Folsom Prison Blues Guitar Lesson (Johnny Cash)

👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales
Folsom Prison Blues Guitar Lesson + Tutorial
Today I want to share with you a “Folsom Prison Blues” guitar lesson. This song is a great example of a 12-bar blues chord progression. Learning it will help you with both your rhythm and lead guitar playing.
Now for this lesson, I will be using a capo on the 1st fret. With the capo on I will be playing in the key of E. But the concert pitch (the actual key) is F major. But for this lesson, I will be referring to “capo chords”.
If you don’t have a capo. You can play the same thing without one. You just won’t be able to play along with the recording as all the recordings that I have heard are in F.
Ok! Are you ready? Cool.
Onward.
Who wrote Folsom Prison Blues?
"Folsom Prison Blues" is a renowned country and blues song written and originally recorded by the legendary American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. Released in 1955, the song became one of Cash's signature tunes in his career.
The lyrics of "Folsom Prison Blues" tell a captivating story of a remorseful inmate who laments his actions and dreams for freedom. Inspired by a combination of Cash's own experiences performing in prisons and traditional folk tunes, the song captures the dark and somber atmosphere of prison life. It reflects themes of regret, longing, and the desire for redemption that resonated with listeners worldwide.
In 1968, Cash further solidified the song's significance by recording a live performance of "Folsom Prison Blues" at Folsom State Prison in California. This iconic performance was captured on the album "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison."
Folsom Prison Blues Chords
To play “Folsom Prison Blues” you’ll only need to know 3 chords. E, A, and B7.
👉Read the full blog here: www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/fol...
👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales

[@jonmaclennan]

👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales

[@PhilFeedback]

Great lesson video, thanks for posting this video!

[@anthonyangelis1094]

Awesome ! love that opening riff Thank you

[@dimwitsadvocate6264]

I just found this massively awesome tutorial today. This is a song I can play on my acoustic guitar at a campfire or on my porch around a few friends with me being the only person with an instrument (guitar). It's already fun, even though I suck at it so far. Ha ha!! Those little additions like the intro and outro and also the switch to B7 (@7:25) add SO much to the song.

[@parneypots]

Well done. Thanks

[@345kobi]

Great lesson sir.

[@EZ3ChordCountry.]

Nicely done.

[@user-nz5em5wg2h]

So cool my brother from Warren 😎

[@Netzhang]

Hey Jon, thanks for posting these great song walkthroughs! Could you do the rhythm guitar from the song Sexy Ways by Funkadelic? I’d greatly appreciate it. Best!

[@joshg3832]

Dude what is this telecaster it’s so cool

[@rocker8692]

Hi best bud

[@robertgonzales7416]

Trying to understand your fretboard guide. If I look at the first row going across it shows the parent open chord, shapes in C, major pentatonic, and major scales and the arpeggios/chord tones. If drop down to the next rows, regardless of Chord name, it shows the chord shapes for their respective chord name but the shapes, scales and arpeggios are for the key of C in a different part of the neck. Is there a video that explains how a person is supposed to use the chart?

[@hamhocker]

Hi Jon Really appreciate what you do, I really connect with your teaching style Just great! One question, why use a capo on Folsom Prison Blues??

[@ponzo1967]

Just to bring it up in pitch to match the album. It can be done without one it will just be a semi tone lower in pitch

[@ponzo1967]

Jon doesn't typically interact in the comments so I obliged.

[@gerardelzinga9213]

Johnny's guitar wasn't in standard tuning, but a semi tone higher. His E was a F etc..

[@hamhocker]

Thanks for the info!@@ponzo1967

[@Godaboveall468]

How do we get to b7?

[@russlgtr]

Great song and tutorial. I like to mute strings with my elbow on the bridge and strum over middle of neck. Dynamics are controlled by how much muting you do

[@joemonroe2570]

You do too much talking like most people and not enough action you don’t get to the point and end up getting boring boring and boring. I can play Folsom prison, blues, faster and you can even Strom.U