Old Country Guitar Lessons
Welcome to my old country guitar lessons page. Artists on this page are restricted to those with only one lesson associated with them. All other artists in this category with two or more lessons associated with them will have their own pages.
The A-Z Directory will show those artists. If you're interested in Bluegrass songs you'll find Bluegrass lessons here. There are 28 country artists listed on this page. Scroll the page or use the jump link menu below. Help yourself yourself to the free chord sheets
and acoustic demos. If you'd like to make a purchase for any full lesson tutorial, those links are below.
Old Country Guitar Lessons
Chords, PDF's Lessons, Demos
Click drop down menu to quickly access to the artists on this page.
1. Billy Walker
Charlie's Shoes hit the airwaves back in 1962 and ended up being the only #1 hit for the singer.
Faron Young, Eddy Arnold and Guy Mitchell also recorded the song by Walker's version was the most successful.
This number is found on his "Greatest Hits" album from 1963.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret = original key
- Rhythm: down up down up with some walking bass
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, G, C
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2. Bob Carlisle
Butterfly Kisses was written for Bob's 16 years old daughter back in 1997. The song went on to become his only hit single but was a #1 in Canada and the US. It also won a Dove Award for Song Of The Year and a Grammy for Best Country Song.
It hails from the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No capo = original key
- Rhythm: downstrokes or use down down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: Cm7, C, Asus2, F, Am, Dm, Gsus4, G, Em, G6, D7sus, D7, D#
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3. Bob Luman
Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache was a song recorded by Bob Luman but was never released as a single. He was a rockabilly artist and released single from 1959 up until his death at age 41 in 1978.
The song is on his 1974 album "Still Loving You".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, Am, F, G, D7
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4. Bob Wills
Sugar Moon was written by Cindy Walker and Bob Wills. He recorded the song with his band The Texas Playboys back in 1947 where it peaked at #1.
Asleep At The Wheel and Willie Nelson also have cover versions out there.
You'll find this track on a double CD called Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys Collection (or Anthology) 1935-1973 2xCDS.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, D7, G7, C7, F
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5. Bobby Helms
Fraulein was recorded in 1957 and the song became a #1 hit for Bobby Helms on the US Country Charts.
There are probably a few "Best Of" albums out there with this track on it as the original was a non-album single.
Helms is also the voice behind the christmas classic Jingle Bell Rock that we hear every holiday season from 1958.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D, D7
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6. Bobby Russell
Saturday Morning Confusion was a #24 country charter in the US and a #13 in Canada for Bobby Russell back in 1971.
The song hails from the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo:3rd fret = original key
- Rhythm: downstrokes and down down up and repeat and a steady shuffle pattern is also in this one.
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, Am7, D, F, E7, Cm, B7, Dsus
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7. Country Johnny Mathis
Hurtin' Losers Song was released as a single by Country Johnny Mathis but I'm not sure if it was an A-side or B-side. To my knowledge
this song never appeared on an album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up down up with walking bass
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, D, G, C7, F
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8. Dan Penn
Tearjoint was a song written by Dan Penn and found on his 1973 album "Nobody's Fool". I don't believe Penn released the song as a single but it was recorded
by Faron Young and made it to #72 in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D, E, F, A7
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9. Dave Stamey
If I Just Had A Horse is a song written by cowboy entertainer Dave Stamey and is found on his 2003 album of the same name.
To my knowledge this song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: C, Edim, G, G7, E7, A7, A6, D7, C7, C#7
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10. Del Reeves
Girl On The Billboard was released by Del Reeves back in 1965 and became his only #1 country hit on the US charts.
The Road Hammers did a cover on this song back in 2005.
The song can be found on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: a riff throughout
- Chords: D, A, G
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11. Don Edwards
I'd Like To Be In Texas is a song from Don's 1992 album "Songs Of The Trail".
It's unclear to me if this song was ever released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, G7, C, A7, D7
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12. Earl Thomas Conley
Love Out Loud was a #1 hit song for ETC in 1989 and peaked at #2 in Canada as well.
Te song was on his album "The Heart Of It All".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: downstrokes for the most part and a shuffle strum.
- Picking: Yes and a few riffs
- Chords: G, C, D, Em, D/Gb, F, C/E
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13. Eddie Raven
I Got Mexico was co-written by Eddie Raven and Frank Myers back in 1984 for Eddie's album "I Could Use Another You".
The song was #1 in both the US and Canada.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, Am, D, Em
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14. Eddy Arnold
Make The World Go Away was written by Hank Cochran and recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1965 from his album "My World". He scored a #1 with this song.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat with a few riffs
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, Am, D, D7, Am/Ab, Am7
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15. Faron Young
Hello Walls was a #1 for Young in 1961 on the country charts and #12 on the pop charts. Willie Nelson wrote this one and hails from Faron Young's album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root up down up and repeat with walkin' bass
- Picking: No
- Chords: C, G, F, D7
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16. Ferlin Husky
Wings Of A Dove was written in 1958 and recorded by Husky in 1960. 10 weeks at #1 on the country charts and #12 on the Hot 100. Found on "The Hits Of Ferlin Husky" album 1963.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up bass down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, G, A7
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17. Floyd Cramer
Last Date was recorded and released in 1960 and reached #11 on the country charts and #2 behind Are You Lonesome Tonight by Elvis on the Hot 100 chart.
The song is on Cramer's album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: a steady shuffle and you pick thru the melody
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, F, G, G7, Am, Dm
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18. Freddie Hart
Easy Loving was a breakthrough #1 hit for Freddie Hart whose music career in country was a bit under-whelming. That's to an Atlanta DJ who played this song alot, in Sept 1971 Hart had his first #1.
The song can be found on his "California Grapevine" album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, G7, C, A7, D, D7
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19. Freddy Fender
Wasted Days And Wasted Nights was written and recorded in 1959 but due to an arrest, Fender never released the song as a single. But in 1975, "Before The Next Teardrop Falls" was a big song for Freddy and so an updated version of "Wasted Days" was released and it # on the US country charts and #1 in New Zealand.
This one is on "The Best Of Freddy Fender" album from 1977.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: downstrokes mainly with walking bass
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, G, A, Aaug, D7, E7, A#
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20. Gene Autry
Don't Fence Me In was written way back in 1934 and was written for a movie that never materialized. Cole Porter purchased the rights to the lyrics and re-worked it a bit.
Gene Autry had a #4 with his version in 1945. This song was a single release.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up bass up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, C, B7, E7, A7, Adim
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21. Gene Pitney
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released in the 1962 and reached #4 in the US for Gene Pitney.
This song is on the 1964 album "Gene Pitney's Big Sixteen".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 4th fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: a few riffs
- Chords: Am, C, F, G, Em
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22. Guy Mitchell
Singing The Blues was a release in 1956 for this song by Guy Mitchell and it was a #1 in the US and UK.
The album "Guys Greatest Hits" is where this one can be found.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: E, C7, B7, A
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23. Hank Thompson
The Wild Side Of Life was made famous by Hank Thompson in 1952 and was a huge song for the artist and reached #9 in the UK.
The song is on Hank's 1963 album "The Best Of Hank Thompson".
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo:
- Rhythm:
- Picking:
- Chords:
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24. Jack Greene
There Goes My Everything was a #1 for Jack Greene back in 1966.
The song is from the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 3rd fret
- Rhythm: root up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D, G7
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25. JD King
Two Six Packs A Day was recorded in 2008 by JD King. There isn't much info on this song.
The track is on his album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, D7, G, A7, Bm, Em
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26. JD Souther
You're Only Lonely was a #1 in the US and a #2 in Canada back in 1979. This was his only top 10 hit.
Song is found on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No ... capo 2nd for original key
- Rhythm: root down up down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, Em, C, D
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27. Jim Glaser
If I Could Only Dance With You was a #1 in the US and a #3 i Canada back in 1984.
It hails from the album "The Man In The Mirror".
- Drop D Tuning:
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: C, Em, F, G, G7, Dm
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28. Jimmy Webb
All I Know was written by Webb and first recorded by Art Garfunkel on his debut solo album. Jimmy recorded a version in 1996 and it can be found on his
album "Ten Easy Pieces".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D, D/Gb, Em, D7, Bm, Am, G6, Am7, B7
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Thanks for stopping by this old country guitar lessons page. There will be additional pages links from this one over time with more information about specific songs discussing chords, strumming and so forth.
Other Artists You May Enjoy ...
Bertie Higgins | Billy Joe Shaver
Bobby Goldsboro | Charley Pride
Charile Daniels | Charlie Rich
David Frizzell | Delbert McClinton
George Hamilton IV | George Jones
Jerry Reed | Jerry Jeff Walker
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