People who've followed my blog over the years know that my student Wesley is a big Johnny Cash fan. He was when he gave his amazing performance of Folsom Prison Blues back in 2009, and he's learned and performed several more since then.
His love of Johnny Cash, and in particular his The Best of The Johnny Cash TV Show album, has led him to other great country singers like Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash's one-time roommate. Last fall, I taught him "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line."
Here's the chart.
The song just has three chords, but you'll need to stay on your toes to nail the timing of the end of the chorus. Just watch this live performance to see the trouble Jennings and his bass player (singing backup vocals) had with this funky 10-beat break. First time through, Jennings doesn't hold the first note quite long enough, and you can see him smiling at the mistake afterwards. Second time he nails it, though you can tell he was working hard.
Third time through, he loses his nerve, or maybe he just decided to mess with his bass player. I wouldn't put it past him. Whatever the reason, he sing's "You've got the--" and then stops singing. The bass player hits his note for a split second, but immediately realizes his voice alone and naked--and he collapses into laughter. One of my all-time favorite live music bloopers.
