"Drive In"

Guitarists Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins had a special, productive musical bond.

Reed rather famously lived in the moment, often writing wonderfully tasty riffs and licks only to forget them the next day when he moved on to a new project. By contrast, Atkins was a detail-driven professional and a successful producer.

Chet appreciated, completed and recorded many of Jerry's pieces after practicing and polishing them to perfection. “Drive-In,” which our Danny Cox explores in this week’s podcast, is a prime example.

Pickin’ Prodigy

By 1986, Jerry Reed already was a guitar god. For a dozen years, in fact, the Georgian had been on the world’s musical radar, having been proclaimed a new "teen-age sensation" in 1956 after recording his rockabilly composition, "When I Found You."

Then after years as a popular session and tour guitarist, Reed had his best showing on the country chart with his original “Guitar Man,” which Elvis Presley soon covered.

How the Elvis Thing Happened

Jerry recalled being out on the Cumberland River fishing when he got a call from Presley’s RCA Victor producer who said, “Elvis is down here. We've been trying to cut ‘Guitar Man’ all day long. He wants it to sound like it sounded on your album.”

“Well, if you want it to sound like that,” Reed replied, “you're going have to get me in there to play guitar, because these guys are straight pickers. I pick with my fingers and tune that guitar up all weird kind of ways.”

They called time out and called Jerry in. “I hit that intro,” he remembered, “and Elvis’ face lit up.” After that over the years, Presley recorded multiple Reed compositions and had Jerry’s guitar work on various sessions. “I was toppin' cotton, son."

Enter “Drive In'

It was during this fertile period that Jerry’s noodling — and Chet Atkins’ cultivation — produced “Drive In.” Chet was the first to record the piece; it was the opening track of his acclaimed 1968 Solo Flights album.

The tune, a popular vehicle for aspiring pickers on YouTube, is perfect for The Flood’s newest band mate, the rocking, soulful Mr. Danny Cox. Click here to give it a listen.