category: instrumental country / gospel / bluegrass

[excerpt from the CD liner notes]:
"Country Routes CD Early Chet Atkins included titles recorded with the Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle, which had been recorded for transcription discs over Radiozark in Missouri. The recordings for these shows commenced in 1949 and we here include the best titles from the remaining shows from 1950.

Four tunes followed the advertisement, of which one was always a chet Atkins guitar solo. Among the three other songs was always one oldtimey or religious song. Oddly, whereas almost every song had some chat by either June Carter or the emcee, often to identify the tune and the vocalists, Chet's solos were never identified!

Chet was considered a vocalist for these sessions; on some titles he shared honours with June Carter. All the sisters harmonized on the others' recordings, and the trio titles were often quartets, as Mother Maybelle joined in.

What we have here is one and a quarter hours worth of the best of the Carters, not slickened for commercial release and Chet Atkins at his early best." -- Country Routes, United Kingdom 2005

CD Track Listing

  1. You Made Toothpicks Of The Timber Of My Heart (3:02)
  2. My Little Pup With The Patent Leather Nose (2:36)
  3. When You & I Were Young Maggie (1:06)
  4. There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight (2:11)
  5. In The Pines (1:03)
  6. Take A 'Tater And Wait (2:24)
  7. Don't Believe Them All (2:52)
  8. When I'm Gone (2:00)
  9. When It's Peach-Pickin' Time in Georgia (0:59)
10. That Jealous-Hearted Woman Of Mine (2:12)
11. Shortnin' Bread (0:38)
12. You Little Sweet Little You (2:17)
13. Heartbreak Trail (1:43)
14. I've Been Working On The Railroad (1:08)
15. I Lost (2:50)
16. Life Gets Tedious (1:16)
17. Take Me Back To Tulsa (2:11)
18. In The Shadow Of The Cross (2:21)
19. Humoresque (1:07)
20. That's Why You're Gone (3:05)
21. Pennsylvania Polka / In The Pines (1:32)
22. I Betcha My Heart I Love You (2:14)
23. Little Darling, Pal Of Mine (2:11)
24. I Am A Pilgrim (2:36)
25. Guitar Solo (1:05)
26. Redwing (0:52)
27. Git Along Down The Town (2:05)
28. A Jilted Love (2:45)
29. The Day Of Wrath (2:06)
30. Swing Low Sweet Chariot / In The Pines (1:43)
31. Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss (2:03)
32. Would You Care (1:56)
33. Darling Nelly Gray (1:20)
34. Fiddle Solo / In The Pines (1:45)
35. The Dude Cowboy (2:09)
36. I Still Do (1:34)
37. Carroll County Blues (1:01)
38. Reuben (1:51)
39. Jam Session / In The Pines (2:46)

Chet Atkins - guitar on every track except #8, where Maybelle Carter plays guitar
Chet: guitar solos only - tracks 3, 9, 14, 19, 25, 30, 33, 37
Chet: fiddle solo - tracks 11, 26, 34
Chet: vocals & guitar - tracks 1, 2, 10, 12, 27, 38

June Carter - speech / harmony vocals / vocals - tracks 1, 6, 16, 17, 35, 38
Helen Carter - accordion / harmony vocals / vocals - tracks 7, 23, 28, 32, 36
Anita Carter - string bass / harmony vocals / vocals - 4, 7, 15, 20, 28, 32, 36
Mother Maybelle - harmony vocals / vocals - tracks 8, 23, 36

Total timing: 74:57

Label/No: Country Routes 35 (UK import)

Release date: (c)1950, 2005 reissue