category: instrumental Christmas / gospel / country / classical / easy listening

[excerpt from the albums' original liner notes]
To all who know him, Chet Atkins is a quiet man of great sensitivity, sincerity and humility...and yet a man who, through his music, has much to say. When occasion demands, the Atkins guitar can be heard with tremendous versatility, though, always, there is warmth and immaculate taste in the playing.

Christmas is a time of reverence, humility and compassion for one's fellow man; it is also a time of gratitude for the good things in life, a time of joy and good cheer. For this album, chet has chosen selections that any gathering of people would sing around an open hearth at Yuletide-present-say popular songs of the season along with some of the more traditional Christmas favorites that have come down through the generations.

On side 1 [tracks 1-7] Chet is heard in his most familiar setting as he plays his famous electric guitar. For side 2 [tracks 8-14 ], which contains most of the more traditional selections, Chet plays the classical guitar - an unamplified instrument with nylon strings on which he has already demonstrated his mastery of the classics.

Whichever way he performs, Chet Atkins, with an able assist from The Anita Kerr Singers in the background, never loses sight of the true spirit of Christmas as he offers his 'Season's Greetings'. Now, let us all enjoy 'Christmas With Chet Atkins'.

CD Track Listing

  1. JINGLE BELL ROCK * (Beal / Boothe) (1:51)
  2. WINTER WONDERLAND (alt version) * (Bernard / Smith) (2:49)
  3. JOLLY OLD ST. NICHOLAS * (traditional) (2:13)
  4. WHITE CHRISTMAS (alt version) * (Irving Berlin) (2:20)
  5. BLUE CHRISTMAS * (Hayes / Johnson) (2:53)
  6. JINGLE BELLS * (traditional) (1:50)
  7. SILVER BELLS * (Livingston / Evans) (2:09)
  8. LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (alt version) * (Davis / Onorati / Simeone) (2:29)
  9. Medley: THE COVENTRY CAROL ~ GOD REST YE MERRY, GENTLEMEN (Chet: solo guitar) (traditional) (3:25)
10. THE FIRST NOEL (alt version) * (traditional) (1:46)
11. HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING (Chet: solo guitar) (Mendelssohn) (1:55)
12. O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL (Chet: solo guitar) (traditional) (2:19)
13. DECK THE HALLS (Chet: solo guitar) (traditional) (1:11)
14. SILENT NIGHT (alt version) * (Mohr / Gruber) (2:01)

  * w/The Anita Kerr Singers: vocal chorus / refrain

Total timing: 31:16

Label/No: Razor & Tie 2155-2

Release date: (c)1961, 1997 reissue