Hi James,

Summer is winding down, and with the renovations finally finished, I’m starting to feel a bit more “normal” again - thumb included! (It always goes a little numb when I’m swinging a hammer every day, but thankfully the feeling comes back.)

With back-to-school season here, our days are about to get a lot more predictable. While I love the chaos of summer with the kids, having them on a schedule means I can focus more on music - making guitar tutorials, answering your questions, and just spending more time with this community.

That new “Ask James” button in the membership has already made a huge difference. I’ve been hearing from more of you than ever - sometimes by video, sometimes by text - and I’ve really enjoyed sending back voice memos and ideas. It feels good to connect this way.

And now for the biggest change: I’m moving my filming space into my house. Until now I’ve been renting a separate room, but with the kids a little older (6 and 4), it finally feels doable at home. That means I can share more of those little “spur-of-the-moment” lessons that used to be hard to capture.

So - new season, new routine, and a lot more guitar in the mix.

What about you? With September here, do you have a new goal for your guitar playing?

- James

🏆 Meet Cathy: The Teacher Who Learned Guitar Alongside Her Students

This month we’re spotlighting Cathy Cornwell-Brown, a science teacher who was asked to teach guitar with only two weeks’ notice - despite never playing before.

Armed with my 30 Days of Guitar series, she learned right alongside her students. They started with “Horse with No Name,” worked through my chord switching game, and before long were playing four-chord songs together.

“When the guitars arrived, you should’ve seen their smiles,” Cathy said. “We learned together. And James? He was our teaching assistant.”

Cathy’s passion for music was first sparked by her mom and grandmother, and now she’s passing it on to a new generation. We’re so proud to have her as part of our community!

🌟 Your guitar journey matters, and others can learn from it too. If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter, reply with your story - I’d be honored to share it.

What I’ve Been Playing and Teaching Lately

This past month I put together some lessons that I think you’ll enjoy:

Other Recent Additions

If you missed them, there are also new lessons on songs like In the Air Tonight (easy 4-chord version), Faith by George Michael, and even the main riff from Back in Black.

• In The Air Tonight (Easy 4 Chord Wonder)
• The Simple Reason You’re STILL Not Getting Faster at Guitar
• My Girl - Easy Acoustic Strumming Version
• Faith (Intermediate Version) - George Michael
• The Main Riff from "Back In Black" by AC/DC

What’s Coming Up

Right now I’m working on a mix of tutorials and resources, including:

• “Over the Rainbow” (easy strumming & singing version)
• “A Hard Day’s Night” (classic Beatles)
• “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
• A fingerstyle take on “How Deep Is Your Love”
• A deep-dive into common guitar questions I hear all the time

I’d love to know - what songs or topics are you most excited about learning next?