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Great Offseason Performances, pt. viii

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Chet Atkins, Arkansas Traveler. 

This is an oldie but goodie.  You'd probably have to be from the moon not to have heard this tune.  This time around it's done by the great Mr. Atkins at the Grand Ole Opry sometime during the 1950s. 

Say what you will about old time or country music, but you'll never find a finer guitar player than Chet Atkins.  The only guy that I think comes close is Norman Blake, who did an amazing standard-making version of this song on his classic album Whiskey Before Breakfast...which, it should be noted, is one of those best-of-genre albums that you need to have in your record collection.  Anywho, back to Mr. Atkins:   It's not so much about the technique (although, Chet's technique is the best), but about the feel they get from the instrument.  Plus, sometime when Chet plays it sounds like he has three hands.  That's always a plus.

Since we're on the subject of finger picking, here's a little gem I pulled off of YouTube from a player named nicolajazz:

The repeating bass line with the melody up top is known as Travis Picking after the great Merle Travis.  Here's Merle doing his famous Cannonball Rag:

Yes, that was shit hot.