Search - Chet Atkins, Doc Watson :: Reflections

The time machine revs up for these 10 tunes, taking you back to 1979 Nashville, when the two guitar giants sat down, cut loose, and recorded together for the first time. Backed by the lightest percussion, bass, and rhythm guitar, Chet Atkins and Doc Watson engage in some fascinating musical conversations, their guitars chiming back and forth with wit and warmth, Atkins stretching his thumb-based licks from gentle strolls to jazzy arabesques and Watson stroking his flat-pick runs with inspired speed and melodic clarity. In this informal, friendly setting, the songs they choose draw on their earliest musical memories ("Old Joe Clark" and "Goodnight Waltz" are both songs learned in youth), as well as some playful recent inventions, especially "Me and Chet Made a Record," which sounds like an on-the-spot improvisation. Likewise, the old spiritual "On My Way to Canaan's Land" becomes a joyful roll call of fellow musicians. As Watson says, the song "gives us a chance to pick a lick or two." If you're at all interested in the soulful sound of country guitar, these historic licks should grab your attention. --Roy Kasten