In 1953, RCA Victor packaged some of
Chet Atkins' recordings of the early '50s into the 10" LP
Stringin' Along With Chet Atkins. Three years later, the label added some more tracks to fill out the album for the 12" format. The 1956 12-track version of
Stringin' Along combines the master guitarist's versions of some Tin Pan Alley ("Oh! By Jingo," "Hello Ma Baby"), show music ("Indian Love Call"), and blues ("Memphis Blues," "St. Louis Blues") of the early part of the century with some
Atkins originals ("Galloping on the Guitar," "Blue Gypsy") and the popular "Third Man Theme" from the 1949 movie.
Atkins' playing is as distinctive as ever, and if the sources of the material are various, his style holds it together into a coherent collection. The 1967 reissue is in electronically enhanced (i.e., "phony") stereo. ~ William Ruhlmann