Steve James presents a treasure trove of traditional American guitar styles in this unique book/CD pack. Guitarists will learn fingerpicking and slide techniques not through dry exercises but by playing 25 songs from James' own repertoire and from such masters as Furry Lewis, Blind Willie McTell, Sam McGee, and Mance Lipscomb. Drawing on his extensive research and first-hand experience with these guitar pioneers, James tells the stories behind the songs, too. Features authentic arrangements in notes and TAB, vocal melodies and lyrics, historic photos, and more. Songs: Take Me Back * Sugar Babe * Milwaukee Blues * Sebastopol* John Henry * more!

(String Letter Publishing). Get to know the nuts and bolts of country-blues and other rootsy styles with this series of in-depth lessons by blues guitar expert Steve James. You'll learn essential chord shapes and picking patterns in standard and open tunings, with and without the bottleneck slide, as well as a wealth of melodic vocabulary. You'll discover how these devices work in a wide range of traditional and blues settings. All examples are provided in standard notation and tablature, with video downloads so that you can see and hear exactly how they're played. Throughout, a wealth of historical information and anecdotes, some of them first-hand, will give you a clear picture of how this music came together. Songs includes: Bull Doze Blues * Crow Jane * Georgia Buck * Green Corn * I've Been All Around the World * Knoxville Blues * Little Hammer * Memphis Rounders Blues * See See Rider * Texas Shorty * Yo Yo Blues * and more.

(String Letter Publishing). Boost your blues I.Q. with this lively, comprehensive introduction to one of America's most vital musical legacies from the origins of the blues in the rural South and early masters like Charley Patton and Blind Lemon Jefferson, to the guitars and techniques used by acoustic blues players, then and now. Leading roots-music performer and recording artist Steve James answers 50 key questions for contemporary blues guitarists and fans alike and provides invaluable reference information on essential recordings, books, websites, workshops and more. With Inside Blues Guitar , you'll find the right gear, repertoire and resources to play the blues and truly appreciate America's most accessible and enduring musical tradition.

Graded exercises take you from the fundamentals of fingerpicking to five authentic blues tunes. All exercises and pieces printed in the book are played in addition to some extra explanation of the concepts and techniques presented.

Steve James presents a treasure trove of traditional American guitar styles in this unique book/CD pack. Guitarists will learn fingerpicking and slide techniques not through dry exercises but by playing 25 songs from James' own repertoire and from such masters as Furry Lewis, Blind Willie McTell, Sam McGee, and Mance Lipscomb. Drawing on his extensive research and first-hand experience with these guitar pioneers, James tells the stories behind the songs, too. Features authentic arrangements in notes and TAB, vocal melodies and lyrics, historic photos, and more. Songs: Take Me Back * Sugar Babe * Milwaukee Blues * Sebastopol* John Henry * more!

David Hamburger, leading sideman, solo performer and teacher, guides players through this complete introduction to bottleneck slide guitar playing with progressive lessons in open tunings and fingerstyle technique, tips on slide guitars and gear, technical exercises, and full songs. The accompanying CD features all of the music played slowly, then up to tempo. In standard notation with tablature and chord diagrams.

(Guitar Method). A complete collection of all three Acoustic Guitar Method books in one volume! Learn how to play guitar with the only beginning method based on traditional American music that teaches you authentic techniques and songs. Beginning with a few basic chords and strums, you'll start right in learning real music drawn from blues, folk, country and bluegrass traditions. You'll learn how to find notes on the fingerboard, expand your collection of chords by learning songs in various keys, and learn different kinds of picking patterns. When you're done with this method series, you'll know dozens of the tunes that form the backbone of American music, using a variety of flatpicking and fingerpicking techniques. Songs include: Bury Me Beneath the Willow * Delia * Frankie and Johnny * The Girl I Left Behind Me * House of the Rising Sun * Ida Red * In the Pines * Little Sadie * Man of Constant Sorrow * Sally Goodin * Scarborough Fair * Will the Circle Be Unbroken? * and many more. Accompanying audio examples are all available for download!