Today I want to share with you a guitar lesson on how to play “Deep River Blues”. This song goes back far into the roots of blues music. But it is a timeless classic that audiences have loved for generations. My goal is to peel back the layers on this song and show you how to play this classic blues all by yourself.

I will be taking a fingerstyle approach for this guitar lesson. Following in the footsteps of Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, and Tommy Emmanuel. 

So make sure you’re tuned up and let’s get started!

Who Wrote Deep River Blues?

"Deep River Blues" is a classic traditional blues song that has been covered by a number of great artists over the years. It is a spinoff and essentially the same song as "Big River Blues". It is a traditional blues song that has been recorded and performed by various artists over the years. The origins of the song are unclear, as it has been passed down through oral tradition and adapted by many different...

Looking for a great song to elevate your fingerpicking skills and jam with friends?  

This “Ain’t No Sunshine” Guitar Lesson has got you covered.

Who wrote "Ain’t No Sunshine"?

“Ain’t No Sunshine” was written by Bill Withers and was first released as a single off his 1971 album Just As I Am. The record was produced by Booker T. Jones and features some fantastic musicians, including Stephen Stills on guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums.

It was recorded in Los Angeles with overdubs later done in Memphis Tennesee, and became a breakthrough hit for Withers’ career.

What is the key of Ain't No Sunshine?

“Ain’t No Sunshine” is in the key of Am and features a looping 8-bar chord progression. The song is blues-based and is a great one to know because it's frequently played at jam sessions. Additionally, the chord progression is relatively simple and easy to pick up, as it's just 8 bars...

Improve your fingerpicking with this guitar lesson on how to play “Lonely Stranger” as recorded by Eric Clapton. 

This song is a unique hybrid of rhythm & blues, piano-style gospel chord progressions, and fingerpicking. 

Lonely Stranger" is a heartfelt ballad featured on Eric Clapton's iconic "Unplugged" album, released in 1992. The song showcases Clapton's ability to evoke deep emotions through his soulful guitar playing and heartfelt lyrics.

As part of the "Unplugged" session, "Lonely Stranger" stands out for its intimate atmosphere, recorded live in front of a small audience. The song reflects themes of longing, isolation, and the struggles of being a wandering soul in search of connection.

Clapton's delicate fingerpicking technique and subtle chord progressions contribute to the song's melancholic tone. In this post, I’ll share insights into his guitar style, and break this tune down step-by-step.

What key is Lonely Stranger in? 

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When it comes to playing fingerstyle blues guitar or just fingerstyle guitar in general, one of the most important areas to develop is the fingerpicking hand thumb. You want to focus on independence with this finger. The more a player develops this the more full sounding they are able to play. It takes time, but step-by-step is the best way to put this together.

In this post, I want to share with you 5 beginner fingerpicking blues licks. Each lick can be practiced like a fingerpicking exercise and will help you develop this exact type of thumb independence. 

This style has been used in the blues by many great players like John Lee Hooker and Hubert Sumlin, to even rock n roll musicians like John Fogerty with CCR. Have a listen to tunes like Suzie Q. or Green River to hear this style in rock as well.

Playing this pedal tone blues style is a captivating technique that adds depth and character to your blues playing. By maintaining a steady bass note (pedal tone) while...

Ready to ramp up your fingerstyle guitar and add an awesome crowd-pleasing song to your setlist?

Well if that sounds fun this "Suspicious Minds" guitar lesson is the place to be.

So grab your guitar, tune-up, and let’s get started!

Who wrote Suspicious Minds?

"Suspicious Minds" was originally written and recorded by the American songwriter Mark James. After his first recording of this song failed commercially it was picked up by Elvis Presley. Presley’s version reached No. 1 on the US Billboard charts one year later in 1969.

Suspicious Minds Guitar Chords

To play the majority of the song you’ll just need 5 chords. This will get you until the bridge which we’ll discuss more on that later in this post. The 5 chords are G, C, D, Bm, and Em.

Each of these shapes I would play as bar chords. This is going to set you up for success to build more rhythm and the riff of the chord shape later.

Here’s how I would play each of these shapes.

G would be played at...

In this post, I want to share with you how to play in the style of “Roadhouse Blues” as recorded by the Doors on guitar. This song is a unique blend of fingerstyle guitar, blues, and rock n roll. You’ll discover how to play the main riff, blues patterns, rock rhythms, and even some soloing using the blues scale. So get tuned up and let’s dive in!

Who wrote Roadhouse Blues:

"Roadhouse Blues" was written by all the members of the American rock band The Doors: Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, and John Densmore. It was featured on their 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was one of the band's most popular and enduring tracks, known for its energetic blues-rock sound and captivating lyrics.

The origin of "Roadhouse Blues" can be traced back to the band's early days of performing live in small clubs and venues. The Doors often played in intimate settings where they experimented with various musical styles, including the blues. The song's title and lyrics...

Who else wants to add a great blues standard perfect for jams to their repertoire? 

Today I want to share with you how to play Freddie King’s version of “Sweet Home Chicago.”

This song is so fun to play with friends or call at a blues jam. In this post, I’ll walk you through Freddie King’s version. We’ll cover how to play the chord progression, rhythm patterns, licks, plus we’ll even dive into soloing and a classic King-style blues turnaround. So get tuned up and let’s play!

Who Wrote Sweet Home Chicago?

"Sweet Home Chicago" is a blues standard that has been recorded by a lot of artists over the years. The song is originally credited to Robert Johnson. Johnson was one of the most influential blues musicians of all time from the Mississippi Delta. He first recorded "Sweet Home Chicago" in 1936 during his legendary recording sessions in San Antonio, Texas.

The origins of the song can be traced back to earlier blues compositions....

Hey Friend!

There is nothing quite like John Lennon’s raw and edgy vocals singing a blues tune. So today I want to share with you how I play "Yer Blues" by The Beatles on guitar.

This is a raw and soulful blues-rock guitar tune. And in this blog post, we'll explore the chords you need, 12-bar blues, riffs, and even some time signature changes. So get tuned up and let's dive in!

Who wrote Yer Blues?

"Yer Blues" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon-McCartney. It was recorded by The Beatles for their self-titled album commonly known as the White Album, released in 1968. The song originated during The Beatles' stay in Rishikesh, India, where they were attending an advanced Transcendental Meditation training course with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

The song's origins can be traced back to a moment of frustration and homesickness experienced by John Lennon during their time in India. Feeling isolated and longing for the blues, Lennon wrote "Yer Blues" as a...

If you're a Beatles fan, you know that the iconic band has created some of the most unforgettable tunes in the history of music. One of these tunes is "And I Love Her," a song that has captured the hearts of millions with its beautiful melody and romantic lyrics. 

If you're a guitar player, you might have tried playing this tune before, but finding the right chords and techniques to master it can be challenging. That's why I’m here to help! 

In this guitar lesson, I'll take you through the steps to master "And I Love Her" on the guitar. From the basic chords to the fingerpicking patterns, I'll break down the song into manageable sections, so you can learn and play it with ease. 

So, grab your guitar, tune-up, and let’s get started!

Who wrote And I Love Her?

"And I Love Her" was written by primarily Paul McCartney however it is credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is the 5th track of the album A Hard Day’s Night and it was...

Ready to unlock one of the most powerful guitar scales that you can use in millions of songs today?

In this post, I’ll show you how to play the blues scale on guitar step-by-step.

WARNING: About The Blues Scale

Before we get into the meat of this lesson I need to address a concern I see with a lot of other lessons on this topic, and that is the combination of the blues scale with the minor pentatonic scale. 

From a player’s perspective, I completely get the fact that they are almost the same thing, however from a theoretical perspective they are actually two different scales. The pentatonic scale has 5 notes in it while the blues scale has 6.

Also, I want to address another common issue, it is important to know that the majority of the time musicians refer to the blues scale they are actually referring to the minor blues scale.

However, there is a major and a minor blues scale. For this lesson, I’ll be demonstrating an E minor blues scale and this would often...