Bakersfield · Country

E · A · B7 · A

I · IV · V7 · IV in the key of Em

The Telecaster answer to Nashville — brighter, harder, straight time.

Four bars of bakersfield in the key of Em, written I · IV · V7 · IV and played boom-chick over a backbeat groove at around 132 beats per minute. The chord shapes are below, and you can hear the whole thing play (and slow it down) without an account.

Chord diagrams for E, A, B7, A (I · IV · V7 · IV in Em)

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What the chords are

This is I · IV · V7 · IV in the key of Em. The degree of each chord is what makes the progression recognisable in any key, so the same four moves transpose anywhere once you know them by number.

E I up at the 5th fret, spanning to the 7th, on 3 strings
A IV up at the 5th fret, spanning to the 6th, on 3 strings
B7 V7 up at the 4th fret, spanning to the 5th, on 4 strings
A IV up at the 5th fret, spanning to the 6th, on 3 strings

How it should feel

Strum: Boom-chick
Groove: Backbeat
Tempo: 132 bpm
Key: Em
Voicings: Glue

The smallest possible movement between chords. The voices barely leave their seats.

The shapes

Low E on the left, high e on the right. 0 is an open string, × is one you do not play.

Chord	E	A	D	G	B	e
E	×	×	6	×	5	7
A	×	×	×	6	5	5
B7	×	×	4	4	4	5
A	×	×	×	6	5	5

More Country

Posted Oct 26, 2026. Part of a growing library of guitar chord progressions.