category: instrumental gospel / country / easy listening

[excerpt from the album's original liner notes]:
"King Saul's servants had a wonderful suggestion for a way to relieve their king of evil spirits that troubled him. They said that he should "...seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp..." (I Samuel, 16:16) and he would, after listening to the music, feel much better. King Saul commanded them to go and find such a man. One of the servants suggested a young shepherd he'd seen. His name was David and lived in Bethlehem. The young man was finally brought to play for the king. "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit...was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." (I Samuel, 16:23)

I have a good idea of how the mighty King Saul must have felt when he heard the inspired playing by the talented young David, for I have just listened to the twelve religious selections in this album played by Chet Atkins. Every selection is superbly rendered, and not one is unfamiliar. To me, as to Chet, these melodies are a part of my heritage. I've heard them sung by quartets and choirs, played on pianos and organs. I've even heard my mother hum them as she went about her daily chores. But when Chet plays them they become a musical masterpiece in sacred sweetness.

I have known and idolized Chet for a good many years. Thousands of words of praise have been written about him. That's not nearly enough. Little David, the shepherd, became a king. So has Chet Atkins, the undisputed king of the guitar." -- Merle Travis, 1962

CD Track Listing

  1. TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD † (T.A.Dorsey) (2:47)
  2. AMAZING GRACE † (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:40)
  3. WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN † (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:10)
  4. IN THE GARDEN (C.Austin Miles) (2:35)
  5. WHEN THEY RING THE GOLDEN BELLS (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:33)
  6. JUST AS I AM (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (1:49)
  7. FURTHER ALONG † (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (3:05)
  8. JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:08)
  9. THE OLD RUGGED CROSS (Rev. George Bennard) (2:30)
10. LONESOME VALLEY † (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:05)
11. GOD BE WITH YOU (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:35)
12. WERE YOU THERE (Chet: solo guitar) (trad. arr. Chet Atkins) (2:11)

 † w/Charlie McCoy: harmonica
  w/Floyd Cramer: piano / organ on every track except #12

Total timing: 29:13

Label/No: BMG Special Products 446802

Release date: (c)1962, 1998 reissue

For the matching tab book folio of this title click here