Sometimes you gotta give someone the boot in your life…

You’ve got to say, "Hit The Road Jack..."

Ever been there?

In this post, I want to share with you a powerfully bluesy groove. You only need a couple of chords to have a lot of fun with this one…

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Hit The Road Jack" chords and guitar lesson! 

Who Wrote Hit The Road Jack?

"Hit the Road Jack" was originally written by a blues singer-songwriter named Percy Mayfield. Mayfield was from the South. He was born on August 12, 1920, in Minden, Louisiana.  

He grew up surrounded by rich musical traditions, which deeply influenced his songwriting and vocal style. The most popular version of “Hit The Road Jack” was recorded by Ray Charles in 1961. His version featured The Raelettes, particularly Margie Hendrix, whose powerful vocals provided a memorable call-and-response dynamic typically of the blues. 

The song has biting humor and sings...

Remember when dial-up internet came out?

All those beeping and buzzing sounds just to get online. And then finally… 

“Welcome”...

….“You’ve got mail” 

Internet back than was like the stone age compared to today’s speeds.

True story: 

A few years back I went to a YouTube Space headquarters in Playa Del Ray, California. The internet there was the FASTEST I’ve ever seen. It was like plugging in directly to Google. (Google owns YouTube.) 

Massive files and videos that would normally take hours to upload on high-speed internet. We’re uploaded in mere minutes at the YouTube headquarters. It was insane!

Do you feel like learning new songs is slower than dial-up internet?

Do they take forever to get down? 

Often players get stuck here at the base of what feels like a big insurmountable mountain. Then, once they finally go to play some of the songs they’ve been trying to get down. They exclaim...

Recently a fellow asked:

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I'm struggling to understand the blues scale: is it the same thing as the minor pentatonic?

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Major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, blues scale, mixolydian… there are so many terms being tossed around by guitar players out there – it makes sense why this player feels this way.

Not knowing what scale to use for a solo, or where to even begin on the neck can be downright frustrating.

Often guitarists feel like they are getting traction learning theory etc. For example, they unlock how an A minor pentatonic scale can work over a C major chord. But then they get completely confused when someone is playing a blues in the key of C but uses the C minor pentatonic…

How does that work?

Well, to answer their question… 

No the pentatonic and the blues scale are not the same. They are two different scales. Two completely different sounds. In fact, many times guitarists think the go-to scale for soloing over the blues is the...

Here’s a smash hit song with an interesting backstory that now spans over 40 years.

It all started off as a classic country tune first recorded by David Allan Coe… then George Jones…  

But it wasn't until American singer-songwriter and guitarist Chris Stapleton got a hold of it, and he mashed it up with a soulful old blues groove. And as they say...the rest is history.

In this post I’m going to unpack some insider tips to help you understand the guitar style behind it – and whether you want to do an easy strumming version, or dive into the solos and lead parts, I’ve got you covered. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Tennessee Whiskey" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Tennessee Whiskey?

"Tennessee Whiskey" was originally written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove – two famous songwriters out of Nashville, Tennesse. Although now the song is most often associated with Chris Stapleton’s cover...

Have you ever wondered what exact steps you should take to learn blues guitar?

Many guitarists discover basics like how to read tabs, maj/min scales, a few chords, and maybe even a bit about the pentatonic scale.

But when they search videos online the lessons often only focus on one area. And they often have pre-requirements or things that aren’t explained the players don’t know about yet.

This can be frustrating. So in this post, I’d like to walk you through a powerful framework (I’ve developed over the past 26 years of teaching and playing blues guitar professionally) to become blues proficient fast.

It’s all built around 3 easy steps, starting with…

1) Unlocking the "Freedom Palette"

I learned this from my old mentor (blues guitar maestro Kenny Burrell.) He called it a palette because he saw the blues as a simple framework any artist could use. This opens a door where other musicians and listeners can really look at you. What you do with this...

If you’d like to jam a simple song that captures the gritty and bluesy side of the “Outlaw Country” sound… then this post can show you how.

It’s perfect for newer players. Or those that don’t like to have to memorize a million chord changes, or play tough bar chords.

This song is dirt simple. But it’s a lot of fun.

So, grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Waymore’s Blues” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Waymore’s Blues?

“Waymore's Blues" was co-written by Waylon Jennings and Curtis Buck. It was first recorded and released by Waylon Jennings in 1974 as part of his Dreaming My Dreams album. The song is a mix of country, blues, and outlaw music, reflecting Jennings' signature "Outlaw Country" sound—a genre he helped pioneer alongside other country rebels like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. 

The lyrics reflect a man on the move, likely symbolizing Waylon himself and his rebellious,...

Behold…one of the signature songs of Beatlemania.

A unique period in pop culture history where a whole horde of teenagers went berserker for The Beatles. It was a time characterized by overwhelming excitement, devotion, and sometimes even chaotic reactions from fans – especially young women – during the 60s. 

This song is rooted in the blues and fundamental principles every guitarist should know. So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive into this “Can’t Buy Me Love” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Can’t Buy Me Love?

"Can't Buy Me Love" was originally written by Paul McCartney although it was credited to the usual Lennon-McCartney partnership. It was released in 1964 and became one of The Beatles’ biggest hits. It’s considered a signature song of Beatlemania. And has a powerful, timeless theme: money can’t buy love. 

"Can't Buy Me Love" was recorded at the famous Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris on...

Want to know the secret to making your guitar really sing?

Well, you won’t find the answer to this by learning a million pentatonic scale patterns – or cramming your head with theory. But you can start to unlock it by mastering string bending and vibrato. 

This is particularly important if you want to become a competent blues guitar player and develop your own voice. Vibrato is unique to every guitar player. Each one of us has what I call a “sound concept” inside our minds that is unique to us. In this post, I want to share with you 5 blues guitar vibrato mistakes I hear all the time starting with…

1. The nervous vibrato

The nervous vibrato is something that exposes an insecure beginner player right away. It comes about almost as an involuntary reflex. They hit a note, and are holding it. But then suddenly become extremely unconfident in this note. Almost as if they were caught naked in public and immediately began to shake the note. Often in an...

Ever wanted to play the G blues scale on guitar?

This scale is a great scale to know whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. In this post, I’ll share two different ways to play the G blues scale on guitar. How to practice the G blues scale, and even songs that use the G blues scale. Plus we’ll also cover some music theory and a few other common questions about the G blues scale.

All right, no long blathering build-up.

Let’s jump straight in, starting with…

What is the G blues scale on guitar?

The G blues scale on guitar is a simple series of 6 notes in a row. It’s important to point out, when musicians say G “blues scale” 9 times out of 10 they mean the G minor blues scale. Which is what we are going to be covering in this lesson. It’s a way of grouping together a specific set of notes that can be used for solos, understanding chords, and music theory.

What notes are in the G blues scale?

The notes in the G minor blues...

If you're looking for a song to play on guitar that taps into deep blues roots, but still keeps the sound mainstream… then this could be a perfect tune for you.

The song is a mix of blues, pop, and folk styles. Over the years, it’s appealed to a wide audience. Because of this, I think it’s a good one to add to your setlist or call at your local blues jam. 

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Give Me One Reason” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Give Me One Reason?

"Give Me One Reason" is a hit song written and performed by American blues and folk artist Tracy Chapman. She wrote the song in the 80s and began performing it live during her early shows. The bluesy groove resonated with audiences and by the time she went to record it – in the mid-90s – the song had already shown promise. 

(Playing live like this is a great litmus test for your new material. You can get an immediate gauge on whether or not a song...