Tonight I was relaxing, not on the Internet for a change. I Pulled up my Music Match Juke Box and Put on some great MP3s of Chet Atkins, while Watching a Clint Eastwood Movie on TV.

Clint Eastwood and Chet Atkins have been two of the Great innovators in the Arts. Both Were always in tune with their times, and the changes taking place in Music and in the Movies; both were great movers in their given Artistic Endeavors.

The Movie I was watching of Clint Eastwood was "The Outlaw Josie Wales." This movie kind of demonstrates the personality of the Eastwood Movies. There shall never be another Clint Eastwood. The man is truly Unique.

There shall never be another Chet Atkins for he is truly Unique in the History of the Guitar. Chet's Recording Career Started in 1946, and continued long into the 90s. Chet has had more than 50 years of Popularity as a Guitar Player. This is unheard of in the annals of Commercial Music. When Chet was long past 50, near 60, he made a CD called "Stay Tuned" which sold more CDs than Chet's previous 78 Albums. Well in the first Place, no other Guitar Player has ever made 78 Albums, and in the second place, this CD, "Stay Tuned" introduced Chet Atkins to many younger Guitar Players who had never known he existed. No one at Chet's age has ever dreamed of achieving something like this.

Chet no doubt was very determined to be a Star of the Guitar, and he achieved his goals. Chet's first Recording in 1946 featured him as a singer playing lead Guitar. The Recording flopped big time. Chet should have known he was a Guitar Player not a singer. It took the big flop to show him that he had better stick to Playing his Guitar and leave singing alone.

In the 50s, Chet started Recording Strictly Guitar Instrumentals, and his successful recording career was born and has never died, and this is 50 years later. I'm kind of glad Chet's singing Career never got off the ground for if it had been successful, we would have never got all the Great Guitar Recordings from the Master of Guitar.

Chet went Through many Phases and styles, but he always retained his finger picking solo work that made him so popular in the 50s. Tonight I was listening to some of the Recordings Chet Atkins Made in the 50s. They are great to say the Least. "Poor People of Paris" is one of Chet's Mid 50s recordings that is great, as is "Mr. Sandman." These songs are still tremendously popular with the Avid Chet Atkins Fans.

Chet made many Recordings with Hank Snow, the Singing Ranger, and a very popular Country Singer who was managed by Colonel Tom Parker, the man who managed Elvis. Hank Snow was a good Guitar Player. His style was single String Acoustic Guitar. Hank Snow took lead breaks on many of his most popular vocal recordings. Hank Snow and Chet played some nice Guitar Music Together. The two Guitar Players did "Dark Town Strutter's Ball" together, and it is a great Recording. Chet played some of his typical Finger Pickin Guitar on the song, and Hank Did his nice Single String Acoustic Guitar work on the standard. If you have never heard the two Guitar Players together, it would be a worth while endeavor to get the Recordings that Chet and Hank Snow made; they made enough recordings to fill a CD.

Tonight I was also listening to Chet Play Duets with "Dire Straights" Guitar Player, Mark Knopler. Now Mark Knopler is considerably younger than Chet Atkins, but the two play some of the most beautiful Music you have ever heard. And on some of the songs, Chet sings a little. One song Chet and Mark Knopler do on their CD is, "The Next Time I'm In Town." Mark Knopler does true Country Singing on this song, and it is very soulful. Chet plays some great guitar on the song. Chet and Mark Do "I'll See You In My Dreams" on their CD; it is a great pleasure to hear these two Guitar Masters play this Standard that was first made Popular on Guitar by Merle Travis. I'm sure everyone knows that Merle Travis was Chet Atkins Greatest Guitar Hero.

Well back to Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood Likes Country Music, he sure had enough of it in his movies. And Clint Eastwood recorded one song with Randy Travis.

As Chet was always changing as music changed, and Chet influenced many changes in music, Clint Eastwood was forever changing, but in some ways he was always the same. Imagination is absolutely necessary for the Artists, and Clint Eastwood Certainly has a great imagination, and his perception of the times is right on the money. My very Favorite Clint Eastwood Movie is "High Plains Drifter." I think this movies shows what a tremendous imagination Clint Eastwood has. And I think the movies show how much in tune he was with his times, when he made that movie.

Chet Atkins and Clint Eastwood had something in common that most people don' t know about, they both loved Jazz Music. One of Chet's Greatest Guitar Heroes is Johnny Smith the Great Modern Jazz Guitarist who wrote "Moonlight In Vermont." Chet made some personal appearances with Johnny Smith, I'm sure that was a thrill for both Guitarists. Though Clint Eastwood never played Jazz, he played the part of a Jazz Disc Jockey in one of his movies.

So I had a great night listening to Chet Atkins and watching the Clint Eastwood Movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales."

Are you a Chet Atkins Fan? Are you a Clint Eastwood Fan?

On MP3 COM where I have my Guitar Instrumentals up for free listen and download the Artists can make what is called Stations. Stations feature many MP3 COM artists arranged in a way so that they are presented as if you were listening to a Radio Station. I have made many stations on MP3 COM. My most popular Station is:
http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/72/blues_--_the_heavy_sound.html I have several other stations that you might want to listen to.
http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/67/country_guitar_and_vocals.html
http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/70/bluegrass_that_is_great.html
http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/68/guitar_blues.html

and finally...

Take a listen to my "Smooth and Easy Listening Guitar" Station on MP3 com. I spent about 12 hours total finding the songs and putting them in what I hope is a good order. The songs will sound great in Hi Fi Play.
http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/67/smooth_easy_listening_guit.html

Robert Lee Johnson
The Guitar Man

I have more than 60 Guitar Instrumentals on My MP3 COM web page for free listen and download.

http://www.mp3.com/theguitarman

* There is also a great Chet Atkins page at:
http://www.guitarsite.com/ChetAtkins.htm