Best Songs by The Band to Play on Acoustic Guitar

Their songs are full of rich storytelling and earthy grooves that sound great on acoustic guitar. On this page, you’ll find 7 of their best-loved songs, complete with chords, strumming tips, demo videos, and full lesson tutorials to help you learn each one start to finish.

Evangeline was never released by The Band as a single. It appears on the box set entitled "The Last Waltz" from 1978 and is the soundtrack of the film of the same name.

Emmylou Harris appeared on this track with the group and then went on to cover the song with Dolly Parton on her album of the same name.

This was the original members of the band captured here performing before they split up and many have since passed on. 

Ophelia is actually about heroin in case you were wondering.

It was written by band member Robbie Robertson and was one of the tracks on their 1975 album Northern Lights Southern Cross and it was also the lead single from the album.

As popular as The Band was, they never had a top 20 song in the US. Their highest ranking song was a #10 in Canada. This particular song reached #62 on the US charts.

Vince Gill and My Morning Jacket have covered the song.

Stage Fright  is the title track from The Band’s 1970 album Stage Fright. Written by Robbie Robertson, the song captures the pressures and anxiety of performing under the spotlight.

It features Rick Danko on lead vocals and is notable for its driving bassline and reflective lyrics.

While it wasn’t released as a single in the U.S., it became a fan favorite and a staple of The Band’s live shows, often praised for its raw energy and autobiographical undertones.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down hit the airwaves in 1969 and was The Band's highest charting song at #10 in Canada and #25 in the US. It was from the album "The Band".

Joan Baez had a #3 hit with her version a few years later in 1971. The song is about the last year of the American Civil War and was researched by Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm before the story was developed around the melody that Robertson already had at the time.

The Shape I'm In is a B-side single from the A -side single Time To Kill. Both of which are from the 1970 album Stage Fright. The Shape I'm In became more popular than the A-Side. Guitarist Robbie Robertson wrote the song about his band mate Richard Manuel, one of main three vocalist in the band.

The song has been covered by several artist including , Marty Stuart, Bo Diddley and Nathaniel Rateliff.

The Weight is from1968 and the debut album from The Band called "Music From Big Pink" was released and also this single called "The Weight". The song reached #63 in the US, #35 in Canada and #21 in the UK on the charts.

There were several releases of the song and it was also covered by Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and The Supremes as well as The Temptations.

When The Band first signed to Capitol Records for their first album, they were called The Krackers. But for this album they had switched their name and it remained that way. This is probably the best known song by The Band. 

Time To Kill was from The Band's 3rd album "Stage Fright" in 1970. The song did not reach the top 40 in the US but it did reach #13 in The Netherlands.It also appeared on their Greatest Hits album.

This one you can play in standard tuning with a down down down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern with some lead required.

Up On Cripple Creek was co-written by The Band members Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm  and it was the fifth single from their 1969 album "The Band".

The Band also performed on The Ed Sullivan Show back in  November of 1969 and this was the song they performed.

It reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100.