The Heart of Traditional Country
No style of songwriting is as dedicated to storytelling as country music, and specifically, traditional country. This style grew out of the blues, merged with folk, and is the bedrock of commercial country and singer-songwriter styles. Though some artists bring to the genre a strong harmonic backing or melodic interest, it really is a style built on three chords and the truth. Traditional country most often relies on lyric to make the song go.
In this article, I’ll dive into what’s made traditional country the platform from which great lyric-writing has emerged for decades.
True-to-Life Characters
One area that sets traditional country apart from other genres is the character, lifted directly from culture. They’re rough around the edges, flawed, and unapologetically human. They sing about going to prison, struggling with alcoholism, ruining relationships, and know they’ll likely do it again. And it’s precisely because of their flaws that we connect so strongly with them.
Artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Hank Williams built characters that reflected the culture they came from. All music is generated from culture, and that’s why we songwriters are encouraged to leave our own fingerprints, and our true experiences, on our songs. It simply shows our true nature, and expresses an authentic character.
This doesn’t mean we can’t make up stories. It just means the stories we construct and the characters we express should still be rooted in authenticity, even when those characters are pretend. In traditional country, characters embody the human condition and give voice to it.
Three Chords and the Truth
A hallmark characteristic of traditional country music is its simple, often diatonic chord progressions. To those who don’t speak the language of music, the saying can seem like a dig rather than a compliment. But the beauty of traditional country is within the way chords are used, as a reflection of character, simple and strong.
Artists like Townes Van Zandt or Willie Nelson appear grounded in nature and in reality. The I-IV-V chords in major keys, along with the occasional vi- or ii- supports a character who is sturdy and trustworthy, not abstract, metaphorical, or inaccessible. When Johnny Cash employs borrowed chords, the progression is always simple, stable, and never jarring or harmonically complex.
This simplicity is intentional. Music creates character, and country music accentuates reality over fantasy, ordinary over drama, rough over polish, simplicity over refinement, and gives plenty of space for the lyric to play. Across all songwriting, as we become who we are through musical expression, the lyric becomes even more powerful. In traditional country, the lyric is king.
Lyric Over Melody and Harmony
Because lyric takes center stage, traditional country often prioritizes story over melodic or harmonic exploration. It’s common to find songs having many verses, like those of Dylan or Townes Van Zandt, because the space is needed to tell the story.
Sometimes the melody simply serves as a vehicle for the lyric rather than commanding attention on its own. It conforms to the lyric’s stress pattern, delivering the story conversationally. Unlike commercial pop where words might be mis-stressed for dramatic effect, traditional country avoids intentional mis-stressing. The story, delivery, and conversational quality are too critical.
Simplicity is a Tool
Traditional country songs often feature long stretches of the same chord progressions and repeating melodies. This device helps listeners focus on the lyric as the story unfolds. Unlike commercial pop, which tends to express a feeling or a single moment, traditional country often tells stories that take place over hours, days, or even years. With multiple characters and events across a span of time, repetition helps us as the listener to follow along by keeping our focus where it belongs - on the lyric story. This sequential storytelling is what defines the genre and distinguishes it from commercial country today.
The Genius of Subtle Contrast
Despite its simplicity, traditional country uses subtle changes to create contrast. Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” achieves this with key changes. He even hums to find his new key mid-song, giving the melody nuance while maintaining simplicity.
Willie Nelson takes a slightly different approach, introducing a little more emphasis on melody. For example, he repeats familiar ideas in new keys and contrasts sections with simple but effective chord changes in his song “Crazy.” Even when expressing a feeling rather than telling a narrative story, Nelson keeps his songs simple and grounded.
This graceful simplicity reflects the characters of traditional country who are grounded, raw, and unpretentious. In my opinion, this is a quality sometimes lost in today’s polished, thoroughly produced commercial country.
Blending Traditional with Modern Elements
When our goal is to bring traditional country elements into our own songwriting, it’s great to start by adopting its core qualities:
Simple chord progressions
Repetitive melodic motifs that prioritize rhythm over pitch
Grounded characters and realistic stories
It’s a great idea to use iconic songs as templates, even at the risk of writing too closely to their style and concept. Borrowing chord progressions, then manipulating melodies to create something fresh and personal lends structure that can lead to more finished songs. In traditional country, the lyric is seamless, the story is true to character, and the listener feels present with that grounded, rough-around-the-edges narrator who tells the truth.
Traditional country remains a powerful model for songwriters who value storytelling and authenticity. Its simplicity, lyrical focus, and true-to-life characters offer timeless lessons for crafting songs that resonate still today.
These are the kinds of ideas we continue to explore inside the EMC Institute. Together we refine our craft through live classes, close listening, and conversation, all in service of writing songs that feel grounded, and true.
Stay creative,
