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Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel

Chords & Piano Lesson
Hello! Below you'll find my "Wagon Wheel" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
 

This song by Old Crow Medicine Show - which also has a great version by Darius Rucker - is super easy to learn and play. 

Enjoy!

Lesson Video
Chord Chart

Wagon Wheel Piano Tutorial

Here's a piano tutorial video for Wagon Wheel:

Wagon Wheel Chords & Lyrics

[Intro]
| A | E | F#m | D |
| A | E | D | D |

[Verse]
A                                         E
Heading down south to the land of the pines
      F#m                            D
I'm thumbing my way into North Caroline
A                                    E                          D
Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights
   A                                      E
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
F#m                                 D
Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
                 A                                    E                      D
And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight
 
[Chorus]
      A                                  E
So rock me momma like a wagon wheel
F#m                            D
Rock me momma any way you feel
E               D
Hey, momma rock me
A                                       E
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain
F#m                               D
Rock me momma like a south bound train
A  E               D
Hey, momma rock me
 
[Instrumental]
| A | E | F#m | D |
| A | E | D | D |
 
[Verse]
A                                  E
Running from the cold up in New England
         F#m                                 D
I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band
      A                           E                      D
My baby plays a guitar, I pick a banjo now
       A                                            E
Oh, north country winters keep a-getting me down
               F#m                                 D
I lost my money playing poker so I had to leave town
         A                              E                             D
But I ain't turning back to living that old life no more
 
[Chorus]
      A                                  E
So rock me momma like a wagon wheel
F#m                             D
Rock me momma any way you feel
E                 D
Hey, momma rock me
A                                       E
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain
F#m                               D
Rock me momma like a south bound train
E                D
Hey, momma rock me
 
[Instrumental] X2
 
[Verse]
A                              E
Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke
                 F#m                                   D
I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke
       A                                            E
But he's a heading west from the Cumberland gap
     D
To Johnson City, Tennessee
          A                              E
And I gotta get a move on before the sun
                F#m              
I hear my baby calling my name
        D
And I know that she's the only one
       A                                E                    D
And if I died in Raleigh at least I will die free
 
[Chorus] X2
      A                                  E
So rock me momma like a wagon wheel
F#m                             D
Rock me momma any way you feel
E                D
Hey, momma rock me
A                                       E
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain
F#m                               D
Rock me momma like a south bound train
E                D
Hey, momma rock me
 
[Chorus]
      A                                  E
So rock me momma like a wagon wheel
F#m                            D
Rock me momma any way you feel
E                 D
Hey, momma rock me
A                                       E
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain
F#m                               D
Rock me momma like a south bound train
E                D
Hey, momma rock me
A
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Wagon Wheel Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Wagon Wheel" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
 
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.  
 
3. Simplify if need be: "Wagon Wheel" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
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