The Streets of Laredo | Harmonica Lesson & Tabs

Liam Ward
Apr 7, 2022
1 min read

Updated: Sep 8

Hello! Today's free harmonica lesson will teach you to play The Streets of Laredo. We will play this on a diatonic harmonica in the key of C.

The Streets of Laredo - also known as the Cowboy's Lament - is a traditional American cowboy ballad that dates back to the nineteenth century. It tells the story of a dying cowboy giving his last words. The melody actually comes from an old Irish folk song called The Unfortunate Rake, which was carried across the Atlantic and adapted on the American frontier.

It's a beautiful tune to learn on harmonica because of its slow, lyrical phrasing, which really helps you practice breath control and expression.

I hope you enjoy the free YouTube video and harp tabs!