Example BRAD PAISLEY STYLE

[Bar 1] There are endless pick-up phrases in country music - you can go right back to Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams to hear the early versions - so it’s important to be able to start a song with a short phrase like this. Just ensure your timing is good and remember to come in on beat four. A good tip is to get the picking hand moving in time before you start.

[Bar 2] Simple country strumming here with the ‘bass note followed by chord’ approach; again look out for that pick-up phrase that appears again at the end of this bar and continues with variations throughout.

[Bar 5] A subtle variation on the C major chord here as we are playing a C add9 in its place; this just adds a touch of colour over the standard major shape.