song: Walk, Don’t Run!
artist: Johnny Smith
album: In a Sentimental Mood (EP, 1954)
writer: Johnny Smith (1954)

electric archtop guitar: Johnny Smith
upright/double bass: George Roumanis

(drums: Jerry Segal)

This is a complete transcription of the main guitar and double bass parts on the original version of “Walk, Don’t Run!”, as first recorded in 1954 by its composer, Johnny Smith. After the popular guitarist Chet Atkins spread its popularity with his acoustic-guitar version in 1957, this tune became a major hit single for the band The Ventures in 1960, when they recorded their Surf Rock versio in 1960. Johnny Smith later rearranged and re-recorded the tune for his 1968 album, Johnny Smith’s Kaleidoscope in a faster and Jazzier version (which I might transcribe later). The present original version was a groundbreaking piece of guitar arrangement, with its polyphony and overlapping voices, which was rarely heard in these early years of guitar history. Enjoy!