The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
by Tom T. Hall • Lesson #132 • Feb 8, 2018
Video lesson
Song Sheet Temporarily Unavailable...
For copyright reasons, my printable song sheet is temporarily unavailable while I move it over to Musicnotes.com, a sheet music service that is providing licensing for my song arrangements.
Want me to priortize this song, so the song sheet is ready sooner? Click the button below and let me know – this helps me know which songs to work on next!
Click to RequestLearn more about my library of song sheets & instructional PDFs.
Editor’s notes
In this video I’ll show a tutorial for the the classic country intro lick heard in “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died” by Tom T. Hall. Even if you’ve never heard this song before, I’ll bet the style of this intro lick is one you feel like you’ve heard a thousand times. It uses only two chords, but requires a bit of practice to pull of… I’ll show you how it’s done, complete with some tabs and exercise to break things into small pieces.
Capo 1st fret
If you want to play along with the album version, through a capo on the 1st fret and use the chords I show here. This is how Tim T. Hall plays this song. You don’t need the capo - without it, you’ll just be a half-step lower in pitch (which is okay if you’re not playing along with his recorded version).
Chords needed
E –––3––––––––1––––1––––
B –––1–––1––––1––––0––––
G –––0–––3––––2––––0––––
D –––2–––2––––3––––0––––
A –––3–––3––––3––––2––––
E ––––––––––––1––––3––––
C C7 F G7
Chord progression
Here’s the chord progression written out - 4 counts per measure. Play each line once, then repeat the whole thing for each verse.
C . . . G7 . . . C . . . C7 . . .
F . . . F . . . C . . . C . . .
F . . . F . . . F . . . C . . .
C . . . G7 . . . C . . . C . . .
Lyrics with chords
(capo 1st fret)
C G7 C C7
I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
F C
They said for the last two weeks that he suffered and cried
F C
It made a big impression on me although I was a barefoot kid
C G7 C
They said he got religion at the end and I'm glad that he did
(use same progression for each verse)
Clayton was the best guitar picker in our town
I thought he was a hero and I used to follow Clayton around
I often wondered why Clayton who seemed so good to me
Never took his guitar and made it down in Tennessee
Well daddy said he drank a lot but I could never understand
I knew he used to picked up in Ohio with a five piece band
Clayton used to tell me son you better put that old guitar away
Ain't no money in it it'll lead you to an early grave
I guess if I'd admit it Clayton taught me how to drink booze
I can see him half stoned a picking out the Lovesick Blues
When Clayton died I made him a promise I was gonna carry on somehow
I'd give a hundred dollars if he could only see me now
I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
Nobody ever knew it but I went out in the woods and I cried
Well I know there's a lotta big preachers that know a lot more than I do
But it could be that the good Lord likes a little picking too
Yeah I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
Strumming pattern
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U U D U
Intro riff
Sneak in extra strums of each chord as you’re able (I’m only showing a single strum of each here, for space reasons). Listen along to the song (or my video lesson) for context.
E ––––––––––––3––––––3–––––––––1–––––1–––––––––––3–––––––––––––––1–––––
B ––––––––––––1––––––1–––––––––0–––––0–––––––––––1–––––––––––––––0–––––
G ––––––––––––0––––––0–––––––––0–––––0–––––––––––0–––––––––––––––0–––––
D ––––––––––––2–––2––2––––1–0––0–––––0–––––––––––2–––––––––––––––0–––––
A –––––0–2–3––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–2–3––3––––––3–2–0––––2–––––
E –––3––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––3–––––––––––––––––––––3––3–––––
C G7 C G7
Intro riff exercises
Learning the above intro riff can be difficult, especially playing it at full speed. Here’s a way to practice the riff through breaking things into two exercise that build up the skills you’ll need to play this.
First, practice accenting these changing bass notes in a groove while strumming. Practice this on repeat. This will help establish the foundation you’ll need before you add the additional runs to and from the G chord.
E ––––––––––––3––––––3–––––––––1–––––1–––––––––––
B ––––––––––––1––––––1–––––––––0–––––0–––––––––––
G ––––––––––––0––––––0–––––––––0–––––0–––––––––––
D ––––––––––––2–––2––2––––––0––0–––––0–––––––––––
A –––––––––3––3––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3––3–––––––––––
C G7
Second, practice this bassline sequence. Try to do it in time with the song, if you can (listen along for context). Start slow, get it down, and increase your speed until you can play it at full speed.
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ––––––––––––––––2–––––––1–0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A –––––0–2–3––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–2–3–––––––––3–2–0––––––––––
E –––3––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–––––3–––––––––––––––––––––3––––––––
C G7 C G7
WHen you’re comfortable with both exercises above, try combining them to create the full intro riff. Break that full riff into phrases (sections) if you can - don’t pretend you’ll be able to do it all at once!
Good luck!
Let me know if you have questions. I hope this was helpful.
Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!
Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!
Looking for More Song Lessons?
Featured Courses
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
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!
Recent Lessons
-
October 3, 2024
Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee"
-
September 27, 2024
Paul Simon Fingerstyle with "59th Street Bridge Song"
-
September 20, 2024
Fingerstyle & Travis Picking Lesson Roundup!
-
September 13, 2024
"Rebel Rouser" - 1950s Lead Guitar Lesson
-
September 5, 2024
Lead Guitar Lesson Roundup!
-
Aug 30, 2024
"Linger" by The Cranberries
-
Aug 21, 2024
Capos, Explained: 6 New Lessons & PDF Guides
-
August 8, 2024
"Spin You Around" by Morgan Wallen