Bill Cheatham

“Bill Cheatham” is a traditional fiddle tune that dates back to the 19th century. In 1899, it was a “category” tune at a fiddle contest in Gallatin, Tennessee where each fiddler would play a version and the best rendition was awarded a prize. Since that time, several noteworthy fiddlers have recorded the tune, including Arthur Smith and Tommy Jackson. It has also become a popular flatpicking piece for guitarists at bluegrass jams after being recorded by legendary pickers Tony Rice, Doc Watson, and Clarence White.

This song is typically played on guitar using key of G chords and a capo on the 2nd fret which brings it up to the key of A. Below, we’ll tab out the chord progression in G but remember to capo your 2nd fret.