Chet Atkins: Certified Guitar Player (Distributed for the Country Music Foundation Press)

It's a book

This supplement to the Country Music Hall of Fame's Exhibit on Chet Atkins that ran from June 2011 through July 2012 is an excellent snapshot into the greatness that is Chester B. Atkins, CGP. It includes essays by some of his fellow "Certified Guitar Players" including Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Wariner and John Knowles, all of whom have been long time Atkins friends & great torchbearers of his legacy. (It probably would have included all the CGP's but Jerry Reed had passed away in 2008 and Paul Yandell was designated as the last CGP after the exhibit debuted and sadly after his death).The book is relatively short (96 pages) but jam-packed with incredible photgraphs and pictures of some of Chet's letters, publicity shots and memorabilia. Not to mention his incredibly beautiful guitars! It has three sections that delves into Chet as an artist, innovator and producer. However one the best parts of the book is in the back with an excellent list of suggested DVD's, CD's and books about Chet.I can't think of any other publication that sheds more onto the life of this American Icon in such a wonderful & concise collection of essays and photos for this price. If you are a Chet Atkins fan or any guitarist or music aficionado, you should buy it. You won't be disappointed.

I have both the Kindle Edition and the paper-back edition (delivered today). As a life-long fan of Chet Atkins I added this book to my collection for posterity even though most of what is in it has been published elsewhere before, particularly in Chet’s semi-autobiography “Me and My Guitars”.Nevertheless it is a superbly-produced book charting (briefly) the life-story of Chet Atkins in the words of many people who knew him best. This book was published as a companion to a special year-long Chet Atkins Exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville in 2011-12. Well worth a five star rating for the Book. Had I been reviewing the Kindle Edition separately, however, it would have only merited four stars, even from a dedicated fan like me, as the text of some of the published letters in the book is unreadable in the Kindle Edition.

Gave this as a christmas present to my brother. Beautiful pictures and artistry. An essential for any Chet Atkins fan.

It's an interesting book with lots of colour photography. With lots of information.