If you're looking for a song to play on guitar that taps into deep blues roots, but still keeps the sound mainstream… then this could be a perfect tune for you.

The song is a mix of blues, pop, and folk styles. Over the years, it’s appealed to a wide audience. Because of this, I think it’s a good one to add to your setlist or call at your local blues jam. 

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Give Me One Reason” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Give Me One Reason?

"Give Me One Reason" is a hit song written and performed by American blues and folk artist Tracy Chapman. She wrote the song in the 80s and began performing it live during her early shows. The bluesy groove resonated with audiences and by the time she went to record it – in the mid-90s – the song had already shown promise. 

(Playing live like this is a great litmus test for your new material. You can get an immediate gauge on whether or not a song...

If you’re looking for some great beginner fingerstyle songs to learn… then in this post I’m going to share 10 that could potentially be just right for you.

Now, obviously everyone is different, and the majority of these songs are what I would call more “picking pattern” songs. These are simpler kinds of fingerstyle songs to start with and don’t require a lot of finger independence. (More on that later) But they are good if you’re new to fingerstyle. They can also help advanced players too, and they are just a lot of fun to boot. 

Now before we go any further let me first define fingerstyle guitar, as I define it, and that is simply anything not using a standard flat pick. The idea is that you can’t tie up two fingers with your pick. So a thumpick is ok, you could also go bare fingers or use nails. That’s what I would consider fingerstyle, and those are the approaches I would take for these examples.  

So grab...

Here’s an iconic song that came straight out of a heated battle between Tom Petty and MCA Records.

He was in a fight over the ownership of his own music. He wasn’t going to stand down or be manipulated by the many thieves and bureaucrats of the music industry. Mike Campbell came up with the guitar riff and wasn’t going to show it to Tom Petty. He thought it was too simple and was about to toss out the whole idea.

Below I’m going to get into the juicy facts behind this epic rock anthem. 

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

Who Wrote Refugee?

"Refugee" was written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell. It is one of the most iconic songs recorded by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. “Refugee” was released as the second single from their third album, Damn the Torpedoes in 1979. The song was written during a period of struggle for the band, both personally and professionally. 

Tom...

Here’s a brilliant tune that’s been called "a song that won't die."

It seems to keep striking a chord with new generations and new audiences ever since the 60s. It all started when guitarist and vocalist Justin Hayward was gifted by his then-girlfriend (and later wife), Ann Marie Guirron, a set of satin bedsheets.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Nights In White Satin” guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Nights In White Satin?

"Nights in White Satin" was written by Justin Hayward, the guitarist and vocalist for the English band The Moody Blues. It was first released in 1967 on their album Days of Future Passed.

Amazingly, Justin Hayward wrote "Nights in White Satin" when he was only 19 years old! The song was inspired by a gift of satin bedsheets given to him by a girlfriend. In interviews, Hayward mentioned the song came together rather quickly. It was all based on the emotions he was experiencing at the time. It was a very raw and immediate...

Behold, in my humble but accurate opinion, one of the greatest songs ever. 

Yet so many guitar lessons online make this magical piece WAY harder than it needs to be. In fact, one time I had a student who told me he had been trying to get this song down for 14 years. When I revealed to him what I am going to share with you below, he learned how to play it in 2 days.  

That’s the power of understanding the fundamentals… and… not following fake gurus on the internet. 

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

Who Wrote Blackbird?

"Blackbird" is one of the most iconic songs by The Beatles. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership. This magical acoustic track was released in 1968 on what is commonly known as The Beatles’ White Album. 

"Blackbird" is a metaphorical and symbolic song that means something a little different to everyone....

Did you know one of Kansas’ most iconic songs all started with guitarist Kerry Livgren trying to improve his fingerstyle guitar? 

The best guitar players are always searching for how they can improve their skills. They don’t rest on their laurels. In this post, I want to share with you how a tiny little fingerpicking pattern became the genesis for a massively huge hit.

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

Who Wrote Dust In The Wind?

"Dust in the Wind" was written by Kerry Livgren the guitarist for the American rock band Kansas. The song has an interesting backstory. You see, it all started with him looking to improve his fingerpicking guitar techniques. He picked up a book that had a bunch of fingerpicking patterns in it, and he started experimenting with them.

One day, as he was sitting at home in between tours practicing, his wife walked by and said, “That sounds really...

Did you know The Beatles used many strange recording techniques when making some of their biggest hits?

In this post, I want to share with you an example of this. This song is rooted in the blues, as many Beatles songs are. But these 4 lads from Liverpool put their own stamp on it. John Lennon also borrowed/stole a very famous riff from the great Chuck Berry.

In fact, He’s even quoted as saying, “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'” 

Grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Revolution” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Revolution?

“Revolution” was written by John Lennon (with credit to Paul McCartney as well) and performed by The Beatles. It’s one of their most politically charged tracks. Story Behind the Song

The song was tied to the turbulent political climate of the 1960s. Lennon was influenced by the protests and radicalism of the era but wanted to make a statement that...

If you’re looking to improve your blues rhythm playing and spice up your jams…then this post will show you a fun and powerful way to do that.

Many musicians like to focus a lot on lead guitar. But they often overlook the fact that behind (almost) every great lead guitarist you’ll find an incredible rhythm player. Take for instance, Stevie Ray Vaughan whose iconic blues shuffle rhythms changed the game. Or Jimi Hendrix, who was a master at blending soulful R&B sounds behind his singing.

Or Tommy Emmanuel who started as the rhythm guy behind his brother in a family band.

While many musicians think the blues is boring or limited. This just shows a lack of depth in their knowledge of it. 

So let’s get started with today’s blues rhythm guitar lesson.

For this example, we are going to be in the key of E. Let’s next take a look at the most common…

Blues Rhythm Guitar Chords

The three most common chords found in a blues progression in...

Did you know this iconic cut marks one of the first rock and roll tunes to ever use feedback as part of the song’s production?

It was created by accident when Paul McCartney hit a low bass note that sent John Lennon’s acoustic guitar into a spiral.

The riff is epic. And, of course, you’ll find a ton of essential blues elements you can have fun jamming with for hours.

So, grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “I Feel Fine” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote I Feel Fine?

“I Feel Fine” was primarily written by John Lennon. However, it is credited to the songwriting partnership of Lennon-McCartney. It’s known for its catchy guitar riff and innovative production techniques. 

One of the cool things that happened at the beginning of the song is apparently Paul McCartney played a low A on his bass while Lennon’s guitar was leaning against McCartney’s amp. The vibrations from the low bass note caused...

Did you know millions of songs from the past 100 years of popular American music, use common blues principles? 

The better a musician understands the fundamentals of the blues, the easier and faster they will learn to play their favorite songs – if they want to play popular American music from the past 100 years.

In this post, I want to share with you a tiny “sample” of this. So grab your guitar, tune up and let’s dive into this “Heartbreak Hotel” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Heartbreak Hotel?

"Heartbreak Hotel" was written by Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, and Elvis Presley. Elvis received a co-writing credit although his contributions are often debated. Mae Boren Axton was a schoolteacher and songwriter, while Tommy Durden was a steel guitarist and songwriter.

The song has a haunting backstory.

The lyrics were inspired by a story Durden read in a newspaper about a man who committed suicide by jumping out of a hotel window, leaving...