Chet Atkins just kept picking

Music is the only way forward for Chet
After dropping out of high school in 1942, Atkins landed a job at WNOX-AM radio in Knoxville. There he played fiddle and guitar with singer Bill Carlisle and comic Archie Campbell as well as becoming a member of the station's Dixieland Swingsters, a small swing instrumental combo. After three years, he moved to WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Merle Travis had formerly worked.

Gretch knew that Atkins could boost their sales and they were right
In addition to recording, Atkins became a design consultant for Gretsch, who manufactured a popular Chet Atkins line of electric guitars from 1955–1980. Atkins also became manager of RCA Victor's Nashville studio, eventually inspiring and seeing the completion of the legendary RCA Studio B, the first studio built specifically for the purpose of recording on the now-famous Music Row.

They never give people their own way despite the fact I did hundreds of recordings
In the 1970s, Atkins became increasingly stressed by his executive duties. He produced fewer records but could still turn out hits such as Perry Como's pop hit "And I Love You So". He recorded extensively with close friend and fellow picker Jerry Reed, who'd become a hit artist in his own right. A 1973 diagnosis of colon cancer, however, led Atkins to redefine his role at RCA, to allow others to handle administration while he went back to his first love, the guitar, often recording with Reed or even Homer & Jethro's Jethro Burns (Atkins's brother-in-law) after Homer died in 1971.

Atkins did many things with the guitar music, some of them were
Inductee: Chet Atkins (guitar; born June 20, 1924, died June 30, 2001) Few guitarists have had more influence on the instrument than Chet Atkins. In Atkins case, his influence extends from the country-music realm into rock and roll. As a studio musician, he appeared on records by Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and countless country musicians. Atkins thumb-and-fingerpicking style influenced George Harrison, Duane Eddy, the Ventures, Eddie Cochran, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, as well as innumerable country pickers. Even the likes of Ted Nugent has credited Atkins with inspiring him to take up the instrument. ...

Perhaps less stress and he could have lived much longer
After Atkins died in 2001, some of his family members and close associates felt it would be right to also give Yandell the C.G.P. Award, as he'd spent more time than anyone playing with Atkins and helping him connect with audiences around the world. Also, many Atkins fans wondered why Yandell hadn't received the C.G.P.