A man who changed the lives of musicians all over the world, the extraordinary Chet Atkins (1924–2001), "Mr. Guitar," created and developed the Nashville Sound.

"Approach your guitar intelligently," he once said. "And if there are limits, don't deny them."

Born poor in rural Luttrell, Tennessee, Chester Burton Atkins fought asthma as a child. His first instrument was a ukulele, then he taught himself to play the fiddle and guitar.

By 1948, he made his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry and became one of Nashville's top session men, playing on Hank Williams's Your Cheatin' Heart and Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel.

"Work within your restrictions. Some things you can do better than others, some things you can't do as well," he said. "So accentuate the positive."

Known for his intricate finger-picking, Atkins had the rare ability to play two melodies at once. His thumb kept a steady bass line while his fingers danced in harmony and creativity.

Singer Dolly Parton once praised him for "spreading gold dust around the world."

When asked how he'd like to be remembered, Atkins replied, "I guess I'd like for people to say that I played in tune, that I played in good taste, and that I was nice to people. That's about it."