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The best-selling album of Chet’s lengthy career! Having set up a home studio in the ‘50s, he would lay down backing tracks at RCA with session musicians, then work at home on his own with unlimited freedom to refine–the genesis of Chet Atkins’ Workshop! Pressed on premium RTI vinyl, from the original masters! The album reflected the continued diversity of his repertoire and ongoing flair for experimentation. Jazz standards like George Shearing’s "Lullabye of Birdland" coexisted with traditional country themes such as "Hot Mocking Bird." "Lambeth Walk," written for a 1937 Broadway musical, featured the octave work Chet used on occasion. Pop and jazz orchestras had recorded "Sleep," but so did Les Paul and sax great Earl Bostic. Chet's original ideas, infused into a swinging arrangement of Irving Berlin's "Marie," gave it a dimension beyond the 1937 Tommy Dorsey Orchestra hit. Les Paul had covered the 1930 pop ditty "Goofus" but Chet made it his own. The ballad "Bonita" came from his fingerpicking pal Spider Rich. Atkins always wanted records he produced to have wide appeal, and did that masterfully with Chet Atkins’ Workshop, the best-selling, most accessible album of his career, embraced by country fans and upscale fans of hi-fi instrumentals—one that revealed his perfectionism—and how he achieved it. Pressed on premium RTI vinyl, from the original masters!
Wikipedia advises that, over the course of a highly productive recording career, this album was his best-seller. I am biased, but as one who owns perhaps half a dozen of his other albums, I must agree. I first heard this as a child (hence the sentimentality warning), but after being reminded of this album by a blog post, I sought out the CD on Amazon, and, while I don't use the term lightly, I'm overjoyed.Sure, the album has a "country" feel to its arrangements, drum parts bends, and to a lesser extent, the song choice. But the playing sounds so effortless, the delay, tremelo and reverb effects in this pre-electronics era are light years ahead of their time (obviously he educated himself by studying Les Paul closely). "Goofus," and "Whispering" own their country roots, while "Lambeth Walk," and "Theme from 'A Summer Place" reach for a broader audience.If electric guitar timbre is as important to your listening pleasure as the notes, the combination of good song selection, playing and recording excellence will not disappoint. The Gretsch (assuming it's used throughout) shows its variety across high, low and midrange, In "Tammy," you'll hear it put to full, grinning, use.Thanks for buying that record, I'd say to my late Dad (but I don't recommend vinyl!).
