Alan Jackson Songs You Can Learn 
On The Acoustic

In this song "Bug In My Margarita" or aka "Long Long Way To Go" ... I'm using a Drop D tuning and a capo on the 2nd fret.

Rhythm in this song is a simple root up down up and repeat except where there is picking, in which case you'll notice I'm using a lot of downstrokes to cover off that section.

The chords move around pretty fast in this one but overall not a difficult play. The picking may be a bit challenging for some.

As are many of Alan Jackson songs, this one has just three chords and they are D, G and A or A7 if you prefer.

Jim McBride wrote or co-wrote several Alan Jackson songs including Chattahoochee that managed a #1 hit in both the US and Canada back in 1993.

As far as complicated goes, this one rates up there as you'll see from trying to pick and play rhythm at the same time and the fact that the background guitar and the fiddle player are all over this one. 

If you're looking for a page with just the lyrics on it, I have a separate Alan Jackson Chattahoochee lyrics page.

For the rhythm you have two choices. You can play a simple root up down up pattern or you can play a bit of bass by playing root up down up, bass up down up and repeat. This is moving pretty fast but it's doing on some chords, mainly the C chord.

The Chattahoochee chords are C, G, G7, F and D7.  

Here In The Real World was recorded with a capo on the first fret but in my version here I'm in standard pitch tuning.

I'm picking out an intro and doing a picking section in the middle and some slides during the last half of the song, so this one is a bit of a bust play.

The rhythm is a standard country rhythm of root up down up or you could use some bass notes and play root up down up bass up down up. You won't use many bass notes however if you're playing some riffs as in the last verse of the song.

For chords you'll use a D, G, A, Em and a Gbm.

It's Five O'Clock Somewhere was a very successful duet with Jimmy Buffett and one of those Alan Jackson songs people can easily relate to.

You'll find Drop D handy in many songs and it stands out in this one when you listen to the opening picking riff.

Rhythm wise this one is a root up down up and repeat but there are various riffs scattered throughout the song that add a bit of texture when playing this one alone.

You'll need a D, G, A7, Asus, Bm, A/Db and an Em. 

This song was written in memory of Hank Williams.

Midnight In Montgomery is one of those Alan Jackson songs with an erie vibe to it and only has a few chords with no lead guitar to worry about.

You can use a combo of arpeggio picking and rhythm to get through this one. Once you begin strumming you can use a down down up down up down up pattern and repeat until needed again.

And visit here if you just want the Midnight In Montgomery lyrics.

The Midnight In Montgomery chords are Dm, C, A# and A7. 

This one called Right On The Money was recorded a fret above standard pitch in D#.

There is a beginning riff and an ending riff but in my version here there isn't any lead break.

You can strum this with an all downstroke chop or use a down down up down down up as you move thru this one. Or in the chorus you can switch over to a down up down up and repeat that pattern.

Unlike many Alan Jackson songs, this one has quite a few chords in it. A chord sheet will be available soon but for now you can use a D, Adim, Em, A7, G, Dmaj7, Gbm, Bm and an F.

Small Town Southern Man is played with a capo on the 1st fret but it may be a bit low for some. Drop D tuning comes in handy here as you'll see.

If there was such a thing as an Alan Jackson songs album of three chord songs, this one would be on it.

You can strum this one with a root up down up pattern and pick out that ever so familiar riff. the Small Town Southern Man chords are D, G and A. And you can pick up just the Small Town Southern Man lyrics here.

Well if you're not convinced by now that many Alan Jackson songs are played in three chords I don't know what to tell you.

The Older I Get is a three chord song and in this one I'm using a Drop D tuning. There are other subtle chords you can throw in like a Dsus or an A7sus, but three chords will still work here.

You can mix in some arpeggio note picking in a few places but rhythm wise but this one is mainly down down up down up down up and repeat. A little bit of picking is required in this one.

The chords used are D, G and A7.

You Can Always Come Home starts out slow, and the last verse slows down also, but in between this one is a toe tapper.

A root down up down up pattern will get you through this one with a little picking thrown in for good measure.

I'm playing with a capo on the 2nd fret in Drop D tuning and using the D, G, Bm and A7 chords.