Hey there, Reader — we lost Kris Kristofferson earlier this week, and I wanted to record something new in his honor. To get right to it, here's a full play-along cover of Me and Bobby McGee – as played in the style of Kris Kristofferson – with lyrics, chords, strumming, and the walk-up tabs all shown on screen:

For those of you who've been around a while, Me and Bobby McGee is actually a song I've looked at a few times before!

• In 2017 I recorded lesson #114 where I teach how to play the song as heard in Janis Joplin's recording. This is the first version of this song I ever heard, and have many fond memories of singing along to a scratchy cassette on an old car stereo, back in college. While this is one of my oldest lessons, it still holds up!
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• In early 2020, I made lesson #417 where I answered an audience question about strumming, looking at the patterns used in both the Janis and Kris versions — showing exactly how they're different. This video still stands firmly on two legs if you're curious which strumming approach is best suited to your tastes! You can certainly use either.

Don't miss out on the strumming & chord guide I have for this song! It shows the strumming patterns, with tabs, for each chord used in the song (key changes included). It even includes some guidance on those walking bassline riffs heard in Kristofferson's version.

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Lessons That Help With This Song

If you need a hand with any of the strumming or walking bassline techniques used in this song, check out my tutorials below. Each of these will get you up and running with these techniques — which you can no doubt use when playing many other songs:

• ​Bass Note Strumming​
• ​Strumming with Alternating Bass Notes​
• ​Walk-ups & Walk-downs, Explained​
• ​Adding Grit to Walking Basslines (with b3 and b7)​
• ​How to Strum Without a Pick​

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Looking for more Kris Kristofferson?

I have a few other songs with his fingerprints on 'em!

• ​Sunday Morning Coming Down – I teach a hybrid version that combines this & that from the respective versions of Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.
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• ​Highwayman – One of my favorites! Kristofferson sings the second verse (I was a sailor / and I was born upon the tide). My lesson teaches the entire song, with another full play-along cover included.

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As always, I hope you all enjoy the new lesson! Everyone take care, and I'll see you in the next one ✌️

– David