Country Archives - GUITARHABITS

Most of my students can’t comprehend. Even my wife, who knows me inside out. The two extremes. One day I will turn on my favorite heavy metal records as loud as I can and indulge in these amazing killer riffs, and the next day I will be just playing and singing country music songs as if my life depends on it. What can I say? I just love music.

There is so much love and heartache put in every song of every band and artist. If you take the time to really, really listen you can feel and understand it. No matter the style.

Besides that, there is so much to gain for your playing from learning all these different types of music. I can’t stress it enough.

So today we’re going to dive into 50 of the best country songs of all time. Wow, did I have fun creating this list and listening and playing all these songs. I hope you will too.

As always, note that the list is in no particular order and incomplete. If your favorite artist is not in this list, then it should be :) The list is here to inspire you, to take that guitar out of the stand and play.

Click the song title to listen to the song on Youtube, click the “chords” link to show you the chords of the song, and next to it, more great songs from your favorite country artist or band.

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Please share your favorite country guitar song in the comments. I appreciate it.

Enjoy the list!

1 – I walk the line – Johnny Cash – Chords – More Johnny Cash

2 – I’m so lonesome I could cry – Hank Williams – Chords – More Hank Williams

3 – He stopped loving her today – George Jones – Chords

4 – Crazy – Patsy Cline – Chords – More Patsy Cline

5 – Mama tried – Merle Haggard – Chords – More Merle Haggard
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Now and then I learn some new country licks and incorporate them into my playing. Country licks always sound so fresh and uplifting. It’s really nice to have a couple of these under your belt.

Today I’ll show you two gorgeous country guitar licks in the video lesson above. You can find the tablature in the post below. You can play the licks slow or fast, they sound great either way.

Sometimes I use these kind of licks at the end of a song. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a country song. It can be a folk song or anything that has the same vibe as long as it sounds good to your ears.

Country guitar players often use a technique called the hybrid picking technique that involves picking with a pick and one or more fingers alternately or simultaneously.

I won’t be using the hybrid picking technique today, but I will play the licks with just a pick.

If you want to dive deeper into this style of playing then check out some these country guitar virtuosos:
Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Ray Flacke and Jerry Reed. They are the masters of country guitar.

Have fun ya’ll!
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50 of The Best Country Guitar Songs of All Time

2 Gorgeous Country Guitar Licks