Country music is misunderstood by anyone who doesn’t truly worship it. Truly American, country music was once the binder among friends and foes in the back woods. Reaching across race and age, country music is perhaps, sadly, the child of poverty and long days back before electricity was a sure thing.
If you’re truly new – check out Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton (and read her bio too) and Hank Williams. When you’re ready, continue your music education by checking out classes on Class Curious.
If you want to take an easier route than some of the gorgeous bluegrass numbers out there, check out these 11 Super Easy Country Guitar Songs for Beginners. They will be perfect for you to pick up your pace. But if you want to master you guitar playing in other genres to check out our list of 10 Easiest Acoustic Guitar Songs to Play too.
Country music primarily originated in the Southern United States in the 1920s and evolved from American folk music. Through the years, the style of the music changed, and now there are many sub-genres of country music out there. Two most popular types of songs related to country music are ballads and dance tunes. Although not so popular outside the United States, in its home country, country music is one of the most popular genres of music, and gets the most radio exposure. There are few other countries where country music finds its soil as well. Countries like Canada, UK, and Australia also have notable country musicians and an audience for it.
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Let’s get back to guitar and easy songs you can learn and play. The sound of country music is characterized with string instruments, primarily banjo, acoustic and electric guitar. When we searched for 11 super easy country guitar songs for beginners to recommend to you, we didn’t look just at the number of chords you need to play them, but if the chord progression is the same through the entire song, and if there are frequent changes in the rhythm of playing.
For references, we checked out guitar lessons websites and country music related sites like GuitarControl, Chordie, LearnCountryGuitar, TakeLessons to see which songs they recommend as super easy ones. After we listened to all the songs and checked out the chords for them, we picked 11 easiest ones. So get your guitar and play along.
11. Florida Georgia Line – Cruise
To get you started, Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard’s song is great to warm up your fingers. The chords are G, D, Em7, C and the progression is the same through the whole song. You will just have to strap a Capo on the third fret. Listen to the song a few times, and you will be playing it in no time.
10. George Strait – Check Yes or No
Country legend George Strait also has a song you could easily conquer even if you are a beginner. D, A, G and Bm chords are all you need for this one. The chord progression is basically same through the whole song; strumming is slow and neat.
9. Easton Corbin – All Over The Road
Everything here is straight forward. D, Em, G and A are chords you will need. Also, this is the chord progression that repeats itself through the whole song. So if you like newer country music, this upbeat and fun song will do the trick.
8. Toby Keith – As Good As I Once Was
This all-American cowboy didn’t want to go crazy with the guitar on this one. He laid down C, G, D and a little of A chord, and made this popular song. If you like to sing along, you won’t have to push your vocal cords too much, since the singing, as well as the guitar, follow the same line from the beginning to the end.
7. Alan Jackson – Don’t Rock The Jukebox
Well, it is time now to lower the number of chords, and make it even easier. We decided that one of Alan Jackson’s early songs, Don’t Rock The Jukebox would be just perfect for you if you are searching super easy country guitar songs for beginners. Chords C, G, D are obviously very popular along country musicians, and Alan Jackson is no different. Chord progression stays fairly unchanged through the whole song.
6. Zac Brown Band – Chicken Fried
This nostalgic song will get you singing in no time, and with few hours of practicing, you will be able to perform it by yourself. The song starts with G, D, and C chords and stays there untill the very end. You will have to perfect your strumming for faster parts of the song, but nothing you won’t be able to manage.
5. Luke Bryan – Country Girl Shake It For Me
This is as simple as it gets. Three chords, E, G and Asus2 and there is the whole songs. The strumming is little faster but mostly straight forward through the whole song.
4. Mac Davis – It’s Hard To Be Humble
One of the most popular country musicians of 1970s and 1980s kept it within three chords as well, using only D, A, G in the same progression.
3. Florida Georgia Line – This is How We Roll
These boys are keeping it simple as it gets. No sweating too much. Three chords C, G with Capo on the first fret and you will sing along in no time. Chord progression stays the same, although few times you will have to speed up your strumming.
2. Craig Morgan – Almost Home
This slow and simple song by Craig Morgan is just what you need if you want to get into playing and singing fast. C, G, Em are the chords you will need, and from the beginning to the end of the song it is all the same. Slow strumming with some minor pauses and slight rhythm changes surely won’t give you any hard time.
1. Merle Haggard – Long Black Limousine
To close our 11 super easy country guitar songs for beginners we are heading back to 1967, when Long Black Limousine was made. Straight down the line strumming of chords G, C and D7 is all you are going to need to win the challenge of this song.
