Unlock every lesson, jam track, TAB, and tool Try One Month Free

Jimmy Brown the Newsboy

jimmy-brown-the-newsboy-guitar-lesson-a0154
Lesson ID: A0154

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play the traditional country & bluegrass song called “Jimmy Brown the Newsboy”. This song was originally written by William Shakespeare Hays in the late 1800s and it has been recorded by several country & bluegrass artists over the years including Flatt & Scruggs, Mac Wiseman, Roger Miller, Norman Blake, Bill Monroe, A.P. Carter, and several others.

It’s common to see this song played out of the C position with a capo on the 7th fret (Key of G), but in this guitar lesson, we’re going to play it out of the C position with a capo on the 2nd fret (Key of D). The lower pitched melody with a capo on the 2nd fret seems to be a bit easier for singing. We’ll cover two different variations of the instrumental, and then we’ll go over the rhythm guitar part for those of y’all wanting to sing and play this one. Overall, this is a great guitar lesson for all levels of pickers.

Lesson Overview

Instrumental 1

Video 1 – Playthrough with Tablature

Video 2 – Full Breakdown

Instrumental 2

Video 1 – Playthrough with Tablature

Member Content

Log in or register to watch this video!

Video 2 – Full Breakdown

Member Content

Log in or register to watch the full breakdown!

Chord Progression

Member Content

Log in or register to learn the progression!

Backing Track

Member Content

Log in or register to practice along!

Bill Cheatham

bill-cheatham-guitar-lesson-bluegrass-flatpicking-break
Lesson ID: A0150

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to play the traditional tune “Bill Cheatham” on guitar. This flatpicking arrangement has a ton of momentum and it’s a great song for all levels of guitar players. Slow it down and it’ll help you build solid pick control accuracy; speed it up and it gets technical for the more advanced pickers. “Bill Cheatham” is a must-know flatpicking standard that will get your prepared for your next bluegrass jam! Download the “Bill Cheatham” guitar tablature below this lesson video.

Overview

Playthrough with Tablature

Full Breakdown

Ending Lick

Member Content

Log in or register to learn the song ending!

Backing Track

Member Content

Log in or register to practice along!

Beaumont Rag

beaumont rag guitar tablature
Lesson ID: A0147

Beaumont Rag” is a swingy flatpicking guitar standard that originated as a fiddle tune near Beaumont, Texas. The exact origins are unknown, but many believe it was composed by a fiddler in Smith’s Garage Fiddle Band named Samuel Peacock. It was first recorded by Smith’s Garage Fiddle Band in 1928, and since then, it has become one of the most recorded ragtime tunes by country fiddlers across the world. Today, “Beaumont Rag” is a popular bluegrass standard for flatpicking guitarists.

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a traditional flatpicking break for “Beaumont Rag”. This arrangement will really help you work on your crosspicking and right hand pick control. When you play it at a slow speed, it’s a great song for beginner guitarists to learn, and when you speed it up, it’ll get pretty technical for the more advanced pickers. Download “Beaumont Rag” guitar tablature below the video.

Lesson Overview

Playthrough with Tablature

Full Breakdown

Video 1 – Learn the A Part

 
 

Video 2 – Learn the B Part

Member Content

Log in or register to learn the B Part!

Optional Ending

Member Content

Log in or register to learn the ending!

Backing Track

Member Content

Log in or register to practice along!

12 Bar Blues with a Country Twang

country 12 bar blues guitar lesson
Lesson 16 – Rhythm Fill Riffs and Lead Guitar Course
Lesson ID: A0148

In this country guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a variation of the 12 bar blues that has a country & bluegrass twang. In both arrangements below, we’ll use triplets to spice up our country fills and we’ll also replace strumming with crosspicking in certain measures to make our rhythm sound even more country. These country 12 bar blues progressions are in the key of G and you can use the fill riffs that we’re studying in this guitar lesson with a bunch of other country & bluegrass songs. Pay close attention to how we’re structuring each country guitar lick around the rhythm chords.

Lesson Overview

Playthrough with Tablature

Video 1 – First Round Playthrough

Video 2 – Second Round Playthrough

Member Content

Log in or register to watch this video!

Full Breakdown

Video 1 – First Round Breakdown

 
 

Video 2 – Second Round Breakdown

Member Content

Log in or register to watch this video!

Backing Track

Member Content

Log in or register to practice along!