Hillbilly Music

From The Journal-Gazette Times-Courier (Mattoon / Charleston, IL)
In 1963, young Jerry Ozee got a new record titled "Chet Atkins Plays Back Home Hymns." That struck a chord.

It also began the Sullivan native's lifetime love affair with a playing style the music world gives Atkins credit for perfecting.

According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine in "All Music Guide," Atkins was a guitarist "without parallel. Atkins' style grew out of his admiration for Merle Travis, expanding Travis' signature syncopated thumb and fingers roll into new territory."

Ozee has been a dentist for 30 years in his hometown. But much of his time outside of the office has been devoted to music, playing and performing. And his admiration of the artist led Ozee to transcribe the "Chet Atkins Plays Back Home Hymns" album.

Now a book published by Mel Bay, it was printed with permission of Atkins, who died just a week before its 2001 publication.

Not only did Ozee transcribe the well-known hymns, he also includes notation and tablature, fingerings and performance notes.

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Journal-Gazette Times-Courier