Fender Play Live: Outlaw Country Playlist

Fender Play Live is a weekly studio show that dives deep into the Fender's legendary gear and the iconic music that was made by it over the year.s

In this edition of the program, the focus is Outlaw Country, a genre made famous by the likes of Willie Nelson, Merle Hagasd and Waylon Jennings.

Hosted by none other than Eugene Edwards (guitar player for Dwight Yoakam), he is joined by special guest Chris Masterson, who is currently the lead guitarist for Steve Earle. The two artists discuss the origins of outlaw country, some of their favorite outlaw country performers and some of the techniques used to make this type of music.

Don't worry if you missed the show. You can watch it on Fender’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels, in addition to the video embedded below.

To accompany Fender Play Live, we've compiled an outlaw country curriculum for every level of player to follow through Fender Play. Check out the lesson lists below and if you're not a Fender Play subscriber yet, start your free trial here.

Outlaw Country Crash Course: Level 1

Course: Alternate Strumming

Alternate strumming is one of the most-used techniques in guitar and was key to country music. It basically means that you'll be strumming your guitar using both downstrokes and upstrokes.

Learn more about alternate strumming in this video.

Exercise: Play a Bass Note Strum Pattern

You should also take some time to learn how to play a bass note strum pattern in order. Bass note strumming is common in folk, country and other acoustic-based music. In this lesson, you'll see how you can break up the strum by picking out the bass note or the lowers not of the chord and following that by strumming the rest of the chord part.

Exercise: A - E with Bass Note Strum

This lesson utilizes that bass note strum pattern by switching between the A chord and E chord. You can hear the country vibes with this simpmle progression.

Exercise: A, D, and E with 8th Note Strum

The 8th note strum pattern also factors into many outlaw country songs. Watch this video to see how to switch between the A, D and E chords using an 8th note strum pattern.

Merle Haggard - "The Fightin' Side of Me"

Haggard's gruff voice, twangy guitar and relatable lyrics about America's working class resonated with the people, and "The Fightin' Side of Me" was one of his most celebrated songs. Utilizing a common alternate strumming pattern with the E, A and B7 chords you can learn how to play this song here.

Outlaw Country Crash Course: Level 2

Course: Alternating Bass Note Strum

This course goes further into bass note strumming. By strumming the lower sounding notes in a chord and then the rest of the notes in the chords after, your rhythm will take on a more "galloping" feel.

Exercise: A7-D7-E7 with Shuffle Feel

Now take another course on the 12-bar blues with a shuffle feel using 7th chords.

Merle Haggard - "Okie from Muskogee"

Released in 1969, Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart and was one of the most famous songs of his stellar career.

Learn how to play "Okie from Muskogee" here.

Willie Nelson - "Whiskey River"

Nelson first recorded "Whiskey River" for his album, Shotgun Willie, in 1973, and since then, it's become known as one of his signature songs. In fact, Nelson regularly opens his concerts with this outlaw classic.

Learn how to play "Whiskey River" here.

Merle Haggard - "I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink"

1980's "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" was amazingly Haggard's 26th chart-topping country hit. In it, Haggard uses that bass note strumming on the 8th note technique discussed above.

Learn how to play "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" here.

Outlaw Country Crash Course: Level 3

Willie Nelson - "Always On My Mind"

Not only was Nelson's version of "Always on My Mind" a country smash in 1982, it also crossed over to Top 40 rasio, reaching the fifth spot on Billboard's Hot 100 for three weeks. As a result, the track earned three wins at the 1983 Grammy Awards, with Nelson winning for Best Male Country Vocal Performance (songwriters Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson won for Song of the Year and Best Country Song).

Learn how to play "Always on My Mind" here.

Waylon Jennings - "Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys"

Jennings teamed with Nelson on "Mamas" on their 1978 duet album, Waylon & Willie, and this version of the track spent four weeks atop the country music charts. It even won a Grammy in '79 for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Learn how to play "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" here.

Brothers Osborne - "It Ain’t My Fault"

For modern takes on outlaw country, look no further than Brothers Osborne, whose "It Ain't My Fault" adds an upbeat rock flair to the form with a driving drum beat and a stomping call-and-response chorus.

Learn how to play "It Ain't My Fault" here.

Willie Nelson - "On the Road Again"

While "Always on My Mind" and "Whiskey River" may be some of Nelson's biggest tracks, "On the Road Again" is definitely his most recognizable. Not only did it top the charts and win a Grammy, but it has been used in countless television shows, movies, commercials, you name it. Interestingly, "On the Road Again" uses what’s called a “train beat,” a type of shuffling, swing feel technique that sounds like a train chugging down the tracks.

Learn how to play "On the Road Again" here.

Brothers Osborne - "Shoot from the Hip"

Brothers Osborne used many of the classic outlaw country techniques on "Shoot from the Hip," including percussive strumming and alternate picking. Even though the song is off their 2014 debut EP, it offers a glimpse into their unique take on the genre.

Learn how to play "Shoot from the Hip" here.

For more Fender Play Live, go to Fender’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels. And if you're not a member of Fender Play yet, click here for a free trial.