Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, spotlights county music’s often-overlooked Black roots, showcasing the likes of Linda Martell, the first Black female artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. The album features an array of artists, from country royalty Dolly Parton and Willy Nelson to rappers Post Malone and Shaboozey, mirroring the marriage of Beyoncé’s Southern heritage and genre-defying artistic range. Miley Cyrus spoke to Billboard about her duet on the album, stating, “We don’t have to get country; we are country. We’ve been country.”
About the Song
“Texas Hold ‘Em” is one of two lead singles from Cowboy Carter. The track made history, crowning Beyoncé the first Black woman to have a number-one song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. The track has been praised for its cultural impact and wide-reaching accessibility, bridging the divide between country-western, pop, and hip-hop.
The album’s theme, highlighting the significant contributions of Black Americans in folk and country music, is bolstered by Grammy-award-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens’ instrumental contributions to “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Giddens is best known as a founding member of the innovative old-time string band, The Carolina Chocolate Drops.
"The track has been praised for its cultural impact and wide-reaching accessibility, bridging the divide between country-western, pop, and hip-hop."
Breaking it Down
Giddens’ banjo and viola performances provide rhythmic and melodic layers within the track. The distractive lopping banjo immediately sets the tone, while the guitar adds harmonic support with fuller chords and dynamic strumming. The bass and stomping drums form a solid rhythmic foundation. An instrumental release of the single shines a light on these talents.
"The chord progression follows a simple, repetitive pattern that’s great for beginners."
It’s Beyoncé’s powerful vocals that drive the song’s emotional storytelling. Offset by playful backing vocals, Beyoncé displays her range from restrained verses to the soaring chorus. These stacked vocals take front and center in the follow-up acapella song release.
Learn the Licks
The chord progression follows a simple, repetitive pattern that’s great for beginners. Watch Marty Schwartz of the Marty Music YouTube channel demonstrate the strumming pattern and chords that set the mood and form the song’s foundation. Once you’re comfortable with the opening chords, progress the complexity by adding some more advanced embellishments.
Schwartz teaches a new set of chords that mimic the banjo part within “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Pay close attention to the hammer-on and finger placement demonstrations to tackle this trickier section. Practice slowly and gradually increase speed until you match the song’s tempo. Adding BOSS Katana effects like reverb or delay will help recreate the guitar’s spacious sound. Dial in the settings to your liking or download free ready-to-play patches from BOSS Tone Exchange, like the acoustic one below.
