Chet Atkins discography explained

Artist:	Chet Atkins
Studio:	88
Live:	3
Compilation:	53 plus
Ep:	19 plus
Singles:	113

Chet Atkins' discography is large and diverse. Not only did he release principal studio albums as a solo artist, he was a prolific and much sought-after collaborator. He also played as a sideman on many more. His major collaborations were with Hank Snow, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra, The Country All-Stars, The Nashville String Band, Jerry Reed, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, Lenny Breau, Les Paul, Mark Knopfler, Suzy Bogguss, Floyd Cramer, Johnny Gimble, and Tommy Emmanuel. He frequently guested on a track or two with other friends. Several of his recordings won or were nominated for Grammy Awards.

The majority of his releases were on the RCA Victor label with many releases on their budget label RCA Camden, in addition to many compilations and anthologies. He left RCA in 1982 after 36 years and signed with Columbia Records.

His discography as a producer encompasses many albums and singles for a wide range of artists. Atkins produced records for Perry Como, Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith, Waylon Jennings, Ann-Margret and many others.^{[1] [2]}

Studio albums

1950s

Title	Details	Peak positions
		US
Chet Atkins' Gallopin' Guitar	Release date: 1953 Label: RCA Victor	—
Stringin' Along with Chet Atkins	Release date: 1953 Label: RCA Victor	—
A Session with Chet Atkins	Release date: December 1954 Label: RCA Victor	—
Stringin' Along with Chet Atkins	Release date: 1955 Label: RCA Victor	—
Chet Atkins in Three Dimensions	Release date: 1955 Label: RCA Victor	—
Finger Style Guitar	Release date: 1956 Label: RCA Victor	—
Chet Atkins at Home	Release date: 1957 Label: RCA Victor	21
Hi-Fi in Focus	Release date: October 1957 Label: RCA Victor	—
Chet Atkins in Hollywood	Release date: July 1959 Label: RCA Victor	—
Hum & Strum Along with Chet Atkins	Release date: August 1959 Label: RCA Victor	—
Mister Guitar	Release date: October 1959 Label: RCA Victor	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

1960s

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US
After the Riot at Newport	Release date: 1960 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Teensville	Release date: 1960 Label: RCA Victor	—	16
The Other Chet Atkins	Release date: September 1960 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Chet Atkins' Workshop	Release date: December 1960 Label: RCA Victor	—	7
The Most Popular Guitar	Release date: May 1961 Label: RCA Victor	—	119
Christmas with Chet Atkins	Release date: November 1961 Label: RCA Victor	—	12
Chet Atkins Plays Back Home Hymns	Release date: 1962 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Caribbean Guitar	Release date: July 1962 Label: RCA Victor	—	33
Down Home	Release date: 1962 Label: RCA Victor	—	31
Our Man in Nashville	Release date: December 1962 Label: RCA Victor	—	135
Teen Scene	Release date: 1963 Label: RCA Victor	—	93
The Guitar Genius	Release date: 1963 Label: RCA Camden	—	—
Travelin'	Release date: 1963 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Guitar Country	Release date: 1964 Label: RCA Victor	1	64
Progressive Pickin'	Release date: 1964 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
My Favorite Guitars	Release date: 1964 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
More of That Guitar Country	Release date: 1965 Label: RCA Victor	4	—
Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles	Release date: March 1966 Label: RCA Victor	6	112
From Nashville with Love	Release date: 1966 Label: RCA Victor	26	140
Music from Nashville, My Home Town	Release date: 1966 Label: RCA Camden	—	—
It's a Guitar World	Release date: 1967 Label: RCA Victor	—	148
Picks the Best	Release date: 1967 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Class Guitar	Release date: 1967 Label: RCA Victor	26	189
Hometown Guitar	Release date: 1968 Label: RCA Victor	17	—
Solid Gold 68	Release date: 1968 Label: RCA Victor	18	—
Solo Flights	Release date: 1968 Label: RCA Victor	—	184
Lover's Guitar	Release date: 1969 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Solid Gold 69	Release date: 1969 Label: RCA Victor	33	150
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

1970s

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US
Yestergroovin	Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Victor	—	139
Solid Gold 70	Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Pickin' My Way	Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Victor	30	—
For the Good Times	Release date: 1971 Label: RCA Victor	17	—
Picks on the Hits	Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Victor	38	—
Alone	Release date: 1973 Label: RCA Victor	42	—
Chet Atkins Picks on Jerry Reed	Release date: 1974 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
The Night Atlanta Burned	Release date: 1975 Label: RCA Victor	30	—
Chet Atkins Goes to the Movies	Release date: 1975 Label: RCA Victor	43	—
Teen Scene	Release date: 1975 Label: Pickwick Records	—	—
Me and My Guitar	Release date: 1977 Label: RCA Victor	50	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

1980s–2000s

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US
Country After All These Years	Release date: 1981 Label: RCA Victor	—	—
Work It Out with Chet Atkins C.G.P.	Release date: 1983 Label: Columbia Records	64	—
East Tennessee Christmas	Release date: 1983 Label: Columbia Records	—	—
Stay Tuned^[A]	Release date: 1985 Label: Columbia Records	—	145
Street Dreams	Release date: 1986 Label: Columbia Records	—	—
Sails	Release date: 1987 Label: Columbia Records	—	—
Chet Atkins, C.G.P.	Release date: 1988 Label: Columbia Records	—	—
Read My Licks	Release date: 1994 Label: Columbia Records	—	—
Almost Alone	Release date: May 1996 Label: Columbia Records	74	—
Solo Sessions	Release date: 2003 Label: CGP Records	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Collaborations

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US	CAN
Reminiscing (with Hank Snow)	Release date: August 1964 Label: RCA Records	—	—	—
The Pops Goes Country (with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops)	Release date: 1966 Label: RCA Records	36	62	—
Chet Atkins Picks on the Pops (with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops)	Release date: 1969 Label: RCA Records	—	160	—
Me and Jerry (with Jerry Reed)	Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Records	13	—	—
C.B. Atkins & C.E. Snow by Special Request (with C.E. (Hank) Snow)	Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Records	—	—	—
Me and Chet (with Jerry Reed)	Release date: 1971 Label: RCA Records	24	—	—
Chet, Floyd & Boots (with Floyd Cramer and Boots Randolph)	Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Camden	—	—	—
American Salute (with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops)	Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Records	—	—	—
Superpickers	Release date: 1974 Label: RCA Victor	—	—	—
The Atkins – Travis Traveling Show (with Merle Travis)	Release date: 1974 Label: RCA Records	30	—	—
Chester & Lester (with Les Paul)	Release date: 1976 Label: RCA Victor	11	172	—
Chet, Floyd & Danny (with Floyd Cramer and Danny Davis)	Release date: 1977 Label: RCA Victor	46	—	—
Guitar Monsters (with Les Paul)	Release date: 1978 Label: RCA Records	27	—	—
First Nashville Guitar Quartet (with Liona Boyd, John Knowles and John Pell)	Release date: 1979 Label: RCA Records	—	—	—
Reflections (with Doc Watson)	Release date: 1980 Label: RCA Records	—	—	—
Standard Brands (with Lenny Breau)	Release date: 1981 Label: RCA Records	—	—	—
Neck and Neck (with Mark Knopfler)	Release date: 1990 Label: Columbia Records	27	127	71
Sneakin' Around (with Jerry Reed)	Release date: 1992 Label: Columbia Records	68	—	—
The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat (with Amy Grant)	Release date: 1993 Label: Madacy Entertainment	—	—	—
Simpatico (with Suzy Bogguss)	Release date: October 18, 1994 Label: Liberty Records	55	—	—
The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World (with Tommy Emmanuel)	Release date: March 11, 1997 Label: Sony Music Entertainment	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Live albums

Title	Details	Peak positions
		US Country
In Concert	Release date: 1975 Label: RCA Victor	—
And Then Came Chet Atkins	Release date: 1979 Label: RCA Victor	—
The Best of Chet on the Road — Live	Release date: 1980 Label: RCA Victor	43
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

With The Country All-Stars

Title	Details
String Dustin'	Release date: 1953 Label: RCA Victor
Jazz from the Hills	Release date: June 28, 1994 Label: Bear Family Records

With The Nashville String Band

Title	Details
The Nashville String Band	Release date: 1969 Label: RCA Victor
Down Home	Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Victor
Strung Up	Release date: 1971 Label: RCA Victor
Identified!	Release date: 1971 Label: RCA Victor
The Bandit	Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Victor
World's Greatest Melodies	Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Victor

Instructional

Title	Details
Play Guitar with Chet Atkins	Release date: 1968 Label: Dolton Records
Chet Atkins Guitar Method Volume 1 & 2	Release date: 1971 Label: F.A.M.E.

Compilation albums

Title	Details	Peak positions
		US Country
Chet Atkins Plays Great Movie Themes	Release date: 1961 Label: RCA Victor	—
The Guitar Genius	Release date: 1963 Label: RCA Camden	—
The Best of Chet Atkins	Release date: 1964 Label: RCA Victor	—
The Early Years of Chet Atkins & His Guitar	Release date: 1964 Label: RCA Camden	—
The Best of Chet Atkins, Vol. 2	Release date: 1966 Label: RCA Victor	—
Chet	Release date: 1967 Label: RCA Camden	—
Chet All the Way	Release date: 1968 Label: RCA Victor	—
Relaxin' with Chet	Release date: 1969 Label: RCA Camden	—
Country Pickin'| Release date: 1971 Label: Pickwick Records | —|-! scope="row"| Mr. Atkins - Guitar Picker| Release date: 1971 Label: RCA Camden | —|-! scope="row"| This Is Chet Atkins| Release date: 1971 Label: RCA Victor | 30 |-! scope="row"| Now and... Then| Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Victor | 40 |-! scope="row"| Finger Pickin' Good| Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Camden | —|-! scope="row"| Nashville Gold| Release date: 1972 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Discover Japan| Release date: 1973 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Famous Country Music Makers| Release date: 1975 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| The Golden Guitar of Chet Atkins| Release date: 1975 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| The Best of Chet Atkins & Friends| Release date: 1976 Label: RCA Victor | 25 |-! scope="row"| Love Letters| Release date: 1977 Label: RCA Camden | —|-! scope="row"| A Legendary Performer| Release date: 1977 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Country Music| Release date: 1981 Label: Time Life | —|-! scope="row"| Solid Gold Guitar| Release date: 1982 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Guitar Pickin' Man| Release date: 1983 Label: Cambra Records | —|-! scope="row"| Great Hits of the Past| Release date: 1983 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Tennessee Guitar Man| Release date: 1984 Label: Pair Records | —|-! scope="row"| A Man & His Guitar| Release date: 1984 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Collectors Series| Release date: 1985 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Guitar for All Seasons| Release date: 1985 Label: Pair Records | —|-! scope="row"| 20 of the Best| Release date: 1986 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Pickin' on Country| Release date: 1988 Label: Pair Records | —|-! scope="row"| Masters of the Guitar: Together (with Les Paul)| Release date: 1989 Label: Pair Records | —|-! scope="row"| Pickin' the Hits| Release date: 1989 Label: Pair Records | —|-! scope="row"| The Magic of Chet Atkins| Release date: 1990 Label: Heartland Music | —|-! scope="row"| Country Gems| Release date: 1990 Label: Pair Records | —|-! scope="row"| The Romantic Guitar| Release date: 1991 Label: RCA Special Products | —|-! scope="row"| The RCA Years| Release date: 1992 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| | Release date: 1993 Label: Bear Family Records | —|-! scope="row"| The Essential Chet Atkins| Release date: 1996 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| Masters| Release date: 1998 Label: Eagle Records | —|-! scope="row"| Super Hits| Release date: 1998 Label: RCA Victor | —|-! scope="row"| The Guitar Genius/Relaxin' with Chet/ Nashville Gold | Release date: 2000 Label: RCA Camden | 42 |-! scope="row"| | Release date: 2000 Label: Buddah Records | —|-! scope="row"| Guitar Man| Release date: 2000 Label: RCA Camden | —|-! scope="row"| RCA Country Legends: Chet Atkins| Release date: 2001 Label: Buddah Records | —|-! scope="row"| The Master and His Music| Release date: 2001 Label: Buddah Records | —|-! scope="row"| Chet Picks on the Grammys| Release date: 2002 Label: Columbia Records | —|-! scope="row"| Tribute to Bluegrass | Release date: 2002 Label: BMG | —|-! scope="row"| The Best of Chet Atkins| Release date: 2003 Label: BMG | —|-! scope="row"| Legendary| Release date: 2003 Label: BMG International | —|-! scope="row"| Mr. Guitar: The Complete Recordings 1955-1960| Release date: 2004 Label: Bear Family Records | —|-! scope="row"| I've Been Working on the Guitar: The Legend Begins| Release date: 2004 Label: Country Stars | —|-! scope="row"| High Rockin' Swing| Release date: 2004 Label: Universe | —|-! scope="row"| Early Chet Atkins| Release date: 2004 Label: Country Routes | —|-! scope="row"| | Release date: August 4, 2004 Label: Columbia Records | —|-! scope="row"| Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle with Chet Atkins| Release date: 2005 Label: Country Routes | —|-! scope="row"| The Nashville Jump| Release date: 2005 Label: Xtra | —|-! scope="row"| Chet Atkins with the Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle 1949| Release date: 2005 Label: Country Routes | —|-! scope="row"| Eclectic Guitar| Release date: March 19, 2007 Label: El | —|-! scope="row"| The Essential Chet Atkins| Release date: 2007 Label: Legacy Recordings | —|-! scope="row"| The Early Years 1946–1957| Release date: 2007 Label: JSP Records | —|-! scope="row"| The Complete RCA Victor & Columbia Christmas Recordings| Release date: 2019 Label: Real Gone Music | —|-| colspan="3" style="font-size: 8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart|-|} Singles 1940s Year Single 1946 "Guitar Blues" 1947 "Canned Heat" "Standing Room Only" 1948 "Bug Dance" "I Know When I'm Blue" "Dizzy String" "I'm Pickin' the Blues" 1949 "Money Marbles and Chalk" "Barber Shop Rag" "Telling My Troubles to My Old Guitar" "Centipede Boogie" 1950s Year Single Peak chart positions Album US Country US ^[3] 1950 "One More Chance" — — "Main Street Breakdown" — — Stringin' Along "Boogie Man Boogie" — — "Confusin'" — — 1951 "Indian Love Call" — — Stringin' Along "Mountain Melody" — — align="left" rowspan="3" "My Crazy Heart" — — "Crazy Rhythm" — — "In the Mood" — — Finger Style Guitar 1952 "Rainbow" — — Mr. Guitar "Spanish Fandango" — — "Meet Mister Callaghan" — — In Hollywood "Tennessee Rag" — — "Galloping on the Guitar" — — Gallopin' Guitar "St. Louis Blues" — — "Black Mountain Rag" — — "Imagination" — — "Midnight" — — align="left" rowspan="6" "It Goes Like This (That Funny Melody)" — — "Guitar Polka" — — 1953 "Fiddle Patch" — — "Fig Leaf Rag" — — "What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You)" — — "Country Gentleman" — — Mr. Guitar "Three O'Clock in the Morning" — — align="left" rowspan="15" "Barbershop Rag" — — 1954 "Wildwood Flower" — — "Georgia's Camp Meeting" — — "Downhill Drag" — — "Mr. Misery" — — "Mr. Sandman" 13 — "Silver Bell" (with Hank Snow) 15 — 1955 "Hey Mister Guitar" — — "Somebody Stole My Gal" — — "Vacation Train" — — "Christmas Carols" — — "Poor People of Paris (Jean's Song)" — 52 1956 "Cecilia" — — "Reminiscing" (with Hank Snow) — — 1957 "Trambone" — — Down Home "Tricky" — — align="left" rowspan="2" "Martinique" — — "Hidden Charm" — — Guitar Genius 1959 "Boo Boo Stick Beat" — 49 Teensville "One Mint Julep" — 82 "Teensville" — 73 "—" denotes releases that did not chart 1960s Year Single Peak chart positions Album US Country US 1960 "Slinkey" — — Mr. Guitar "Theme from 'The Dark at the Top of the Stairs'" — 103 1961 "Hot Mocking Bird" — — Workshop "Man of Mystery" — — "Jingle Bell Rock" — 106 Christmas 1962 "Down Home" — — Our Man in Nashville 1963 "Waitin' for the Evening Train" (with Anita Kerr) — — align="left" rowspan="3" "San Antonio Rose" — — "Wildwood Flower" — — 1964 "Freight Train" — — Guitar Country 1965 "Travelin'" — — My Favorite Guitars "Yakety Axe" 4 98 More of That Guitar Country 1966 "From Nashville with Love" — 132 From Nashville with Love "Tennessee Waltz" — — Pop Goes to Country "Prissy" 30 — 1967 "Charlie Brown" — — This Is Chet Atkins "Chet's Tune" — — Solo Flights 1968 "Blue Angel" — — Hometown Guitar "Mrs. Robinson" — — Solid Gold 68 1969 "Those Were the Days" — — Lover's Guitar "Ode to Billy Joe" — — Pickin' on the Pops "Caribbean" — — Nashville String Band "—" denotes releases that did not chart 1970s Year Single Peak chart positions Album US Country CAN Country 1970 "Difficult" — — By Special Request "Love Beads" — — "Steeplechase Lane" — — Yestergroovin "Strollin'" — — Identified "Cannonball Rag" — — Me & Jerry 1971 "Snowbird" — — For the Good Times "Happy Ending" — — Strung Up "Black Magic Woman" — — "Jingle Bell Rock" — — Christmas 1972 "Bandera" — — Bandit "Red White and Blue Medley" — — "Battle Hymn of Republic" — — World's Greatest Melodies 1973 "Somewhere My Love" — — "Fiddlin' Around" 75 — Superpickers 1974 "Is Anything Better" — — align="left" rowspan="2" "Dizzy Fingers" — — 1975 "Night Atlanta Burned" 77 — The Night Atlanta Burned "Senora" — — 1976 "Frog Kissin'" 40 36 Best of Chet Atkins & Friends "Moonglow" — — Chester & Lester "Terry on the Turnpike" — — Best of Chet Atkins & Friends 1977 "Four in the Morning" — — Chet Floyd & Danny "Me and My Guitar" — — Me and My Guitar 1978 "I'm Your Greatest Fan" — — Guitar Monsters 1979 "Love Song of Pepe Sanchez" — — First Nashville Guitar Quartet "—" denotes releases that did not chart 1980s–1990s Year Single Peak chart positions Album US Country CAN Country 1980 "Blind Willie" 83 — Best of Chet on the Road "I Can Hear Kentucky Callin' Me" 83 — Country After All These Years "Tennessee Rag" — — Reflections 1981 "Orange Blossom Special" — — Country After All These Years 1983 "Run Don't Wait" — — 1985 "Boot and the Stone" — — Stay Tuned "Please Stay Tuned" — — 1986 "Official Beach Music" — — Street Dreams 1988 "I Can't Say Goodbye" — — Chet Atkins, C.G.P. 1990 "Poor Boy Blues" (with Mark Knopfler) — 92 Neck & Neck 1996 "I Still Write Your Name in the Snow"^[4] — — Almost Alone "—" denotes releases that did not chart Guest singles Music videos Year Video Director 1990 "Poor Boy Blues" (with Mark Knopfler) David Hogan 1992 "The Claw" (with Jerry Reed) Deaton-Flanigen 1994 "One More for the Road" (with Suzy Bogguss) Notes A^ Stay Tuned also peaked at number 12 on Top Jazz Albums. See also Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame (1973 Inductee) Country Music Association External links Chet Atkins official website

Notes and References

1. Atkins, Chet and Neely, Bill. (1974). "Country Gentleman". Chicago. Harry Regnery Company. .
2. Atkins, Chet and Cochran, Russ. (2003). "Me and My Guitars". Milwaukee. Hal Leonard Corporation. .
3. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. 46. 2011. 978-0-89820-188-8.
4. Single Reviews. Billboard. March 30, 1996.