Chet Atkins - The Guitar Genius (1963)

It's pretty hard to find a Chet Atkins record that isn't a solid listen from start to finish. The Guitar Genius, however, aims to do this by including Chet's brother Jim as a vocalist on half the tracks. Chet does what he does best, fingering his guitar through country & rock instrumentals. His covers of Heartbreak Hotel & It's Now Or Never add a fantastic new layer to Elvis classics. The humerous Blackjack changes the pace a bit, but it works. Then there's Chet's brother. When Jim takes to the mic, Chet is pushed aside & the listener is forced to listen to some lackluster Sinatra style vocals. It's like listening to sibling rivalry. I'm left wishing they put all of Jim's songs on side B, so I'd never have to turn it over.

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