The night before Chet Atkins’ funeral, Jerry Reed called Steve Wariner unexpectedly. According to Wariner, Jerry spent 45 minutes talking about Chet. Wariner later wished he had recorded the conversation.
In the interview published by journalist Robert Doerschuk, Wariner also recalled that Jerry did not attend the service. Jerry had told him, “I can’t do it.” Chet had died on June 30, 2001, at 77. His funeral took place at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on July 3.
What Jerry learned from Chet
Long before that call, Jerry had described the practical lessons behind their musical relationship. Speaking with journalist David McGee in 1999, he remembered entering recording sessions eager to impress the other musicians, packing his playing with the guitar licks he knew.
Chet and other producers taught him to listen differently. The performance needed to serve the melody and the feeling of the song. Technical skill had a purpose, but showing all of it at once could get in the way.
Jerry credited Chet with teaching him to avoid overplaying or forcing the music. It was a lesson from one extraordinary guitarist to another, learned in the everyday work of making records.
Chet also encouraged Jerry to bring his own personality into the studio after signing him to RCA. The humor and distinctive guitar playing that audiences came to recognize were qualities Chet wanted him to keep.
The records they made together
Their partnership left a substantial recorded history. Me and Jerry, released in 1970, earned them a Grammy in 1971. They followed it with Me and Chet in 1972. Two decades later, they reunited for Sneakin’ Around, which won another Grammy in 1993.
In his interview with Michael Buffalo Smith, Jerry spoke proudly of having written guitar compositions that Chet and other masters recorded. He placed that accomplishment alongside his hit records. Having music accepted and played by musicians he admired meant a great deal to him.
Jerry also marveled at Chet’s continuing enthusiasm for guitar while carrying the responsibilities of a producer and record executive. He remembered playing rhythm beside Chet before large audiences and wondering how Chet managed it all.
Wariner said that he and Jerry became close after the phone call about Chet.