Hello, my name is Doug and I’ve been playing the guitar for over fifty five years of many different styles, but my favorite style has to be Country Fingerpickin’, as played by Chet Atkins.

In the early 60’s (1962 – 1964), I spent a couple of years demonstating Gibson Guitars for Selmer’s, the UK Gibson importers at the time. I went on to play fingerstyle guitar with Houston Wells & the Marksmen, who were England’s first professional recording country band. I also played lead guitar with various other bands in the 60’s (e.g. Chas & Dave). More recently, I’ve taught guitar at Andy’s Guitar Shop in London’s Denmark Street also known as Tin Pin Alley, the centre of the UK music scene.

During my many years of playing and writing fingerstyle guitar music, it has been my endevour to work out a method of teaching the Chet Atkins style in a way that would make it very easy to learn. I’ve made this available as a free video on this site.

I hope you enjoy the music and tutorials you find here. At a later date, I hope give you some lessons on how to play various Chet Atkins arrangements, I’d love to hear which Chet Atkins arrangments you’d like to learn.

Please feel free to get in touch on the Contact page.

A letter from Jim Beam, President of the Chet Atkins Guitar Society of Great Britian:

I first met Doug Turner back in 1960 and his renditions of Chet Atkin’s guitar instrumentals never ceased to amaze me. I later studied the guitar under him and he taught me so many things that I will be forever grateful. He is an excellent teacher and possesses a tremendous knowledge of chords and chord substitutions, his improvising is all worked around chords, not so much scales like other guitarists.

His figurations around chords make you tap your feet, even jazz guitarists look up and take notice when Doug is in a music shop trying out a new guitar. He has in his career played with many musicians including Chet Atkins. I too had the pleasure of playing with them both in 1984 when Chet paid us a visit. Chet remarked to me “Doug’s guitar is singing”.

Jim Beam

President – Chet Atkins Guitar Society