Red Haired Boy

Red Haired Boy

Chords you’ll need to know

A D E G
Jam-Along Backing Track

Chord Chart

About This Song

Red Haired Boy is a traditional tune that came to American fiddlers from Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland it is known as The Little Beggarman, the name of a song sung to the same melody. Collectors also list it as Gilderoy and Giolla Rua (Gaelic for "red-haired lad"). Francis O'Neill printed it in his Music of Ireland in 1903. Fiddlers carried it over to America almost unchanged, and it became a bluegrass standard.

Year Artist Notes
1975 Tony Rice Rice's guitar with Ben Eldridge on banjo, Larry Rice on mandolin and Mike Auldridge on Dobro; many bluegrass players learned the tune from it
1992 Tony Rice All-star jam he led at the Merle Watson Festival, later released on video

The flat 7 in the chart comes straight from the melody, which uses the natural G instead of G sharp, and that gives the tune its old Irish sound.

Demo Videos

Practice Along -- Red Haired Boy from slow to fast

Practice Along -- Red Haired Boy from slow to fast

Acoustic Groove Box
Snyder Family Band Red Haired Boy

Snyder Family Band Red Haired Boy

kevinpickup
Tony Rice Red Haired Boy

Tony Rice Red Haired Boy

Roy Locke
Bryan Sutton - Red Haired Boy

Bryan Sutton - Red Haired Boy

Bluegrass & Flatpicking Guitar Channel

Lessons & Jam-Alongs

Lesson

Lesson
Jam-Along

Jam-Along

Instrument Lessons

Red Haired Boy: Essential Bluegrass Guitar Lesson

Red Haired Boy: Essential Bluegrass Guitar Lesson

Lessons With Marcel
Red Haired Boy - Basic Fiddle Lesson

Red Haired Boy - Basic Fiddle Lesson

FiddleHed
Red Haired Boy // Beginner Fiddle Tutorial

Red Haired Boy // Beginner Fiddle Tutorial

The Tune Project
Red-Haired Boy // Melodic and Single String Banjo Lesson

Red-Haired Boy // Melodic and Single String Banjo Lesson

Eli Gilbert Banjo
How to play "Red Haired Boy" - Tony Rice - Guitar Lesson with Tab

How to play "Red Haired Boy" - Tony Rice - Guitar Lesson with Tab

B-RoM
Red Haired Boy - Guitar Lesson Tutorial - Bluegrass Flatpicking

Red Haired Boy - Guitar Lesson Tutorial - Bluegrass Flatpicking

Country Guitar Online
Red Haired Boy // Bluegrass Guitar Lesson

Red Haired Boy // Bluegrass Guitar Lesson

Hayes Griffin

"Red Haired Boy" | Traditional - Intermediate Bluegrass Guitar Lesson with TAB

"Red Haired Boy" | Traditional - Intermediate Bluegrass Guitar Lesson with TAB

Brandon Johnson
Red Haired Boy (with Tabs) - Mandolin Lesson

Red Haired Boy (with Tabs) - Mandolin Lesson

MandoLessons
Red Haired Boy (aka Jolly Beggarman). A lesson for fiddle in old time, bluegrass and contest style.

Red Haired Boy (aka Jolly Beggarman). A lesson for fiddle in old time, bluegrass and contest style.

The Fiddle Channel
The Number 1 Fiddle Tune Every Flatpicker Needs To Know!- "Red Haired Boy"

The Number 1 Fiddle Tune Every Flatpicker Needs To Know!- "Red Haired Boy"

Aaron Jaxon Guitar

Red Haired Boy on Guitar Free Bluegrass Flatpicking Lesson

Red Haired Boy on Guitar Free Bluegrass Flatpicking Lesson

Banjo Ben Clark
Red Haired Boy for Melodic Banjo Lesson!

Red Haired Boy for Melodic Banjo Lesson!

Banjo Ben Clark
Red Haired Boy | Beginner Bluegrass Guitar Lesson With Tab

Red Haired Boy | Beginner Bluegrass Guitar Lesson With Tab

Mike Hedding
Red Haired Boy Beginner Mandolin Lesson

Red Haired Boy Beginner Mandolin Lesson

Mike Hedding
Red Haired Boy: Fiddle Lesson

Red Haired Boy: Fiddle Lesson

FIDDLEVIDEO