I found it in a pawn shop in a ragged cardboard case

With the guns and dusty watches it looked so out of place

With a Trailways baggage sticker yellow frayed and torn

Destination Nashville September '64



And you could tell by the fingerboard her painted nails were long

She only needed three chords to play those good ole country songs

And her name's etched in the finish like a fading battle scar

And this 1950 Gibson was Emma Jean's guitar



I wonder if she played it in a small town talent show

With her hair teased to perfection in a dress her mamma sewed

And for a little inspiration she pasted on a star

Here up on the head stock of Emma Jean's guitar



And you could tell by the fingerboard her painted nails were long

She only needed three chords to play those good ole country songs

And they were played with tenderness they were played with heart

And this 1950 Gibson was Emma Jean's guitar



I wouldn't even know her if I saw her face to face

But there's a little bit of Emma Jean in every song I play

She passed along these hopes and dreams cradled in my arms

And I am just a guardian of Emma Jean's guitar



You could tell by the fingerboard her painted nails were long

She only needed three chords to play those good ole country songs

And her name's etched in the finish like a fading battle scar

And this 1950 Gibson was Emma Jean's guitar

This 1950 Gibson was Emma Jean's guitar