Play Like Your Favorite Guitarists

Freddie Green and his Stromberg Master 300 with Helen Humes, circa 1940, Photo courtesy of the Freddie Green Collection

The Captivating Harlem Swing Rhythms of Freddie Green, John Trueheart, Bernard Addison, Morris White, and Al Casey

Freddie Green is synonymous with swing guitar. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1911, Green enjoyed a 50-year career holding down the rhythm chair of Count Basie’s famed big band.

Reverend Gary Davis guitar lesson with Ernie Hawkins

Video Lesson: How to Play Guitar Like Reverend Gary Davis with Ernie Hawkins

Reverend Gary Davis is widely celebrated as a genius of blues fingerpicking. In this guitar lesson, Ernie Hawkins, who studied with him, teaches his style.

Swing Lesson: Learn to Play Rhythm Guitar Like Freddie Green

In this guitar lesson, learn to play swing rhythm guitar like Freddie Green, the guitarist in the Count Basie band for 50 years.

Exploring James Taylor’s Singular and Sophisticated Guitar Style

In James Taylor’s music, the guitar provides much more than accompaniment. Learn how to play like James Taylor in this acoustic guitar lesson.

Guitar Lesson: Exploring John Prine’s Simple but Distinctive Acoustic Approach

This lesson takes a tour of John Prine’s music by way of his guitar style, using examples drawn from some of his most-loved songs.

The Guitar-Tuning Odyssey of Joni Mitchell

The melodies and harmonies of Joni Mitchell's music rarely unfold in ways that our ears have come to expect. Here's a look at her guitar tuning Odyssey.

Acoustic guitarists Molly Tuttle and Tony Rice

Molly Tuttle Teaches Tony Rice’s Distinctive Guitar Style

Molly Tuttle reflects on the life and guitar style of Tony Rice, as well as all the guitar players he inspired with his distinctive style of playing.

bluesman Robert Johnson seated holding acoustic guitar

Exploring the Open Tunings of Robert Johnson and Other Blues Guitarists

This trio of lessons explores some of the open tunings most frequently heard in the blues: Vastopol, Spanish, open-C and open-G

Video Lesson: Inside Nick Drake’s Idiosyncratic Guitar Style

Unorthodox tunings made it possible for Nick Drake to create complex harmonies from one- and two-fingered chord shapes, freeing him to concentrate on his highly detailed picking patterns.

How to Flatpick Like Roots Legend Norman Blake

Norman Blake is one of the great unsung heroes of 20th-century folk music. Here's a look at his life, music, and what you can learn from his guitar playing.

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