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Learn the Best Allman Brothers Guitar Songs
Acoustic Lessons for Southern Rock Fans
The Allman Brothers Band helped define Southern rock with their unique blend of blues, country, and jazz-influenced guitar work. In this collection, you’ll learn 7 essential Allman Brothers guitar songs, all adapted for acoustic rhythm players.
Whether you're grooving through the laid-back feel of “Melissa” or working on your timing with “Blue Sky,” these lessons bring classic jams to life without requiring electric gear or advanced technique. Each of these best Allman Brothers guitar songs includes a free chord and lyrics sheet, a full-length demo performance, and an option to get the complete breakdown tutorial.
Ain't Wasting Time No MoreBlue Sky
Floating Bridge
Melissa
Midnight Rider
Please Be With Me
Ramblin Man
Songs By The Allman Brothers
Lyrics, Chords, Samples & Tutorials
Ain't Wasting Time No More
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Ain't Wasting Time No More was a lead single from their "Eat A Peach" album from 1972.
Gregg Allman wrote this song to honour his dead brother Duane, who was killed in a motorcycle crash a year earlier.
The song reached #77 on the billboard Hot 100 charts.
Chords And Strumming
This song I play with a capo 3rd fret in standard tuning and with no lead work required. The rhythm here is a down down up down up down up down up down up down up down up ... and repeat pattern with the chords G, F or Fmaj7, C, G6, A7, D7, D and a C7.
Guitar Lesson Details
These arrangements avoid fingerpicking and instead focus on strumming with blended arpeggios, giving you a full-sounding way to play these songs on acoustic guitar. You'll stay in standard tuning and use open chords, power chords, and partial barre shapes to capture the grooves and phrasing that define the Allman Brothers’ sound.
Songs like “Midnight Rider” feature steady strum patterns with tasteful syncopation, while “Please Be With Me” leans into a softer, more flowing rhythm. These lessons are great for intermediate players looking to improve timing, chord changes, and feel — especially for Southern-style acoustic playing.
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List
Blue Sky
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Blue Sky was also from the bands 1972 album "Eat A Peach" and was written and sung by guitarist Dickey Betts about his then girlfriend and later wife Sandy.
Late guitarist Duane Allman traded lead breaks on this track with Dickey and it was one of Duane's last recording. Betts initially wanted Gregg Allman to sing the lead but Duane persuaded Dickey to sing it. Gender was left out of the song so it appealed more to the spiritual realm.
Joan Baez covered the song a bit later in 1975.
Chords And Strumming
Only threw chords here and they are E, A and a B7 in standard tuning but some lead in this number. For rhythm play a down down up down up down up down up down up down up down up and repeat pattern, which is the same as the song mentioned above.
Guitar Lesson Detail
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List For Best Allman Brothers Guitar Songs
Floating Bridge
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Floating Bridge hails from Gregg Allman's last album in 2011 entitled "Low Country Blues" and the album itself reached #5 on Billboard in the Top Blues category.
There were no singles released from the album but Floating Bridge was the first track on the record. Although not officially from the band, I thought it belonged here on this Allman Brothers cover songs page.
This song hails from Gregg Allman's last album in 2011 entitled "Low Country Blues" and the album itself reached #5 on Billboard in the Top Blues category.
There were no singles released from the album but Floating Bridge was the first track on the record.
Chords And Strumming
I play a drop D tuning in this song with a little bit of lead and a root down up root up down up rhythm pattern. The three chords are G, C7 and D7.
Guitar Lesson Detail
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List
Melissa
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Melissa or some call it Sweet Melissa was the 2nd single from the groups "Eat A Peach" 1972 album. Some people refer to this song as Sweet Melissa but that title is incorrect. This was brother Duane Allman's favourite song which Gregg Allman has written in 1967, even before the formation of The Allman Brothers.
Gregg Allman was struggling for a name to put into the song and while at a late night grocery store, he heard a lady in the next isle yell at her small granddaughter with the name Melissa. Gregg thanks the woman later but the lady no reason as to why.
Chords And Strumming
For rhythm here play a down down down up down up down up down up and repeat pattern in standard tuning and no lead required. The chords you'll need are E, A6/9, Emaj7, A, Bm, Dbm, Cmaj7, B7 and an Em7.
Guitar Lesson Detail
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List For Best Allman Brothers Guitar Songs
Midnight Rider
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Midnight Rider was written by Gregg Allman in a cabin outside of Macon Georgia with the help of roadie Robert Kim Payne. They then broke into the recording Capricorn Recording Studio in Macon to lay down a demo track. The song as a single didn't chart in 1971 but Gregg Allman released another version in 1973 which reached #20 in both Canada and the US.
Paul Davidson released a version in the UK and scored a #10 hit and Willie Nelson covered the song later and had a #6 country hit.
The song can be found on the Idlewild Sound album of 1971 and is one of those must learn Allman Brothers covers songs.
Chords And Strumming
I play this number with drop D tuning with some lead and a down down up down down up down down up and repeat pattern with some down strokes thrown in for good measure. For chords, play a D, A#, C, Dm, Am7 and a G.
Guitar Lesson Detail
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List
Please Be With Me
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Please Be With Me is actually from a group called "Cowboy" which Duane Allman associated with in the very early days and in Oct 1971 laid down a track with the band. So I'm including it here. Clapton also covered this song.
You'll find the recording on Youtube. This was just a few weeks before his fatal motorcycle crash on Oct 29th 1971.
Chords And Strumming
For chords here you'll need a D, G, A, Bm, C and an Em with some lead work. Standard tuning with a root up down up root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. You could also throw in some arpeggio notes as well.
Guitar Lesson Detail
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List
Ramblin Man
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Ramblin Man was The Allman Brothers only ever top 10 hit. It was inspired by the 1951 Hank Williams song of the same name, guitarist Dickey Betts penned this one which went on the reach #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Betts said he wrote the song at four in the morning in about 20 minutes. But he worked on the arrangement for over a year.
This is another one of those must learn Allman Brothers cover songs.
The song is off of the 1973 "Brothers And Sisters" album.
Chords And Strumming
One here in standard tuning and some lead with the chords G, D, C, Gsus, F and an Em. Play a root up down up - root up down up mixed with a few bass notes for rhythm in this number.
Guitar Lesson Detail
Chords & LyricsBack To Song List For Best Allman Brothers Guitar Songs
These lessons are designed to help you build solid rhythm guitar skills while exploring the timeless music of one of the greatest American bands.
If you enjoy the songs on this page, you might also like our Lynyrd Skynyrd and Creedence Clearwater Revival pages — both packed with Southern rock essentials. Scroll down to start learning or grab the full tutorials if you’re ready to dive deeper into each song.
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