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Chet Atkins & the Carters
October 12, 1949 (5:30-8:30pm)
RCA Victor Studio A, Chicago IL
prod. Steve Sholes
CA-vocal, gtr, leader / Helen Carter-vocal / Homer & Jethro-gtr, mandolin / Anita Carter-vocal, bass1. Under The Hickory Nut Tree (Anita, Helen, June Carter)Oct 13 49 (3:00-6:00pm) Chicago
2. I Was Bitten By The Same Bug Twice (Helen Carter)
3. One More Chance
4. The Old Buck Dance
CA / H&J / Anita5. Boogie Man Boogie----------------------------
6. Main Street Breakdown
All 6 tracks were issued on these 78 & 45 rpm singles:
#3 & 4 - 0173
#6 & 1 - 0329 (#6 became a charting minor hit, and was the only one to reappear on Chet's first EP & 10" album, ''Stringin' Along With Chet Atkins'')
#5 & 2 - 0367
When Homer & Jethro left for KWTO in Springfield MO in 1949, Chet remained at WNOX in Knoxville. In 1948 the station had hired the latest incarnation of the legendary Carter Family: Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, formerly at WRVA in Richmond. After Sara and A.P. Carter divorced in 1936, the Carter Family continued with Maybelle, Sara and other family members. Following Sara's retirement in 1943, Maybelle and her husband Ezra Carter reorganized the act with their daughters June, Helen and Anita. Chet became friendly with the family and Ezra Carter offered him a job with the group as featured guitarist. The group did extremely well on WNOX with their mix of music and June Carter's formidable comedic skills.
For the first time since working with Red Foley, Chet Atkins was working with an act that was clearly going places. The money was good and so was the offer they received from KWTO around mid-1949. The Atkinses went to Springfield with the Carters and their popularity surged as it had in Knoxville. The group also recorded for Si Siman's RadiOzark Transcription operation. Bigger things awaited them -- and soon. Things were also going well for Homer & Jethro that fall. They enjoyed their first RCA Victor hit record, a parody of the then-current Johnny Mercer-Margaret Whiting pop hit Baby, It's Cold Outside sung as a duet with June Carter.
Chet was back in Chicago for two sessions on October 12 and 13, 1949. Helen and Anita Carter (playing bass) were present along with Homer & Jethro. Chet sang two nondescript Carter songs with Anita and Helen: Under the Hickory Nut Tree written by Helen, June and Anita, and Helen's I Was Bitten By The Same Bug Twice. The records were ultimately carried by Chet's superior playing. Despite silly lyrics, One More Chance. written by western swing performer-composer Smokey Rogers and Margaret Taylor, was a fine instrumental showcase for both Chet and Jethro. The best track on this session, though barely noticed at the time, was The Old Buck Dance. Loosely based on a traditional tune called Buck and Wing, Homer, Jethro and Chet sang the lyrics in a hip, unison style. Chet produced some dazzling solo passages here as well.
On the next day's two-song instrumental session, Atkins laid down Boogie Man Boogie with its interesting double time interlude at the end. On the spectacular, Djangoesque Main Street Breakdown, another Atkins landmark, Chet played his Gibson L-10 acoustic with fire, zest and daring. As Jethro's solo began, Chet switched to sparkling rhythmic chords while Homer Haynes kept time with his own driving rhythm playing. Few performances better demonstrated the musical cohesion of the Atkins/Haynes/Burns team. (And Anita Carter excels on bass!) Like Galloping on the Guitar from earlier in the year, it also became a popular opening theme song for country disc jockeys.
Grand Ole Opry star George Morgan, riding high with his hit Candy Kisses, was passing through Springfield and heard the Carters. Back in Nashville, Morgan sang their praises to the point they were offered a Grand Ole Opry audition. Hired by the Opry, they also got a morning WSM radio show sponsored by Martha White Flour.
Making enough money to support his family concerned Chet, since he'd receive $50 a week for working with the Carters on their early morning WSM radio program, more than working on the Opry. He wondered if the money would be enough. The climate for Chet at KWTO, with Si Siman overseeing things, was far more secure than three years earlier. Siman, who'd expected the Carters to move to a better venue, offered Chet a raise to stay.
But a telephone call to Chet made by Fred Rose in Nashville cinched his decision to move on. Rose, co-owner of Acuff-Rose song publishing with Roy Acuff, Hank Williams' de facto producer and producer of other MGM country artists, told Chet he could use him on recording sessions as a sideman. That put Atkins' mind at ease and he and his family rolled into Nashville in June of 1950, staying with steel guitarist Don Davis until he found an apartment.