Chet reference guide released as eBook

[John C.]

Some of you might remember that I was working on a Chet Atkins reference book about 8 or 9 years ago. Unfortunately I was not able to find a publisher for it & the cost to self-publish was too cost prohibitive. Now, thanks to eBooks, it's finally seeing the light of day.

There are many free e-readers available for your home computer; I've found this to be one of the best:

https://ebookstore.sony.com/download/

Please check out this link where you can view the table of contents as well as part of the first chapter (click on "look inside.")

http://www.amazon.com/Chet-Atkins-Compl ... 159&sr=1-1

If you have any questions as to the contents, etc., please ask & I'll do my best to answer. A big "thank you" to everyone who helped with this project. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks again,

John C.

[Eddie Estes]

John
Thanks for giving mentioning me in the beginning of your book.
Looking forward to reading it.

Eddie

[John C.]

My computer crashed Tuesday afternoon & I just got it back from the tech; tried to answer a few e-mails from my cell phone, but it's not the same for me as "typing." Sorry that I couldn't respond sooner.

Thanks for the kind words, Eddie. You & Phil both provided some necessary information a few years back; thanks again.

The most common question I'm being asked is if there are any pictures in the book. No, there aren't. There's no way I could match the quality of the photos in the "Me & My Guitars" book nor the ones provided by Chet's family for the CGP book & the 2 volumes of "In 3 Dimensions." Also, the copyright clearances would be cost-prohibitive & a very difficult task.

The RCA session information (including all the recording dates for the Nashville String Band albums) is very near complete. I believe the only "missing" dates are for "Discover Japan" & the 6 songs Chet recorded for the Reader's Digest "Golden Guitar Magic" LP. And for some reason, only the session sheet for "Galveston" from the 2nd Boston Pops LP was on file.

Thanks again everyone,

John C.

[Eddie Estes]

Did Columbia keep session records like RCA?
Been trying to find some info for years on the unreleased album he did with George Benson.

We know there are some tracks on Please Stay Tuned.

Sunrise
A Mouse In The House

On Read My Licks:

Dream

That leaves Amamda From Barbados and King of The Road that have never been released.
If anyone has them I would love to hear them.

But the main point is getting a complete idea of what was going to be on that album.
It would be great if we could get the record companies involved to let this finally be released.
I mean grow up and be big boys and as a tribute to Chet at least put it out on Itunes if nothing else.

Eddie

[John C.]

Hi Eddie-

I wasn't able to find detailed session sheets for the Columbia material. Perhaps it's because most of those albums were recorded in Chet's home studio.

I remember seeing an interview with Chet where he said he wanted to do a "contemporary" LP while he was still with RCA, but they weren't interested. There's an album's worth of unreleased material recorded in 1980 with Randy Goodrum including an "early" version of "Waltz For The Lonely." I wonder if that's the album Chet was talking about.

John C.

[Norm]

From my manuscript: (and an indicator of why my book should be published. It's full of things like this)

__________

This subject comes up every now and then but here are the facts: Chet got the idea for he and George to do an album. The tunes were recorded at Chet’s house some months before Chet did the Stay Tuned album. They did two sessions at Chet's house. I forgot how many tunes they did… I’d guess 12. Sometimes after he did the tracks at RCA he would replace his guitar track. The mixing was done at different studios, sometimes at his house and sometimes downtown.
George's label, Warner Bros., wouldn't agree to the album being released. You can't release things without permission from the record Companies. George’s label and Chet’s label never could get together on it. Later the Stay Tuned project came along and Chet decided to use two of the tracks on it. Chet used Dream on another CD. It has been many years since they were recorded. The remainder of the sessions and the tunes are at Chet’s house but the tapes are in such bad condition they can’t be played so I don’t think anything will ever be done with them.
What happens is, the tape goes bad and sticks together and becomes a big mess and is worthless.
That’s it folks…

Paul Yandell cgp

[Eddie Estes]

I would hoping/thinking that George Benson might have copies of some of these at least.

I have been trying to find a way to contact him.
I do know they can "cook" tapes and make them be able to
be transferred.

Maybe there is a copy of these tracks on a cassette somewhere. We can only hope.

"There's an album's worth of unreleased material recorded in 1980 with Randy Goodrum including an "early" version of "Waltz For The Lonely." I wonder if that's the album Chet was talking about." Do the tapes still exist?

That is the kinda thing I wish could see the light of day as a digital download at least.

Like I said we can only hope.

[Eddie Estes]

http://www.sonicraft.com/Tape_Baking.html

This looks like a neat way to restore audio master tapes.

[Norm]

Paul talked about he and some close associates going through Chet's tapes after Chet died. That's where the Solo Sessions came from. I get the impression that Chet's studio didn't have a climate controlled room for storing tape. In an exchange with John Knowles it came out that he had a/c but it had to be shut during recording.
Nashville is in a hot, humid area which might contribute to tape deterioration if they're not stored properly

He talked about 'cooking' some of the tapes and said that it sometimes worked but it was a delicate thing. I agree with you, Eddie, that George most likely has some form of finished mix of the work he and Chet did but The Suits don't really give much thought to "legacies," etc. It's always about money.

But there's always hope. Some niche outfit might be able to get something done like Bear Family or the people who give us Lenny Breau's rare performances.

[Eddie Estes]

Yeah I read an article where Frank Zappa said the record company bosses of the 50s and 60s who were the stereotypical cigar chomping guys were better for the business than the marketing majors, wanna be political experts and lawyers running everything now.
They were willing to take a chance on things more than the guys in charge now.