Johnny Cash (commonly referred to as The Man in Black) was one of the pioneers of country music. With his deep baritone voice and 6-string dreadnought guitar he created a unique sound. I Walk The Line is one of his iconic country songs which can be played easily using only three chords.
This song is intermediate level and requires learning some lead guitar partitions.
Hey Porter
Johnny Cash remains one of the best-selling musicians ever. His multifaceted repertoire encompassed country, rock and roll and blues – genres which he was honored to represent – earning him induction into all three music halls of Fame: Country Music Hall of Fame; Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.
This song boasts an easy chord progression that beginners will find easy to master, along with an engaging tempo that’s bound to get people dancing and an eye-catching riff that makes it ideal for soloing.
Hey Porter is a classic piece to add to your repertoire when practicing lead guitar partitions and palm muting techniques. Recorded during Tennessee Two’s debut session at Sun Studios in 1952, Hey Porter stands as an early example of their signature sound that made them famous; its version differs slightly from what would later appear on Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian album.
Daddy Sang Bass
Carl Perkins composed “Daddy Sang Bass” as an ode to his family’s affinity for music, drawing upon their shared experience as inspiration for its lyrics. Its message of unity and family ties resounds across cultures; its lyrics also highlight how important it is to enjoy life’s simple pleasures such as making music.
This tune boasts an easy tempo that is suitable for beginners looking to build their rhythm, making it perfect for fingerpicking patterns or standard strum. Furthermore, its dynamic structure offers ample opportunity for practicing lead guitar partitions and licks.
Five Feet High and Rising is an iconic country classic dating back to 1959 that tells of a flood that occurred in 1937. The song blends deep vocals with emotional acoustic guitar accompaniment for an intermediate-level playing experience; some advanced chords may be required and an F barre chord, yet beginners are welcome!
I Walk The Line
Johnny Cash (otherwise known as the Man in Black) was one of the pioneers of country music, known for his deep baritone voice and 6-string dreadnought guitar playing style. His iconic country tunes of sorrow and redemption as well as covers like Hurt or Rusty Cage created his unique sound which would come to define country music forevermore.
This song offers soothing lyrics about mourning the loss of his wife with a simple yet impressive acoustic guitar accompaniment – making it perfect for beginning-level country fans to learn how to play! It contains four basic chords and an effective strum pattern to help beginners master country.
Johnny would add even more depth and drama to his song by placing a piece of paper beneath his guitar strings at the tuning end, creating an authentic-sounding snare drum effect – this can help your playing sound more authentic! Give this trick a try yourself; it makes your performance sound more like the real deal!
Guess Things Happen That Way
Johnny Cash was unquestionably one of country music’s finest singers and iconic figures, known for his deep voice and ability to interpret songs with unique charm that made them more captivating for audiences. A great example is his song Guess Things Happen That Way which offers beginners an accessible melody and harmonic structure as well as an accessible classic chord progression – though some practice may be necessary if inexperienced players try playing it themselves!
Cocaine Blues by Cash was another hit country tune from his live album At San Quentin – another prison concept album following Folsom Prison Blues’ success. This simple country tune boasts basic chord progression and vocal melody that are easy to play.