The ULTIMATE Stormy Monday Guitar Lesson (T-Bone Walker, Allman Brothers, Bobby "Blue" Bland)

If you're looking to improve your blues guitar skills and learn a classic tune, look no further than these Stormy Monday guitar lessons. With this masterclass and step-by-step instruction, I will share with you how to learn the chords, techniques, solos, and all the nuances you'll need to master this blues guitar masterpiece.

Whether you want to jam with friends or simply play this song at home in your music room, you won't regret adding it to your blues guitar repertoire.

Who wrote Stormy Monday?

The original writer of "Stormy Monday" was an American blues electric guitar pioneer named T-Bone Walker. He was influential in shifting the blues from acoustic styles to the electric guitar. His signature style was heavily influenced by combining the blues with jazz and big band swing styles from the early 1940s.

"Stormy Monday" has become a blues guitar standard and is often regarded as one of the greatest blues guitar chord progressions of all time. This slow blues has been recorded by many influential artists, in this post, I will share with you deep insights into several versions including, Walker's version, the Allman Brothers Band, released on their groundbreaking album, Live at the Fillmore East, and Bobby Blue Blands.

Stormy Monday Chords

To begin, it's important to understand that the "Stormy Monday" chords follow a typical blues progression that is used in millions of songs, called the 12-bar blues.

The 12-bar blues typically consists of three chords played in a specific order: the I chord (the root chord of the key), the IV chord (the fourth note in the scale), and the V chord (the fifth note in the scale). By mastering this progression, you'll be able to play countless blues songs and unlock one of the best tools for jamming with other musicians.

Walker's version of "Stormy Monday" is in the key of G. So the three chords for the I, IV, and V would be as follows:

• I chord = G 
• IV chord = C
• V chord = D

In the blues, these chords are typically played as dominant seventh chords, which means we'll add the number 7 after each chord letter name. So now we have G7, C7, and D7. Here are some sample chord diagrams to get you started.

G7 could be played like this:

C7 like this:

And finally, D7 is like this: 

For the original version, you can drop those chord shapes into your 12-bar blues pattern and play them in this order. 

• G7 (1 bar)
• C7 (1 bar)
• G7 (2 bar)
• C7 (2 bar)
• G7 (2 bar)
• D7 (1 bar)
• C7 (1 bar)
• G7 (1 bar)
• D7 (1 bar)

Notice the use of a quick IV chord progression. A quick IV in this example is playing the C7 in the 2nd bar as opposed to just staying on the I chord (G7) for the first 4 bars. 

Once you feel comfortable with the above pattern and are starting to internalize it. Try substituting these 4 classic Walker-style chords he used in a lot of his signature recordings. 

Use this G9 shape in place of the G7:

Use this C9 shape in place of the C7: 

Use this D9 shape in place of the D7:

Finally, in the very last bar try this D7aug:

The “aug” means augmented. This is a type of chord quality, like major or minor, and is a classic sound in blues guitar.

How to play Stormy Monday on guitar?

The rhythm guitar for “Stormy Monday” is iconic. It features a slow, soulful style of blues guitar. 

Example 1 demonstrates how you can slide part of the G9 chord shape to evoke an expressive blues rhythm guitar part.

This could also be down over the IV chord like this:

Adding in these little soulful slides can elevate your playing from the basic chord structure mentioned above to a much more sophisticated sound.

Allman Brothers Band Stormy Monday - Live At Filmore East

The Allman Brothers Band recorded a pinnacle version of "Stormy Monday" for blues guitar on their album Live at the Fillmore East. The album was recorded in 1971 at the famous venue Fillmore East in New York City. 

Released just a few months later, it is widely regarded as one of the best live music offerings in the history of music. The Allman Brothers Band put their own unique twist on the original Walker version, jazzing up the chord progression and taking extended blues solos throughout the song.

Here’s what their chord progression looked like: 

• G9 (1 bar)
• C9 (1 bar)
• G9, G#9 (1 bar)
• G9 (1 bar)
• C9 (2 bar)
• G7, Am7 (1 bar)
• Bm7, Bbm7 (1 bar)
• D11 (1 bar)
• Cm7/Eb (1 bar)
• G9, C9 (1 bar)
• G9, Daug (1 bar)

So, their version spruced up the chords a bit and gave it a jazzier sound.

Improvising and Soloing Over Stormy Monday

Once you have mastered the chords and the slow blues rhythm, it's time to take your playing to the next level by working on improvising and soloing over the song.

The master scale for this song would be the G minor blues scale, which could be played like this in the 3rd position:

Once you feel comfortable with the scale, you’ll want to start arranging those notes in the form of blues licks and melodies. 

Creating strong blues melodies when you are first starting can be tough to do on your own, so here are 3 examples of blues licks in the style of Dickey Betts that would sound great over a “Stormy Monday” style blues progression.

Lick #1 uses a classic blues move where you walk up from the b3 of the scale to the 5th chromatically. Here Betts would often use hammer-ons and bends to make the notes come alive.

Next, Lick #2 uses a triplet rhythm starting on beat 4 and ends the phrase bending the major 6th of the chord, the note E up a ½ step to the note F.

Finally, Lick #3 uses again a triplet rhythm but this time we’ll begin with bending the note C up to D on the 5th fret of the 3rd string. Here we’ll keep plucking that bent note and slowly bring it down from D to C. Then we’ll finish this phrase off with a very common blues lick called a turnaround. This phrase would sound great played over the last 4 bars of “Stormy Monday” 

Stormy Monday Bobby Blue Guitar Lesson

Ok, let's next talk about Bobby "Blue" Bland's version of "Stormy Monday".

Bland's rendition of "Stormy Monday" is a soulful and bluesy masterpiece that has become one of his most iconic songs. 

This expressive version was released in 1962 on his album Here's the Man!

Bland is a renowned American blues and soul singer, who had a unique ability to infuse deep blues into his performances, and "Stormy Monday" showcases this. 

With a smooth, velvety voice, Bland delivers each line with skill, capturing the essence of the blues genre. 

The arrangement kicks off using dominant 9th chords, similar to the original Walker version.

Bland’s version is in the key of Ab. The 3 chords used to create the iconic intro are Ab9, A9, and Ebaug. Here’s an example of this style:

This version featured one of the most celebrated and influential blues guitarists of all time, Wayne Bennett. Wayne Bennett's exceptional guitar skills and soulful playing added a distinctive sound to the song, making it a timeless classic.

Born on June 13, 1931, in Louisiana, Wayne Bennett's musical journey began at a young age. He honed his guitar skills while listening to and playing along with blues recordings by legendary artists such as T-Bone Walker and B.B. King. This deep appreciation for the blues tradition and his natural talent on the instrument quickly earned him recognition among his peers.

In the early 1950s, Wayne Bennett's excellent guitar playing caught the attention of the legendary blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland. Bland was impressed by Bennett's soulful approach and emotive phrasing, which perfectly complemented his own powerful vocals. This led to a collaboration that would become iconic in the world of blues music.

Bennett's guitar work on "Stormy Monday" is a masterclass in blues playing, characterized by tasteful phrasing, expressive bends, and soulful vibrato. His ability to evoke emotions through his guitar added depth and intensity to the song, amplifying the heartfelt sentiments of Bobby "Blue" Bland's vocals.

Here is a blues lick example in the style of Wayne Bennett.

Bland's version of "Stormy Monday" received critical acclaim and resonated with audiences, becoming a favorite among blues enthusiasts and music lovers alike. The song's lasting impact on the blues genre solidified Bobby "Blue" Bland's status as one of the most influential and respected artists in the history of blues and soul music.

Putting It All Together and Playing with Feeling 

Once you have learned the chords, techniques, and scales of Stormy Monday, it's time to put it all together and play with feeling. The key to playing the blues is to express emotions through your playing, whether it's sadness, joy, or longing. Use all these tools to add expression to your playing, and experiment with different rhythms and phrasing to create your own unique and memorable sound. Remember, the blues is all about feeling, so let your emotions guide your playing, and to really master these concepts anywhere on the neck, grab my fretboard guide below.