The Chetboard

Does anyone know who the members of Chet's early bands, " The Allstar Hillbillies," or, "His Colorado Mountain Boys," or, "His Guitar Pickers," were? I would love to know.

I thought it was Homer and Jethrow and Aychie Burns. Says as much in 'Country Gentleman' page 139

Yes, I can! The following is according to the pamphlets accompanying the CD collection "Chet Atkins - The Early Years 1946 - 1949 and 1949 - 1952:

"The Allstar Hillbillies" (Nashville, mid 1946): Louis Innis rhythm guitar, R. Lanham, guitar, Jack Shook, guitar, Ernest Newton, bass, E. R. "Dutch" McMillan, clarinet.

"His Colorado Mountain Boys" (Chicago, August 11, 1947): George Warren Barnes, guitar, Charles Hurta, fiddle, Angus P. Klein, accordion, Harold Siegel, bass.

"His Colorado Mountain Boys" (New York City, November 11 and 15, 1947): James Atkins, guitar, C. R. Crean, bass, Buck Lambert, fiddle, Joe Biviano, piano.

"His Guitar Pickers" (Atlanta, GA, February 3, 1949, Chicago, October 12, 1949): "Sister" Billie Rose Atkins vocal, Helen Carter vocal, "Homer" Haynes guitar and vocal, "Jethro" Burns mandolin and vocal, C. R. Crean bass and vocal.

"His Guitar Pickers" (Chicago, October 13, 1949): "Homer" Haynes, guitar, "Jethro" Burns, mandolin, Anita Carter, bass.

"His Guitar Pickers" (Nashville, Austst 22, 1950): Billie Rose Atkins, vocal, H. Ray Bradley, guitar, Ernie Newton, bass, A. Kerr, organ.

"His Guitar Pickers" (Nashville, August, 23, 1950): Jack Shook, guitar, Ernie Newton, bass, "Papa" John Gordie, piano.

"His Guitar Pickers" (Nashville, January 21, 1951): D. Dill, vocal, Jack Shook, guitar, Ernie Newton, bass, M. Hughes, piano, organ.

For later recordings there are no band names, but many of the same musicians take part. As from the autumn of 1951 there´s His Galloping Guitar, however, and that´s a band in itself!

As I look over those lists of musicians, it's pretty obvious that Chet's choice of backing guitar players was impressive from back in those days on up into his later years when he had Paul Yandell and Pat Bergeson. That's a Hall of Fame of guitarists over the years. Or as Chet would say about Paul, his "accomplice".

Bill B.

Being a professional musician can be a bit of a scramble. Guitarists we hold in awe often went from job to job taking whatever they could find just to eat. Fame cannot be made into a stew or sandwich. Some of our guitar idols taught guitar part time to help make ends meet.

In recording, of course, the better guitarists got "first call" but competition was hot for the good jobs and a lot of what we admire as 'star quality' musicians were just part of the faceless band on recordings. Radio didn't pay all that well and, for many, recordings were critical to income. Case in point was Chet getting spooked by his first RCA recording using George Barnes as a rhythym guitarist.

What staffed a recording was not always the band taken on the road. I think the "Colorado Mountain Boys" cited in 'Country Gentleman' was the package Chet and Homer and Jethro booked on the road.

Howard Roberts (without his trademark "shades") was part of the 'In Hollywod' crew. Johnny Smith bought into a music store. Tal Farlow went back to painting signs for a living and even Chet thought about tuning pianos for a living.

Fame is an illusion.

Sorry... just rambling...