Learn How To Play A Country Bass Line: Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash and the Root-5th Groove

This lesson shows you how to play the popular country bass line to the Johnny Cash classic, Folsom Prison Blues. It combines a 12 bar blues form with country style bass. Learn how to play a root-fifth bass line and move it around from chord to chord to fit the song. This can be adapted to other keys or country blues songs!
Just an FYI, if you do play along with Johnny Cash recordings of "Folsom Prison," you may notice that it follows an 11-bar form and essentially skips the final bar of one. He goes right into singing the next verse, so be on the look-out for this adaptation to the form.
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[@somarmd]

Excellent and thank you Ryan, from a newbie. It’s very hard to find Bass lesson’s focused on classic country music/tunes.

[@gregclover9696]

Ryan i am very glad for your dedication to teaching you have really been helpful to me . I inherited a fretless base a year ago and i believed i could figure things out because i have played the violin since i was six. Anyway i just thought there were similarities and i always loved the base. Now! I started looking at videos of fretless base players and found out that bases like Steve Bailey and Victor Woten were very accomplished. Manoman!! Then i found your vidioes and they were easier to follow. I am definately not an excellent fretless base player and honestly i play by ear. But even so your video's are very helpful your AMAZING. THANKYOU!

[@WDXash]

Funnily enough, a few weeks ago,I played my bass along to a good chunk of a Johnny Cash concert, which was on tv, and most bass lines were pretty much the same for each song. It was cool, though. As someone else commented.. bread & butter stuff, but it makes the track 👍

[@uberjam-sam8512]

Really nice...great job pulling in the subtleties that matter a lot ...many bassist I've played with underestimate the subtleties of this tune Tyvm

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Thanks a lot!

[@johnrulli56]

Thank you for the lesson

[@johnrulli56]

I like the way you explain

[@pennythecat]

Great lesson. I like your philosophy of simplicity and a traditional approach to playing that song.

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Thank you kindly!

[@kimhebert9905]

Good points on playing country Bass🎶🎶

[@OnTheOne.]

Thank you, that was explained very well.

[@LouisL1963]

Great video - played Folsom many a time in a band I was in 12 years ago. Used to do that thing playing at the bottom of the fingerboard and rolling most of the top end off to get that doghouse thing going 😊

[@PeterKertesz2013]

Brilliant lesson as always, thank you!

[@stevegarneau8673]

Great video and super useful details on the root and fifth! Thanks a bunch!!

[@portarobbie]

You are a good teacher. Thank you!

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

I appreciate that! Thank you!

[@paolocimmino5648]

I usually play rock and pop, but I'm now in a band that play in kind of country and bluegrass style. Your lessons help me in the transition. They are pure gold! And the theory behind notes choice is a great plus. Ciao from Italy

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

So glad this is helpful!

[@bluesguy47]

I can see you thinking “what should I cook for supper” playing that… haha

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Merci.

[@asquarth]

Thanks for posting this video. It will help me a lot on my bass journey

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Glad to hear it!

[@ThePintmen]

Nice and easy to understand. You've a talent for teaching

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

I appreciate that!

[@dominickdephillips6096]

Thank you

[@ragnarthered3298]

Love your videos Ryan!

[@brianczach]

So, when returning to the 1 chord from the 4 chord, if you didn't repeat the Bb, and instead played the F, would that be considered what they call "flopping the 5's"? I've heard that term tossed around some old school Nashville cats.

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Yes indeed! The goal is to avoid playing the "soon to be root-note" if that is the 5th of the chord you're currently on.

[@CountryFenderBass]

Meat and potato bass playing . Love it

[@steveachelis]

Great explanations and ties to country 1-5 in general! Johnny plays this (at least in the Live at Folsom State Prison-1968 version) as an 11-bar blues, with bars 9 and 10 repeating the V (as in your video, which I hear called an "elongated five" turnaround), but only one bar of the "I" chord before restarting the form (i.e., he skips bar 12). That's clearly how he plays this song in that recording. I'm curious whether others (e.g., at jams and when covering this song) play it as an 11- or 12-bar blues.

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Hi Steve, you're correct about the Johnny Cash version and it being 11 bars. This video basically describes the approach to the tune and the style of the bass line so that you can apply it to Folsom and other tunes like it. As far as people playing it live, I've done it both ways... some folks stick to the 11 bar form, others add a 12th bar for solos and things. Hope that helps!

[@degeest5571]

Love your videos. Country music seems to have moved away from its bluegrass style of bass playing (at least what you hear on the radio) it’s so poppy now.

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Thank you! And yes, modern country is quite different from old school ways, both in the bass playing and production.

[@manydreams1life315]

What is a good bass and amp to buy to do general gigging - bars, weddings, beer gardens, some street dances?

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

Wow, there are so many options. I'd recommend googling this and checking out different reviews since it's so player specific and dependent upon what your budget might be.

[@mr.bluenotedoobop]

Thank you! BTW, did you change your camera? It looks like it was shot with a 90's camera.

[@RyanMadoraMusic]

So, this clearly turned out to be a "not too successful" attempt to redo some lighting in my room. I figured the content was still good though and the lesson is all there. The next videos will have better/back to normal lighting.

[@mr.bluenotedoobop]

@@RyanMadoraMusic too be fair the 90’s are cool again so role with it

[@StevenCarinci]

The riff is actually Mexican. Have a nice day 😊.

[@minopiccolomini4440]

Way to much talking , your explanation are great but way to long chit chat more bass lesson on the bass please

[@user-nx1mb5wr4u]

I give it to country bass players most boring rhythm section you can think of playing , you got to be calm ,& just dull to play bass for country.🤠

[@romysan1]

thank you