Johnny Cash plays this rhythm guitar part in this famous song. We'll look at the lead guitar licks in this separate ActionTab. The original track is played in F (capo 1st fret) but we're playing it in standard tuning to keep things straightforward. It's exactly the same, just with no capo.

The rhythm guitar is very straightforward and suitable for beginners. It is based around the good old '12 Bar' chord progression, with no turnaround. Don't worry if that doesn't mean anything to you. Basically, once you know the simple 4 chord progression, just keep repeating it. Here's what you need to know...

Intro - While the lead guitar plays an intro lick, just start with this B7 chord. Then give the E major a few rounds.

Main Progression - Just keep cycling through this 4 chord sequence:

E major - A major - E major - B7 (repeat)

Use thumb-muting on the A major / B7 chords to eliminate the Low E string if you wish. This will enable you to strum more freely, without worrying about striking unwanted strings.

The strumming is very uniform throughout the song. You can apply your own strumming patterns to the song to give it your own twist.

Outro - Just finish by repeating the last 2 chords of the sequence again (B7 and E major).