Chet Atkins: Me and My Guitars

by Russ Cochran, Chet Atkins

Chet Me and My Guitars is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive and enlightening book on Chet Atkins ever published. A friend of Atkins' for 40 years, Russ Cochran was privy to stories from Chet that even the most knowledgeable Chet fan would never know about. Chet tells it all in his own words about his childhood, his playing influences and early struggles to find work, along with insight into the guitars he used and endorsed along the way. The book includes full-color photos of Chet and his guitars, many only previously seen in a limited collector's edition. Photographer Wolf Hoffman manages to expertly capture the images of some very famous guitars played by Chet, including his first Sears Roebuck Silvertone, custom made D'Angelicos, the Gretsches, and the prototype models of the current Gibson Country Gentleman guitars. Over 60 guitars in Chet's private collection are photographed in Chet's home and his office on Music Row. Chet speaks about each of his important guitars - including the Gibson L-10 which his brother Jim gave him - telling the story of his career as seen through his guitars. More than just a pictorial review of his guitars throughout the years, it's a fascinating look inside the mind of history's greatest guitar player. This book will appeal to guitar collectors and Chet Atkins fans everywhere. Full-color and B/W photos throughout.

Genres: Music, Memoir, Biography

184 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[Andrew Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I can go back to again and again.

[Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read anything at all about Nashville in the 20th century, you most likely will come across some mention of Chet Atkins. In the past few years, I've read his name over and over in stories about Elvis, Waylon, Johnny Cash, Barbara Mandrell. But none of the stories were about Chet. He was just there, making brief cameos in other peoples' stories.

"We had been recording for nine straight hours when Chet Atkins suggested this..."

Or

"No one knew where to find Jerry Reed, so Chet Atkins drove down to the river and hollered until Jerry heard him and came in from fishing."

After piecing together a picture of Atkins from all these anecdotes, I decided to find a biography that would tell me more about him. Turns out, this autobiography isn't much about the "Me" in the as it is about "My Guitars."

Even in this autobiography, Chet is a side figure, allowing the instruments he played over the years to take center stage, with plenty of details about "pick-ups" and "nylon strings" and other bits of gear that have no meaning to a non-guitar player like me. Those details aren't that important, though, since the focus is always on the music these instruments are able to create. Because of his attention to the detail of the instruments, you get a sense of how hard he must have worked to get the right sound and to make the most complex technique seem effortless.

There are some good stories. His ice road adventure with the Carter family is reason enough to read the book. But there are also references to a personal journey that I would have liked to have learned more about. Particularly, I'd like to know more about his transition from musician to producer, and why it is that he thinks Jerry Reed saved his career.

[Reynard Seifert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I added this to an acai berry smoothie and it made it drinkable. It has, without a doubt, the best cover photo I've ever seen.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit lightweight but a pleasant read and some great pictures. Perhaps one of the finest closing chapters of an autobiography I've yet read.