Playing
“Banks of the Ohio” Lyrics and Chords
A simple little three-chorder with some classic bluegrass themes: unrequited young love, murder and guilt.
“Uncle Pen” Lyrics and Chords
Bill Monroe is the Father of Bluegrass but even he had his influences, and perhaps none greater than James Pendleton Vandiver—his “Uncle Pen”.
“Rank Stranger” Lyrics and Chords
Artists have been performing and recording “Rank Stranger” for more than 60 years, but the Stanley Brothers’ 1960 recording for Starday Records remains the definitive version.
“New River Train” Lyrics and Chords
“New River Train” is believed to take its name from a train on the Norfolk and Western system that ran through the Blue Ridge Mountains from West Virginia to North Carolina in the 1880s.
“Man of Constant Sorrow” Lyrics and Chords
“Man of Constant Sorrow” had been around for about a century before George Clooney stepped up to the microphone as lead singer for the Soggy Bottom Boys in O Brother, Where Art Thou?
“Keep on the Sunny Side” Lyrics and Chords
“Keep On The Sunny Side,” popularized first by the Carter Family and later by O Brother, Where Art Thou?, was inspired by the songwriter’s disabled nephew who wanted to be pushed down the sunny side of the street.
“I Am a Pilgrim” Lyrics and Chords
“I Am a Pilgrim” goes back at least as far as the American Civil War, where it was popular in the south with weary travelers who looked forward to what awaited them in the afterlife.
“Blue Night” Lyrics and Chords
“Blue Night” is a fun one for jammers, because it departs from the typical bluegrass chord progressions we’ve heard a million times without demanding any fancy chords.
Common Bluegrass Chord Progressions You Should Know
If you’re a relatively new bluegrass guitar player, you’re going to want to get comfortable with some common bluegrass chord possessions.
Using a Metronome to Improve Your Guitar Playing
Do you think keeping time is the rhythm section’s job? Well, in bluegrass, you are the rhythm section. So fire up that metronome and get at it.
Gear
Sitka vs. Adirondack Spruce as a Guitar Top Tonewood
Spend enough time among flatpickers, and you’ll soon learn that everyone has an opinion about whether Sitka or Adirondack spruce makes the best guitar top.
The Best Bluegrass Guitar Picks for Flatpickers
The guitar pick is a bluegrass guitarist’s second most important piece of gear. Here are the best guitar picks currently out there.
It’s Mostly True: Guitars Sound Better With Age
Some things improve with age, like wine, certain liquors, and cheeses. Guitars can be the same, but they need to be played regularly and often to age well.
Culture
The Best Bluegrass Flatpicking Guitar Albums of All Time
The essential recordings and groundbreaking artists who ought to be part of anyone’s flatpicking guitar education.
Understanding the Nashville Number System
The Nashville Number System is a simple way to indicate a song’s chord changes by using numbers instead of the typical letters, so you aren’t tying them to any specific key. It’s one of the most important ways bluegrass musicians communicate.