Amarillo by Morning

How to play Amarillo by Morning by George Strait on guitar

“Amarillo by Morning” is a great country tune to learn because it has a steady, driving feel and a classic progression that sounds familiar right away. You can keep it relaxed and focused, and the groove sits in a comfortable mid-tempo pocket that feels good once you lock in.

The chart uses mostly open shapes at first, with A, D, and G giving you an easier start. The harder move is the shift into F#m, which asks for a clean barre shape, so watch that change closely and make sure your hand lands early. If the song moves between open chords and barre chords, that transition is the main thing to smooth out.

Start by looping A-D-F#m-G very slowly until each change feels automatic. Then add the rest of the chart in small sections, keeping your fretting hand close to the strings and your changes economical. Once the shapes are steady, bring the tempo up little by little until you can play it cleanly at speed.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.