Learning chord shapes without context takes much longer, so adding them into songs as part of your practice sessions can make learning fun and effective!
Folsom Prison Blues is one of Johnny Cash’s signature songs, boasting only three simple chords with an iconic country rhythm.
You Are My Sunshine
Johnny Cash was an iconic country music star known as “the Man in Black”, pioneering genres such as blues and folk. Distinguished by his signature deep vocals and 6-string dreadnought guitar sound, Cash was one of the best-selling artists ever and known for such iconic country hits as Ring of Fire.
You Are My Sunshine is an endearing ballad that has withstood the test of time, touching hearts across generations with its simple yet profound lyrics. This tune can be easily played using four basic chords and an easy country strum pattern; beginning guitarists may even achieve similar tone using a capo on the first fret to achieve similar tones.
Flesh and Blood by Geoff Mack is an upbeat yet emotional song about an individual who loses love but finds comfort in nature. It is fairly straightforward to play, with three open chords and a moderate country strum pattern for accompaniment.
I Walk the Line
Johnny Cash made this song famous, which has become one of the signature tracks associated with him. It speaks about being faithful and true to your partner while staying true to yourself – two qualities many find deeply moving and beautiful in music. Halsey covered this touching track for their debut studio album Badlands’ Deluxe Edition release in 2015 as an exquisite rendition.
This song’s chorus has an engaging beat, while the chord progression is easy to play. It’s an ideal opportunity to practice strumming technique – use a metronome when practicing this song to ensure even strumming throughout.
Ring Of Fire by Jack Clement is a timeless country classic and showcases Johnny Cash’s talent beautifully. An easy song with straightforward chord progression and standard country rhythm, Ring Of Fire makes an excellent start if you want to learn country music.
Good Ole Boys Like Me
Johnny Cash was one of the greatest musicians ever. Known as “the Man in Black”, his deeply emotive songs of sorrow and redemption, along with his rich voice and 6-string dreadnought guitar playing made him one of the pioneers of country music.
Although its lyrics may be considered controversial, playing this country song remains enjoyable and fun. The song uses four open chords with a standard country rhythm and an easy strumming pattern; its only challenging chord being an F barre chord which may prove challenging for beginners guitarists.
At his concert at California Folsom State Prison, Cash performed Cocaine Blues for an audience composed primarily of prisoners. The country song tells the tale of a young boy who meets an older drifter and decides to take him in; featuring an upbeat country melody and easy rhythm, this tune provides beginners with a great opportunity to practice barring technique.
I’m Gonna Be Alright
This country song is an ideal piece to learn as an intermediate guitarist. With its easy chord progression and moderate-paced classic country rhythm, this tune can be endlessly engaging to play while giving you a sense of Cash’s signature Boom Chicka Strumming technique.
This song’s lyrics explore the way individual differences impede upon the unifying nature of music, while reflecting upon musicians with great potential who don’t realize their full musical talents. If you want to become a great musician yourself, learn this song! It could become your soundtrack!
Johnny Cash remains one of the most iconic artists ever. His simplistic yet impressive acoustic guitar playing style combined with deep vocals have cemented his place in history of music – learning his iconic songs will surely advance your musical journey!