Guitar lesson for

Angel Flight

Video lesson

PDF Print-friendly chord sheet available for Patreon supporters

Get the PDF here -- after clicking and logging in to Patreon, look for the file attached to the bottom of the post.

Supporting me on Patreon gives you access to the PDF for this as well as 150+ other lessons. One month minimum ($3, cancel anytime) gets you access to everything... here's a free sample. Thanks for supporting me and this project!

Editor’s notes

In this lesson I’ll teach you how to play “Angel Flight” by Radney Foster. This song uses the chords of E-A-B-C#m, but is unconventional in the voicing used for each chord. Specifically, we’ll be leaving the thinnest two strings open at all times. This not only makes it sound a bit more interesting, but also makes it far easier to play… which is nice! I’ll teach you these chords, explain the intro riff (with tabs), and talk about strumming pattern. I Thanks very much to Patreon supporter Dennis for this request.

Lyrics with chords

INTRO
    E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
    B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
    G –|––––––1–––––––1–––––––1–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
    D –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
    A –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2–|–0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–0–0–0––|–
    E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
          E                         B       A
          1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
          v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

VERSE
    E                           C#m
    All I ever wanted to do was fly
    A                                   E
    Leave this world and live in the--- sky
               E                      C#m
    I left the C130 out of Fort Worth town
         A                               E
    I go up some days I don't wanna come--- down

CHORUS
                A                            C#m
        Well, I fly that plane... called the Angel Flight
        A                                 E
        Come on brother you're with me tonight
                A                       C#m
        Between heaven and earth you're never alone
               A                                   B          E
        On the Angel Flight... come on brother I'm taking you home [play intro x1 on "home"]

VERSE
      E                                C#m
    I love my family and I love this land
        A                                  E
    But tonight this flight's for another---- man
       E                                   C#m
    We do what we do because we heard the call
    A                                  E
    Some gave a little, but he gave it all

CHORUS
                A                            C#m
        Well, I fly that plane... called the Angel Flight
        A                                 E
        Come on brother you're with me tonight
                A                       C#m
        Between heaven and earth you're never alone
               A                                   B          E
        On the Angel Flight... come on brother I'm taking you home
        A                   B          C#m
        Come on brother I'm taking you home       [start instrumental on C#m]

INSTRUMENTAL
        C#m  /   A   /
        C#m  /   A   B

VERSE
    [let chords ring]
              E                                      C#m
    Well, the cockpit's quiet and the stars are bright
           A                          E
    Feels kinda like church in here tonight
    E                                C#m
    It don't matter where we touch down
           A                         E
    On the Angel Flight its sacred ground

CHORUS
                A                            C#m
        Well, I fly that plane... called the Angel Flight
              A                      E
        Gotta hero riding with us tonight
                A                          C#m
        Between heaven and earth... you're never alone
               A                                   B          E
        On the Angel Flight... come on brother I'm taking you home
        A                   B          C#m
        Come on brother I'm taking you home
        A                   B          E
        Come on brother I'm taking you home        [play intro 2x, end with E chord]

Chords, played normally

Usually, when you see these 4 chords, this is how they’re played. You can use these voicings if you please (but read on).

E –––0–––0–––x–––4––––
B –––0–––2–––4–––5––––
G –––1–––2–––4–––6––––
D –––2–––2–––4–––6––––
A –––2–––0–––2–––4––––
E –––0––––––––––––––––
     E   A   B   C#m

Chords, with open B and E strings

This is what he’s playing in the intro, and it sounds like throughout the song! This makes things way easier, and adds a bit of distinction to the sound of the song.

E –––0––––––0––––––0–––––0––––
B –––0––––––0––––––0–––––0––––
G –––1––––––2––––––4–––––6––––
D –––2––––––2––––––4–––––6––––  <-- keep left ring finger on this string
A –––2––––––0––––––2–––––4––––      for all 4 of these chords!
E –––0––––––––––––––––––––––––
     E    Asus2  Bsus4  C#m

Intro riff (normal)

E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––1–––––––1–––––––1–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
D –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
A –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2–|–0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–0–0–0––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      E                         B       A
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
      v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

Intro riff (variation)

E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––8–8–8–|–––––6–––––––6–––––––6–––––6–6–6––|–
D –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––9–9–9–|–7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–7–7–7––|–
A –|––––––7–––––––7–––––––7–––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      E                         B       A
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
      v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

Strumming

The main strumming pattern is very straightforward – you’ll do all downstrums, on the quarter notes (1 2 3 4). You’ll want to accent (emphasize) the 2 and 4 counts, while on the 1 and 3 counts you can get away with only playing the 1-2 thickest strings of that chord. This creates a nice amount of space within the song – you don’t want this one to come off as hectic.

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +        D = down strum
D   D   D   D          U = up strum
    >       >          > = accented strum

If you can manage it, add an up-down-up in the final few counts of every other measure – as shown below.

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +      D = down strum
D   D   D   D   D   D   D U D U      U = up strum
    >       >       >       >        > = accented strum

Chord progression cheat sheet

Verse:

| E . . . | E . | C#m . . . | C#m . . . |
| A . . . | A . | E   . . . | E   . . . |

                            ...play twice

Chorus:

| A . . . | A . . . | C#m . . . | C#m . . . |
| A . . . | A .     | E   . . . | E   . . . |
| A . . . | A . . . | C#m . . . | C#m . . . |
| A . . . | A . . . | B   .     | E         //

                            ...start intro chords on final E

Good luck!

I hope this helped. Remember to check out my video lesson for additional context & explanation.

Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!

If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).

You can also support me on Patreon. For only $3/month you'll get access to a print-friendly PDF of my notes for each new lesson (view free sample).

Thanks!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!