How to Play “Folsom Prison Blues” on Cigar Box Guitar

Here is a tutorial on how I play “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash on 3-string fretless cigar box guitar. My original cover version is at • Folsom Prison Blues - ...
Topics include:
- Tuning
- The Intro
- The Chords (12-bar blues in F)
- The Boom-Chicka
- The Outro
- The Feel/Attitude
Leave a comment if you found it useful, if there is something you’d like clarified, or if you’d like a lesson on another song. Thanks for watching!

[@garethedwards3166]

Thanks for the video Gus, although a fairly simple song, it's the little nuances and 'attitude' that make it great. More fretless lessons if you please, mine is fretted but with a very high action. Keep 'em comin'.

[@BIGRED.1968]

Please , don't stop the lessons ! We need more of you guys . Great lesson ! Don't know how busy you are but how about one a week.

[@cigarboxgus]

I know! I caught COVID a few months ago (after dodging it for three years), and it just killed my momentum on this stuff. Thanks for watching, and I’ll get back into it soon.

[@yvessamson5054]

WOW, exactly the kind of video I need. I lost 2 fingers due to my job as a cabinetmaker so I only have my thumb, index and middle fingers. I played guitar and 80% Country music. I can no longer play the chords. A musician friend told me about a cigar box guitar that I'm going to make myself so I'm watching RUclips for ideas. And there, ''Bang'' you're video... Thank you for taking the time to make a beautiful montage and especially for the quality of the explanations.

[@janswu9202]

Thanks for the tutorial. You make me bring out my CBG again. Your strumming instructions are clear and useful to feel the "boom-chicka".

[@cigarboxgus]

Thank you. I’m glad my explanation was helpful. Makes me want to do more how-to material.

[@lazydazs]

Thank you so much.I just saw your lesson this afternoon and I will definitely try to imitate your great playing style.This video is the best I have seen so far and it gives me hope that I will be able to play a tune on my Cigar Box Guitar ( finally...sure I can jam all sorts of riffs but playing an actual song will make my day!)

[@cigarboxgus]

Glad you found it helpful. Thanks!

[@brianhargiss9575]

This was great! We need more songs for the fret less cigar box! Not enough of those. And some lessons on the challenges of the fretless slide style.

[@cigarboxgus]

I’ve got a little series of videos about playing slide on CBG planned. I hope to get those taped, edited and uploaded pretty soon. Thanks for watching!

[@ironhorse4794]

A terrific lesson on a classic song

[@cigarboxgus]

Thank you!

[@Bojammer]

A great lesson I've spent a lot of time on this rhythm. someday I'll Have it down like you.Chika boom

[@cigarboxgus]

Thanks!

[@D_Morse]

Good, straightforward presentation; thanks for posting.

[@cigarboxgus]

You're welcome!

[@BrendanMurrayJubana]

Excellent lesson. Thanks for sharing!

[@cigarboxgus]

Glad you liked it. Thanks!

[@jeromedenmark7587]

Thanks so much . Just watched your video where you played this says wish he would show how he does that. Again thanks

[@cigarboxgus]

You are welcome. I tried to make this same how-to a long time ago, but I got so deep into the weeds overthinking everything BUT the part where I show how to play the song that I gave up on it. Glad I finally got it done. Thanks for watching!

[@Donnybrook10]

great vid...you're a good teacher

[@cigarboxgus]

Thank you!

[@doodlespachesco7306]

It's good 😎

[@Donnybrook10]

I still have yet to see a good Iggy Pop Lust for Life cigar box lesson

[@lewistaylor1965]

I was told at the Sun Studios that Johnny Cash got some of the rhythm section by holding a dollar bill around the strings of the guitar and strumming with no chord...

[@cigarboxgus]

That is true.

[@dayreldesigner]

Can I play in tunning GDG? Do you have the numbers/notes write in any place?

[@cigarboxgus]

Do you mean playing the song in the key of G instead of F? If so, the tuning doesn’t affect the “fretting” (i.e.slide positions) at all…you can just learn it in FCF, then tune back up to GDG.
I don’t have any numbers written out, but I could write something down and post somewhere.

[@user-ee8ip9oe9c]

MAY I ASK WHAT STRINGS YOUR USING AS THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME THICKNESS . MANY THANKS .

[@cigarboxgus]

It’s the A, D and G string from an acoustic set.

[@robertgraham2013]

Could you please do whisky in the jar

[@cigarboxgus]

Somehow I’ve managed to not be very familiar with that particular song, but I’ll look into it. Good suggestion. Traditional or Thin Lizzy?