Neck and Neck is a collaborative album by American guitarist Chet Atkins and British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on October 9, 1990, by Columbia Records. "Poor Boy Blues" was released as a single.
At the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1991, the track "Poor Boy Blues" won Best Country Vocal Collaboration, while the track "So Soft Your Goodbye" won Best Country Instrumental Performance.
Atkins originally recorded "Yakety Axe", a parody of Boots' Randolph's "Yakety Sax", on his 1965 album More of That Guitar Country. This new recording features lyrics and a new arrangement that were composed by Merle Travis. Atkins also previously recorded "I'll See You in My Dreams" on an album with Travis.
The track "There'll Be Some Changes Made" was later included as track 10 of the 15-track 1996 Rolls-Royce Sound System Demonstration Disc and accompanying cassette.
Critical reception In his review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four out of five stars, calling it "the most focused and arguably the most rewarding record Atkins has released." Erlewine singled out Knopfler's influence on the guitarist:
Track listing
Personnel Music Chet Atkins – guitar, vocals Mark Knopfler – guitar, vocals Larrie Londin – drums Guy Fletcher – drums, bass, keyboards Edgar Meyer – bass Steve Wariner – bass Mark O'Connor – fiddle, mandolin Paul Franklin – steel guitar, pedabro, Dobro Floyd Cramer – piano (track 2) Vince Gill – backing vocals
Production Mark Knopfler – producer Mike Poston – engineer Guy Fletcher – engineer Vanelle – assistance engineer Ron Eve – assistance engineer Bill Schnee – mixing engineer Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab in Los Angeles Alan Yoshida – mastering at The Mastering Lab in Los Angeles Deborah Feingold – photography
Charts
Albums Chart (1990) Peak Canadian Albums Chart 71 Norway Albums Chart 5 Sweden Albums Chart 8 Swiss Albums Chart 3 UK Albums Chart 41 US Billboard 200 Chart 127 US Billboard Top Country Chart 27
Singles Year Single Peak positions CAN Country 1990 "Poor Boy Blues" 92
References Notes
Citations
External links Neck and Neck at Mark Knopfler official website "I'll See You in My Dreams"