Song practice guide
How to Practice Tennessee Whiskey
Chris Stapleton's modern arrangement of 'Tennessee Whiskey' (originally by David Allan Coe) is the gold standard for soulful country ballads. The two-chord vamp (A-Bm or in some versions Bm-A) gives the singer almost unlimited room for dynamic and tonal expression, but that minimalism is also why amateur covers tend to fall flat.
Song Details
- Key
- A
- Tempo
- 70 BPM
- Time
- 4/4
- Style
- boom-chuck
Structure
This song is still under copyright, so we publish its form rather than its chord chart. Add it to your library and you can enter or attach your own chart, and Repertoire will schedule it either way.
What to Focus On
Sustaining a smooth two-chord vamp without losing groove. Letting the bass and rhythm breathe. If singing, dynamic and tonal control across the very long phrases.
Practice Tips
- 1
The two chords are the entire song. Don't add chords to make it more interesting. The interest comes from the singer and the rhythm section, not from harmonic motion.
- 2
The rhythm needs to swing. A straight-eighths reading sounds wrong. Practice the strumming pattern with a slightly behind-the-beat feel.
- 3
If singing, this song is all about restraint and release. The verses are intimate; the chorus is full-throated. Most amateur singers are too consistent in dynamics throughout.
Why This Song
It's the modern country ballad benchmark. If you can sing this convincingly, you can sing.
Practice Tennessee Whiskey Daily
Repertoire uses spaced repetition to keep your songs sharp. Add this song to your collection and the system schedules your practice automatically.
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