Chet Atkins

USA, 1942–2001

American guitarist and producer, billed as Mr. Guitar, who played melody, harmony and bass line simultaneously in a fingerstyle technique, and as an RCA executive shaped the smooth Nashville Sound.

MusicRoots documents 1 artist who influenced Chet Atkins and 5 artists Chet Atkins influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Chet Atkins?

• Django Reinhardt — Atkins named Django Reinhardt a primary influence — the gypsy-jazz fluency woven into his fingerstyle.

Which artists did Chet Atkins influence?

• Eddie Cochran — Cochran's guitar foundation was Chet Atkins's fingerpicking — his early recordings imitate Atkins figures directly.
• Dire Straits — Chet Atkins's fingerstyle 'Nashville cluck and strut' is at the root of Knopfler's clean picked guitar tone.
• Duane Eddy — Chet Atkins's country guitar style shaped Eddy's tone and technique, refined into the twang sound.
• Jeff Beck — Chet Atkins's fingerstyle mastery was among the guitarists Beck named as formative.
• Creedence Clearwater Revival — Atkins sits in Fogerty's guitar vocabulary beside Merle Travis — the country side of a player usually filed under blues.