LESSON } Acoustic Country

This month Stuart Ryan shows you how to play like one of Nashville’s most successful producers, session guitarists, and a veritable picking legend.

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Chet playing his rare Gibson Studio CE electro-acoustic

TIM MOSENFELDER / GETTY IMAGES

Chet Atkins was born in Luttrell,Tennessee on June 20, 1924. His style was inspired by Merle Travis and his famed picking technique. Growing up poor meant he faced real challenges as a burgeoning guitarist, not least having to travel miles to find a power supply for his amplifier, as his home did not have electricity. A musical genius, Atkins took the Travis picking style and made it his own; while Merle used only thumb and first finger to pick the strings, Atkins combined his thumb, first, second and third fingers, hugely increasing his picking range. His style was also shaped by Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, and later his friend and frequent musical partner, Jerry Reed.