▁ ▁Release ▁and ▁reception ▁The ▁album ▁was ▁issued ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁by ▁World ▁Pacific ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁in ▁both ▁mon o ▁and ▁s tere o ▁configurations . ▁ ▁Upon ▁release , ▁the ▁album ▁gar ner ed ▁positive ▁reviews ▁and , ▁although ▁it ▁failed ▁to ▁chart , ▁was ▁a ▁commer cially ▁successful ▁and ▁influ ential ▁record ▁in ▁bl u egr ass ▁circles . ▁ ▁Author ▁Christopher ▁H j ort ▁has ▁noted ▁that , ▁with ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁App al ach ian ▁Sw ing !, ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Col on els ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁considered ▁by ▁fans ▁and ▁critics ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁bl u egr ass ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁authors ▁have ▁noted ▁that ▁the ▁Col on els ' ▁virt u oso ▁guitar ist ▁Clar ence ▁White ▁perman ently ▁expanded ▁the ▁language ▁of ▁bl u egr ass ▁guitar ▁with ▁his ▁flat pick ing ▁style ▁on ▁App al ach ian ▁Sw ing ! ▁ ▁Writing ▁for ▁the ▁All Music ▁website , ▁Thom ▁O w ens ▁called ▁the ▁album ▁" re volution ary ", ▁not ing ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁influ ential ▁albums ▁in ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁bl u egr ass ▁music , ▁primarily ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁st unning ▁playing ▁of ▁Clar ence ▁White . ▁With ▁his ▁v ibr ant , ▁innov ative ▁flat - pick ing , ▁White ▁helped ▁pione er ▁a ▁new ▁style ▁in ▁bl