Lesson ID: A0119
In this lesson, I’ll teach you how play the traditional gospel song “I’ll Fly Away” in the style of Alan Jackson. First we’ll go over the chord progressions and a few strumming patterns you can play behind your vocals. Then I’ll teach you two variations of the instrumental break — the first instrumental break will mix a nice melody line with strumming and the second instrumental break will be loaded with some awesome bluegrass flatpicking licks. Chords and lyrics along with tablature can be downloaded below the video!
Overview
Wow, another fantastic lesson, keep up the good work Devin!
this is another awesome lesson. i appreciate you willingness to share your talent with others. great song and job. scott
Thanks Scott and Ron! Really appreciate the comments. I had a lot of fun putting this one together — such a great song. I should have the full jam track video and MP3 posted this Thursday. Hope y’all are having a great week! – Devin
Great lesson for a beginner like me, challenging enough to work on and be able to progress, keeps me in the game.
Thanks Devin
The two instrumentals are great! Nice work!
I’ll be posting a video on this soon, but wanted to tell everybody about two new site features…right below each video, we’ve added a “Mark Complete” button and an “Add to Favorites” button.
– If you mark a lesson complete, it’ll show a check mark on the main lesson grid so you know you’ve already watched that lesson.
– Click the Add to Favorites button to bookmark the lesson for watching later…find all your bookmarked lessons at the top menu bar under Lessons > My Favorites.
Hope y’all like the new features. More lessons on the way soon!
Devin
Seems kinda low to sing in G. I play it in D. Can you develop a lesson in D or C?
It is a bit low for vocals…Alan Jackson tunes down 1/2 step and sings an octave higher. That’s the way I was planning to record the vocals, but ended up being a bit too high for me. I was hoping the majority of people could tune down 1/2 step and sing in Alan Jackson’s register. I’d recommend tuning down 1/2 step, or possibly clamping a capo on 2nd fret to play in A. To be honest, I’m probably not planning to re-record this same lesson in a different key anytime soon…going to shoot for posting new content! But if you… Read more »
G is often too low for me; I’ll capo to A or transpose to C or D. As for another song, I’d like Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) or I’m a Lonesome Fugitive (Merle Haggard)s. Those are two I am currently working on. Thanks!
I have been working on keeping up with every lessons though I was getting way behind but sat down and did it like I played all the time you are really helping me to play an it feels great thank you this is awesome website
Thanks Randy! Glad you’re enjoying the lessons. I’m still trying to post one new lesson a week so hopefully there’ll be plenty to keep you buys in the coming weeks!
What a great lesson. Simple but sounds so good. Thank you.
Thanks Keith!
I really like the two instrumentals, especially that bluegrass solo. Nice one.
I love this song and we play it in my group. I’ve been a pick-and-strum player for years, but I’m very keen on learning the runs and fills between chords. Your courses have been extremely helpful. With this song, though, it’s not clear to me where that bass run-up to C from the G chord should start, Usually, it’s clear in the tab, but not on this one. Can you be more precise on this?
Thanks! Glad you like the lesson! I’m looking at the tab from measures 20 to 21 and it looks like it should be tabbed out right there…is there a point in the video you’re looking at that you can send me? I can try to point you in the right direct…
Are you switching back and forth between playing accompaniment and melody?
Yeah exactly…switching back and forth between accompaniment and melody. I guess it really depends on what your goals are for playing the song. I’ve added the melodic instrumental in there for the folks that want to sing with the normal accompaniment rhythm and then insert one round of an instrumental…or the bluegrass solo might be something you’d play when it’s your turn to show off one round of the guitar break at a jam with a group of different instruments. Let me know if you have any other questions on this one.
Great stuff Devin. I sent you a note about a week ago and I got the answer I needed. I pick and choose from all your courses as they apply to what I’m trying to achieve, to transition from a fairly basic pick and strum guitar player to someone who provides runs and fills, bass walkups, etc. Again, great stuff and thanks a whole lot.
Thanks Olav! Glad you’re enjoying the site so far! Have a great weekend
We do “I’ll Fly Away” in the band I joined last summer and all I could do at the time was pick and strum it, or in your terminology, “boom/chick” it. Now, I’ve got the tools to pick out the melody from your “melodic instrumental break” and I’ll work on the flat-picking solo later.
i was practicing maybe 30 min a day and was ready to give up now im spending two or three hours a day cant think you enough. your site was a god sent
Excellent challenge. I can’t sing it in this key but will figure out how to transpose it later.
There is a lot of variety and huge work…so interesting…again thanks Devin!
Excellent. Please teach us ‘there is power in the blood’ by Alan Jackson. Amazing bluegrass licks there. Thanks
What would the 3rd picked string be on strumming pattern 5 when you are playing the d chord?
Saw it when I slowed it down. You picked 4th, 5th, then 4th.
This is my first tutorial in my first week of joining the site… and WOW! I mean not to be overly effusive but good lord, the format, breakdown, and the looping options on the video is spot on what all I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much for posting. this lesson.
Learned basic instrumental super easy great lesson
I’m not a musician but I’ve been strangling guitar on and off for years. Today a musician friend asked me to learn this song and then play with him sometime in the near future. I was afraid…and then I found you guys. I’m so excited I can’t sleep! I love the way the lessons are laid out – Devin you are fantastic teacher. Thank you, no more dust on my guitar!
❤️
Would be awesome if the tab was included on “Video 4 – Practice
Along”