Level: 2
Tuning: Standard

Released by Sun Records in 1957, "Big River" is one of Cash's most-covered songs by artists ranging from Bob Dylan and Hank Williams Jr. to the Grateful Dead, who played it in 396 performances. It's one of Cash's most poetic lyrics, artfully weaving colorful names of U.S. cities into his story. This key-of-E arrangement includes an intro lick on the bass strings similar to the one Luther Perkins (Cash's lead guitarist) played. The thumb plays a rock-steady, alternating bass throughout the tune, and all the chords are in the first few frets. Note the boogie bass pattern that comes in occasionally, and the bluesy hammer-on to the 3rd string, when the E chord is being played.