Free Fallin’ | Sunroom Sessions – Cumberland River Dulcimer + Guitar

Some songs just feel good the second you start playing them, and “Free Fallin’” is definitely one of those.

Tom Petty wrote it with Jeff Lynne for his 1989 album Full Moon Fever. The story goes that Petty was messing around on a little keyboard at his house when he landed on the chord progression. Jeff suggested taking one of the chords out, they started building from there, and somehow one of Petty’s biggest songs was born.

There’s a lot of Southern California baked into it too, Reseda, Ventura Boulevard, Mulholland, places Petty knew from driving around Los Angeles. And that pretty simple progression ended up carrying a song that would become his highest-charting hit.

Which made it a pretty fun one to bring into the sunroom.

Justin grabbed the guitar, I picked up the Cumberland River Dulcimer, and we took a run at it.

Turns out it sits pretty nicely on the Cumberland. 😎

Hope you enjoy this one.

And if there’s a song you think we should try next, drop it in the comments. We’re always looking for a good excuse to get back in the sunroom.

—Ryan