Johnny Cash – “Ghost Riders In The Sky” Chords & Guitar Lesson

Yippie-yi-o! 

Yippie-yi-yay!

Here’s a galloping guitar part with an outlaw spirit. 

This song has been recorded by many artists. But the most famous is the Johnny Cash version. 

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Ghost Riders In The Sky” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Ghost Riders In The Sky?

“Ghost Riders in the Sky” was originally written in 1948 by Stan Jones, a radio actor, songwriter, and forest ranger. Jones worked in Death Valley National Monument and was fascinated by Western folklore.

The tune was inspired by stories he had heard about spectral riders and supernatural cattle drives. The melody itself was loosely taken from an older Irish tune called “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye.” Some say this song dates back to the 1700s as a drinking tune.

But Jones reshaped it into a cinematic story about a lone cowboy who saw ghostly riders blowing smoke and fire in the sky. One of the riders calls out a warning, telling the cowboy that if he doesn’t change his ways, he’s doomed to join them, forever riding in a futile chase for souls he can never save. 

It’s a haunting story, but underneath is a moral warning. Some interpret it as a cowboy version of a hellfire sermon, blending frontier imagery with biblical ideas of judgment and eternal punishment.

“Ghost Riders in the Sky” was first recorded in 1949 by Burl Ives. His voice and edgy delivery helped introduce the song to a wide audience. 

However, one of the most famous recordings of it came later in 1979 from Johnny Cash. Cash’s deep voice and spiritual intensity made the warning at the heart of the song feel special. 

Over the years, the song has become a staple not just of country music, but of folk, Western, rock, and even surf music, with bands like The Ventures giving it an instrumental twist. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Ghost Riders In The Sky?

The tuning for "Ghost Riders In The Sky” is standard tuning. Standard tuning is spelled: E, A, D, G, B, and E.  

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

However, to play along with the Johnny Cash version, he uses a capo on the 1st fret. This changes the strings to:

• F (6th string, lowest pitch)
• Bb (5th string)
• Eb (4th string)
• Ab (3rd string)
• C (2nd string)
• F (1st string, highest pitch)

All right! 

Now that you know the tuning for “Ghost Riders In The Sky,” let’s next talk about…

Ghost Riders In The Sky Chords

To play “Ghost Riders In The Sky”, as recorded by Johnny Cash, you only need to know 4 chords they are Am, C, F, and Dm. These chords are a combination of open and bar chords.

If bar chords are giving you all kinds of aches and pains, and you haven’t yet discovered how to play them effortlessly, go here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/barchords

Now, keep in mind, these chords are the capo chords. Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes might show up on the fretboard.

Am is played from the 5th string down like so:

C is played in a typical (campfire) style like this:

F is a bar chord played in 1st position and uses all 6 strings like this:

Finally, we have Dm. This chord is a beautiful-sounding chord played from the 4th string down like so:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar, and want to discover the easiest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free Fretboard Guide PDF right here now:  

Is Ghost Riders In The Sky hard to play on guitar?

I would say playing “Ghost Riders In The Sky” on guitar is going to require a solid intermediate guitar skill level. The trickiest parts are the alternating bass note patterns with bar chords, time signature changes, and then, of course, the iconic riff. Putting these parts together and getting it clean is going to require many skills. So, take your time with this one. 

What key is Ghost Riders In The Sky in?

“Ghost Riders In The Sky”, as recorded by Johnny Cash, is in the key of Bb minor concert pitch. But for this lesson, it uses a capo on the 1st fret, and plays in the key of A minor. The primary scale for the song would be the A minor scale, which is built using the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. It’s all natural notes.

Let’s take a closer look at how these chords relate in the key of A minor. Starting with…

Am

Notes: A, C, E

Function: This is the i chord, the tonic of A minor. It’s “home”. Everything in the progression is ultimately heard in relation to Am, and returns to it to create a sense of resolution.

C

Notes: C, E, G

Function: This is the III chord in the key of A minor. It’s a diatonic major chord built on the third scale degree and is the relative major of A minor. Because it shares two notes with Am (C and E), the move between Am and C is very smooth and natural. 

F

Notes: F, A, C

Function: This is the VI chord in A minor. It’s another diatonic major chord and plays an important supporting role in minor-key harmony. F adds weight and emotional depth and is commonly used to create a sense of expansion before moving on to another chord, often Dm or back to Am.

Dm

Notes: D, F, A

Function: This is the iv chord in the key of A minor. The minor iv chord is one of the most common changes in songs. It gives a sense of movement away from the tonic but still stays in the key. 

All of these chords fit within the diatonic scale, and together, they make up some of the most common progressions in songs.

All right!

That’s my theory breakdown. 

Next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for Ghost Riders In The Sky?

The main underlying groove for “Ghost Riders In The Sky” is a country rock feel. For the main strumming pattern, I would use an 8th note pattern with an alternating bass note like this:

Remember – in 4/4 time, 8th notes divide each beat into two equal parts, creating a steady, driving rhythm. The counting for 8th notes in a measure looks like this:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure. The "&" divides each beat into two evenly spaced subdivisions.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

"One-and, Two-and, Three-and, Four-and."

This gives the tune a strong and consistent forward motion

Conclusion

There ya have it! “Ghost Riders In The Sky” is a legendary cowboy tale and a great guitar song to learn for all players. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard for lead and rhythm, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide here right now: 

Jon MacLennan

P.S. Here’s a video of me sitting in with a band years ago and playing a solo on this tune: