"The Day the Finger Pickers Took Over the World" - (1997)

Chet Atkins made his mark upon music many years ago, yet he never stopped playing and singing; always pushing the boundaries of the genre he was currently engaged in just one step further. His musical talent knew no boundaries, and he seemingly pulled ideas from thin air, effecting change each time he did so.

In business dealings, he was only equaled by Ahmet Ertegun, the famed head of Atlantic Records. Both men had an ear for what the public wanted to hear, as well as buy. Both men were unafraid to take chances. And, neither one ever seemed to age. Take this album by Chet Atkins from 1997, when he was well into his 70’s.

Granted that the concept was not his own; the original version of this satirical song was first released as “The Day the Bass Players Took Over the World”, a song written by Emily Kaitz and Dave Pomeroy, extolling the virtues of the oft neglected bass players. 

From the cover art, to the actual execution of the song, Mr. Atkins shows his wit and talent with this primarily jazz oriented album. You know, it’s hard to pigeon hole some-one like Chet Atkins. He did it all, from writing, performing and producing; to acting as an agent for other artists. There aren’t many artists like Chet Atkins in any one lifetime. But that’s understandable; he was just getting started when he passed away at age 77 in 2001.