Jolene

How to play Jolene by Dolly Parton on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 3 you play D#, A#m, G#, A#, C#, the shapes the player above shows.

“Jolene” is a great beginner song because the progression is simple, memorable, and easy to loop until it feels natural. With the capo at fret 3, you get that bright, ringing country feel, and the steady tempo keeps it moving without feeling rushed. It is the kind of song that rewards clean changes and a relaxed hand.

You will use one open shape, E, plus the barre shapes F#, C#m, B, and C#. The main thing to watch is the move from F# to C#m and then to B, since that opening progression repeats and can expose any hesitation. Keep your fretting hand close to the strings so the barre shapes stay clear.

Start by practicing the opening progression slowly and evenly until each change lands cleanly. Then loop the same four chords several times without stopping, aiming for smooth transitions instead of speed. Once that feels solid, bring it up to tempo and focus on keeping the rhythm steady from start to finish.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.