James Burton
Another American guitarist is none other than James Burton. Born in Louisiana, he has been a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001. In fact, his induction speech was given by longtime fan, Keith Richards. Aside from this, Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. In Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists, Burton is ranked number 19. Back in 1957, James joined Ricky Nelson’s band and he created a distinct technique with Nelson. They used a fingerpick and a flat pick and replaced the four higher strings on his Telecaster with banjo strings. This created a snapping, popping and stuttering sound with his guitar.
James Burton
Chet Atkins
Being a record executive and producer in the 1960s, Chet Atkins invented the pop wise “Nashville sound” that kept country music from falling into a commercial slump. He was even more inventive as a guitarist, mastering country, jazz, and classical styles while perfecting the ability to play chords and melody all at once. He was able to do so thanks to his thumb-and-three-finger picking style. In an interview Atkins did with Rolling Stone in 1976, he said, “A lot of it was trial and error. I just had a damn guitar in my hands 16 hours a day, and I experimented all the time.”
Chet Atkins
