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Tears In The Holston River

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Capo on fret 2 (as written in this song)

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TEARS IN THE HOLSTON RIVER 
Written & Recorded by: Johnny Cash 
Capo 2
[Intro]
G C G C D G
GOn October CTwenty-GThird, Nineteen CSeventy-GEight 
I Clost a Gloved one and I confess I Dcried 
In the Gjoyous Ccele-Gbration of the Clady and her music 
There were Gtears in the CHolston GRiver 
When DMaybelle Carter Gdied G7  
Then Cwalking down that river road 
I saw Gcrystal tear-shaped droplets           
Silver beads of love sparklin' on the river Dside 
And I'll Gjust bet they turn to diamonds 
For the Clove that was behind 'em 
There were Gtears in the CHolston GRiver 
When DMother Maybelle Gdied 
Then on GJanu-Cary  GEighth, Nineteen-CSeventy-Nine 
We lost CSara GCarter 
And the pain was multi-Dplied 
Down be-Glow that Cold Clinch GMountain 
We Claid her at Mount Vernon 
There were Gtears in the CHolston GRiver 
When DSara Carter Gdied G7  
Then Cwalking down that river road 
I Gsaw crystal tear-shaped droplets 
Silver beads of love sparklin' on the river-Dside 
And I'll just Gbet they turn to diamonds 
For the Clove that was behind 'em 
There were Gtears in the  CHolston GRiver 
When DMaybelle & Sara Gdied 
There were Gtears in the CHolston GRiver 
When Mother CMaybelle and GSara DCarter Gdied 

All chords in this song (4)

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Tears In The Holston River

by Johnny Cash

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 2 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

TEARS IN THE HOLSTON RIVER

Written & Recorded by: Johnny Cash

Capo 2

[Intro]

G C G C D G

G C G C G

On October Twenty-Third, Nineteen Seventy-Eight

C G D

I lost a loved one and I confess I cried

G C G C

In the joyous cele-bration of the lady and her music

G C G

There were tears in the Holston River

D G G7

When Maybelle Carter died

Then walking down that river road

I saw crystal tear-shaped droplets

Silver beads of love sparklin' on the river side

And I'll just bet they turn to diamonds

For the love that was behind 'em

G C G

There were tears in the Holston River

D G

When Mother Maybelle died

G C G C

Then on Janu-ary Eighth, Nineteen-Seventy-Nine

C G

We lost Sara Carter

And the pain was multi-plied

G C G

Down be-low that old Clinch Mountain

We laid her at Mount Vernon

G C G

There were tears in the Holston River

D G G7

When Sara Carter died

Then walking down that river road

I saw crystal tear-shaped droplets

Silver beads of love sparklin' on the river-side

And I'll just bet they turn to diamonds

For the love that was behind 'em

G C G

There were tears in the Holston River

D G

When Maybelle & Sara died

G C G

There were tears in the Holston River

C G D G

When Mother Maybelle and Sara Carter died

About Tears In The Holston River Chords by Johnny Cash

Learn how to play Tears In The Holston River by Johnny Cash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Tears In The Holston River chords”, “Tears In The Holston River guitar chords”, or “Johnny Cash Tears In The Holston River chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Tears In The Holston River chords and for experienced players who want accurate Tears In The Holston River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, D, G7.

FAQ — Tears In The Holston River by Johnny Cash

How do I play "Tears In The Holston River" by Johnny Cash on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Tears In The Holston River" by Johnny Cash on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Tears In The Holston River" by Johnny Cash free?

Yes. The chords for "Tears In The Holston River" by Johnny Cash are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Tears In The Holston River" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Tears In The Holston River" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Tears In The Holston River"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Tears In The Holston River" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Tears In The Holston River" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Tears In The Holston River" by Johnny Cash with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Johnny Cash below.

What key is "Tears In The Holston River" in?

The chords for "Tears In The Holston River" show the original chord names (including G, C, D, G7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.