After hearing this legendary John Prine song, a listener online commented:

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How lucky I am to hear the sounds of the human heart.

So much that passes as life is absurd, inconsequential, tragic. But, from time to time, something sneaks in--something of abject beauty, of (at the same time) abject truth.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery...    Just give me one thing that I can hold onto....

Perhaps in Heaven I will have the opportunity to buy Mr. Prine a drink.

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Well said.

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind this classic John Prine tune.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Angel from Montgomery” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Angel from Montgomery?

“Angel from Montgomery” was written by the great American singer-songwriter John Prine in 1971. The song is sung from the perspective of a middle-aged woman. Despite John being a guy, many have felt he captured a unique angle. He often cited his fascination with story...

Elvis Presley could swivel his hips and make the girls go crazy singing, “Hound Dog”, or “Blue Suede Shoes”. 

But, he could also bring the energy down, and sing a beautiful heartfelt ballad like no one else.

Below, I want to share with you an example of this.

Plus, the guitar part (played by legendary session musician Reggie Young) is fantastic. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “In The Ghetto” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote In The Ghetto?

“In the Ghetto” was written by Mac Davis, a country-pop singer-songwriter who wrote several hits in the late '60s and '70s. Davis originally titled the song “The Vicious Circle,” which reflected the tragic cycle of poverty and violence described in the lyrics.

He later explained the idea came from a friend who grew up in a Chicago ghetto, and the song was inspired by the hopelessness that urban poverty breeds from one generation to the next. “In the Ghetto” tells the heartbreaking story of a boy born into poverty in a neglect...

Here's a song Paul McCartney started writing as a mock French tune to perform at parties.

It's got a soothing, melodic charm to it.

It wasn't until John Lennon told McCartney to develop it into a full song, and as they say, the rest is history…

Below, I want to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it.

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

Who Wrote Michelle?

“Michelle” was primarily written by Paul McCartney, although it’s credited to the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership. It was featured on The Beatles’ monumental album Rubber Soul, released in 1965.

One of the other unique things about “Michelle” is that, as far as I’ve heard, this is the only Beatles song with French lyrics. McCartney sought the help of Jan Vaughan, a French teacher and wife of his friend Ivan Vaughan, to write some authentic French phrases. She contributed the iconic lines “Michelle, ma belle” and “sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,...

Have you ever wanted to fingerpick and strum in the same song?

It’s easy to switch between these two, when you have good systems for how.

But let me tell you story from yesteryear that led me to figuring out the best ways:

One of the first real gigs I ever got as a pro guitarist was with this Disney artist. She was 15, had a great voice, and was super talented.

Her manager ended up landing her a gig to open up for this kid named Jesse McCartney. (Another pop star of the early 2000s.) The gig was at what was called back then the “Universal Amphitheatre”, right by Universal Studios in Hollywood. Last I checked, it’s now called, the “Gibson Amphitheatre”.

This place is a killer venue that holds 6,189 people. In fact, I’ve see Clapton play there, Yes, and many other world-class artists. You should see backstage all the names written on the wall. It's pretty cool. But the show was on, and this was gonna be the largest audience I’d ever performed for. 

The plan was we would perform ...

Have you ever listened to a song and it just captivates you?  

It takes you away to another world?

Well, this one does that for me.

And it’s also done it for many other people as well. 

It’s an older song from back in 1931, and it’s become a standard. Below I’m going to dive into some pro tips on how to play it – particularly the version as recorded by The Mamas & The Papas. So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Dream A Little Dream Of Me ” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Dream A Little Dream Of Me?

The music for "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was written by Fabian Andre with lyrics from Wilbur Schwandt and Gus Kahn. Gus was one of the most prominent lyricists of this era. He also wrote the lyrics for many other famous tunes like "It Had to Be You", and "I’ll See You in My Dreams".

“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” is a romantic ballad that sings about a couple parting. The singer asks their lover to "dream a little dream of me" even after they’ve gone. It’s filled with nos...

I don’t know about you…

But one of my greatest desires for playing guitar was very simple…

I wanted to be able to sit down and just play a song.

I wanted to sound full and engaging without having to sing and using nothing but my guitar. I finally figured out how to do this. I’ll share with you what I discovered today…

But for a VERY long time. I had no idea how. I tried a lot of things before I finally figured it out. And one of those things was buying a looper pedal. I remember holding that shiny pedal and thinking inside THIS was the answer. This was how I was going to entertain a crowd and become the life of the party. I mean, I could lay down some rhythm and then solo on top.

I Could Sound Like Two Guitar Players
All By Myself! 

I had it made. But let me tell you about what happened next. There were problems. I ran into lots of them once I went out into the world and actually performed with it. For one… 

I Was Always
Locked Into The Loop!

Once I played the loop into the ...

This legendary song got The Doors banned from the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967. 

It’s a unique blend of rock, blues, jazz, and psychedelia. 

It all began with fingerstyle guitarist Robby Krieger. Below I’m going to share some pro tips on his unique guitar style.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Light My Fire" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Light My Fire?

"Light My Fire" was written primarily by Robby Krieger, the guitarist for The Doors. However, all members of the band contributed to its development. At the time, Jim Morrison was writing the majority of the tunes and they realized as a band they didn’t have enough original songs.

Morrison said something along the lines of “why do I have to do all the work?”. So Krieger stepped up to write and Morrison advised him to come up with something universal… something that would not be outdated in a year or two. 

So Krieger thought about universal elements like fire, earth, air, and water. He decided to come up w...

Let’s go back in time to 1895…

This song sings of a utopian world free from pain, struggle, and heartache. 

It’s a simple song… it only uses 3 chords.

Below I’ll break down the history and guitar style behind this classic American folk song.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Big Rock Candy Mountain" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Big Rock Candy Mountain?

"Big Rock Candy Mountain" was originally written by Harry McClintock, a.k.a "Haywire Mac". He was a popular American folk singer, songwriter, and labor activist. Although McClintock first wrote the song in 1895, it later became widely known after he performed it at the 1928 American Folk Song Festival.

The lyrics are quite interesting…

It sings of a utopian paradise where everything is perfect—there are "cigarette trees," "lemonade springs," and "ice cream mountains." However, the song also has an undercurrent of cynicism. It was written during a time when McClintock, like many others, was struggling with the ...

Here’s a witty song with a pretty depressing undertone.

It’s a unique blend of playful lyrics, a broad sentiment, and of course, the blues…

Paul Simon plays it fingerstyle. 

Grab your 6-stringer, and let’s dive into this "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover?

"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" was written by Paul Simon in 1975. It became his first solo number-one single in the U.S. after parting ways with Art Garfunkel.

They got together in the 1950s when first performed as "Tom and Jerry." But their big fame emerged in the 1960s when they adopted their real names and embraced a folk-inspired sound.  

“50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” is renowned for its playful yet punchy lyrics. The inspiration for the song came during Simon's own divorce from Peggy Harper. He reportedly came up with the opening lyrics while waking up in his Central Park apartment, reflecting on his pain. 

The chorus’s lighthearted rhymes, like "Slip out the b...

Here’s a classic indie pop ballad that’s been moving audiences since its release in 2005. 

The song was inspired by existential questions about what happens after death. The lyrics are deep and the guitar part is very soothing. 

I’m going to break down this style for you step-by-step in a way that I haven’t seen anyone do online yet. 

You see, most instructors explain the strumming pattern with a pick. However, if you listen to the original recording, it was done with a folk-style brushing pattern – similar to what Paul McCartney did on “Blackbird” 

So, grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote I Will Follow You Into The Dark?

"I Will Follow You Into the Dark" is a song by Death Cab for Cutie, written by the band’s frontman, Ben Gibbard. It was released in 2005 as part of their fifth studio album, Plans.  

The inspiration for the song came about when Gibbard was grappling with thoughts of mortality afte...