Guitar Lessons




"But I came here to stay, just as long, long, as the sun will shine.”



John Cephas has been teaching students for decades. Now you can have private lessons and learn at your own pace with John's instructional DVDs as he patiently teaches each song step-by-step.

To order, send a check or money order to:

John Cephas
12375 Paige Road
Woodford, VA 22580

The 5-DVD set is $125 (plus $4 shipping and handling), or order DVDs individually for $25 each (shipping and handling for individual DVDs is $3 per order - add .75 for each additional DVD).

Every DVD comes with an interactive Tab CD-ROM that includes  TablEdit Tablature Editor software and MIDI files for each song. You can print tab for any song, play the MIDI files at various speeds and also change their sound for different instruments. You can even loop sections for review.

Newest Release! Stark Naked Beginning ($25)
A good starting point for beginners, this DVD teaches how to tune a guitar, how to form all of the basic chords (including 7ths) and demystifies the 1-4-5 progression with exercises in the keys of A, C and E.


The DVD concludes with a special segment in which the student can play along with John Cephas in a 1-4-5 progression in the keys of A (Oh Lordy Lord) and C (I'm Going Down The Road Feeling Bad). Note that this DVD does not include Tab or MIDI files.
John Cephas Blues Guitar Video Lessons ($125)
This comprehensive DVD and CD-ROM lesson set has it all! It includes an 80 page book of tab and lyrics, 5 DVDs, and an interactive Tab CD-ROM that covers every song taught.


The 5 DVD set includes the 2 volume Favorite Blues Licks & Runs series plus the 3 volume Skip James series. Read the individual DVD descriptions below for full details. This set also includes an interactive Tab CD-ROM for printing tab and playing MIDI files for every song covered.
Favorite Blues Licks & Runs Series
In the 2 volume Favorite Blues Licks & Runs series, John teaches a variety of Piedmont style songs in Standard and Dropped D tuning that are bound to add a number of impressive songs to any student's repertoire.


Favorite Blues Licks & Runs - Vol. I ($25)
Volume I features: Walking Blues, Mamie, Richmond Blues, Worried Man Blues, Oh Love Oh Careless Love, Hot Dog, Love That Corn Liquor, Blakes Rag, and Weeping Willow. An interactive Tab CD-ROM for printing tab and playing MIDI files for every song covered is also included.


Favorite Blues Licks & Runs - Vol. II ($25)
Volume II features: Staga'lee, Rising River, Got Me Running, Hey Big Boss Man, Back Water Blues, and Screaming And Crying. (John also performs, I Saw The Light, Black Rat Swing, Blue Day Blues, and Key To The Highway, and teaches a Chicago style boogie woogie.) An interactive Tab CD-ROM for printing tab and playing MIDI files for every song covered is also included.

Skip James Series
In the 3 volume Skip James series, John teaches licks, signature runs, chord progressions, turn arounds, and bass runs in D Minor tuning. He also teaches how to achieve the falsetto sound of Skip James. This is a must-have for any student aspiring to learn the Skip James reperatoire.


Vol. I ($25)
Volume I features: Hard Time Killing Floor, Illinois Blues, and Sick Bed Blues. An interactive Tab CD-ROM for printing tab and playing MIDI files for every song covered is also included.


Vol. II ($25)
Volume II features: Cypress Grove Blues, Cherry Ball Blues, and Devil Got My Woman. An interactive Tab CD-ROM for printing tab and playing MIDI files for every song covered is also included.


Vol. III ($25)
Volume III features: I'm So Glad, Prison Blues, and Special Rider Blues. An interactive Tab CD-ROM for printing tab and playing MIDI files for every song covered is also included.