"Walk Don't Run" The Ventures | CME Full Band Fridays

The CME House Band sprints into Full Band Friday with “Walk, Don’t Run,” The Ventures’ legendary instrumental single, released in 1960 on Dolton Records.

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"Walk, Don't Run" is an instrumental composition written and originally recorded by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith in 1954. It was later adapted and re-recorded by Chet Atkins in 1956, and was a track on the LP Hi-Fi In Focus. This arrangement was the inspiration for the version by The Ventures in 1960 (though the Ventures' arrangement is recognizably different from Atkins' finger-picked style) and achieved world-wide recognition, being regarded by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.

After hearing a Chet Atkins recording of "Walk, Don't Run", the Tacoma-based instrumental rock band The Ventures released their version of the tune as a single in spring 1960 on Dolton Records. This version made the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #2 and was kept out of the #1 spot by "It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley. "Walk, Don't Run" also made the US Hot R&B Sides chart, where it went to #13. The instrumental reached #3 on the Cash Box magazine chart for five weeks in August and September 1960. The Dolton release of this record had two backing sides, the first release (Dolton 25) had "Home", and after initial sales were so great, the B side was replaced with a Bogle-Wilson original composition, "The McCoy" (Dolton 25-X), to gain royalties. Personnel on this record were Bob Bogle-lead guitar, Don Wilson-rhythm guitar, Nokie Edwards-bass, and Skip Moore-drums. It was recorded and engineered by Joe Boles, who had a basement studio in his home in Seattle, Washington, who also engineered their first two albums. This version of the song follows the musical structure known as the Andalusian cadence, which originated from Flamenco, although the Ventures' version replaces the vi chord (relative to C major) with a VI chord, A major.

This single, their first national release, became a huge hit and vaulted the Ventures to stardom. The song was recorded before the band officially had a drummer. The Ventures' website lists the drummer on "Walk, Don't Run" as Skip Moore. Moore was not interested in touring and never was a full-time member of the band. As payment for his session work, Moore was given the choice of $25 or 25% of any royalties from sales of the single. He took the $25. Bob Bogle played the lead guitar part on this first Ventures recording of the song. The band later rerecorded the song in 1964 (see below), and became the first band to score two top ten hits with two versions of the same tune.

Gear Used:
Fender American Professional II Jazz Bass Mercury: https://bit.ly/2VslsEv
Fender Player Jazzmaster 3-Color Sunburst: https://bit.ly/3Ahgwky
Fender Player Jazzmaster Olive: https://bit.ly/3fBDQ4V
Fender Player Jazzmaster Black: https://bit.ly/3jqp0iF
Fender Player Jazzmaster Shell Pink: https://bit.ly/3CmSC9d
Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb Combo: https://bit.ly/2VqS4i6
Fender Tonemaster Twin Reverb Combo: https://bit.ly/3CnOMgm

Featuring:
Elizabeth Moen - Guitar/Vocals
Sam Porter - Guitar
Nathaniel Murphy - Guitar
Mike Larsen - Bass
Zach Moore - Drums

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