Homer And Jethro. He toured with Maybelle Carter in 1949 and recorded as an accompanist with the Carter Family the following year. At that time he made a decision to concentrate on session work, encouraged and often hired by music publisher Fred Rose. During this period, Atkins recorded largely with MGM Records artists such as Red Sovine and the Louvin Brothers, and most notably on 24 of Hank Williams' tracks for the label. He also recorded on several of the Everly Brothers' Cadence Records hits later in the 50s.
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