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"I design and manufacture the Woodtone FlexGrip™ Picks myself here in Texas. They really have a great tone and I think y'all would like them. If you're interested, check them out through the link below!" - Devin

Country Strumming & Fills Style of Merle Haggard

Lesson 8 – Country & Bluegrass Rhythm Course
Lesson ID: A0129

In this guitar lesson, I’ll teach you a classic country strumming pattern and we’ll practice strumming over a chord progression in the style of “Today I Started Loving You Again” by Merle Haggard. I’ll also show you four fills that’ll make your rhythm guitar sound even more country. After you master the strumming and fills, practice them over the jam track. Tablature is available to Gold Pick members below the lesson video.

Overview

Strumming Pattern

Progression and Fill Riff

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Bonus Fills

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Backing Track

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Jocelyn Beauregard
Jocelyn Beauregard(@jocelyn)
6 years ago

I like these slow country beats…thanks again Devin!

Phil
Phil(@psmithphilyahoo-com)
6 years ago

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-oh, I just fired up this lesson and heard the intro. It sounds so good!

Phil
Phil(@psmithphilyahoo-com)
6 years ago

I got a Spotify account and installed it on my pc. I started trying to play the progression you provided with Haggard’s song, but it sounds off key. It sounds right when I put the capo on the second fret, which I guess is F#. What am I doing wrong, or did I miss something?

Phil
Phil(@psmithphilyahoo-com)
6 years ago
Reply to  Devin

LOL, I see the note now. I’m just blind. Maybe it’s a guy thing, you know, kinda the same reason we never know when the wife changes her hairstyle!

Alton
Alton(@alton)
6 years ago

Nice country fills and fun lesson overall! Great one Devin

Gaston
Gaston(@gastoncloutier01yahoo-ca)
6 years ago

Thanks Devin
Been looking for this for a while…Craig Gerdes does this song and others by Merle on his You Tube channel..he uses the same pattern and fills (I Believe?)

larrydnewman
larrydnewman(@larrydnewmanyahoo-com)
6 years ago
Reply to  Gaston

Devin, great lesson and just what I am looking for. Thanks for making a lesson out of the request. Larry

nemo
nemo(@nemo)
6 years ago

alright, I’m back and I cant wait to get back to work on my country sound

Yerry
Yerry (@guest_989)
6 years ago

Great job Devin – you gave me some tips on this song when I first joined up,keep up the good work – maybe someday you could do strumming and melody plus intro to Farmers daughter Mo Pitney also does a good acoustic version.

Phil
Phil(@psmithphilyahoo-com)
6 years ago
Reply to  Yerry

Terry, I just Googled this Mo Pitney song and watched it on youtube. Pretty nice song. I’d never heard it before and never heard of Mo Pitney. It’s nice to see some of the younger crowd play the real country instead of the cheap, shallow pop “country” that many younger ones are doing.

cassarta11
cassarta11(@cassarta11gmail-com)
5 years ago

cool

Jocelyn
Jocelyn(@jocelyn)
3 years ago

Bonus fills are just amazing!