Album: At Folsom Prison
Right from the opener, all of Cash's humour, energy and humanity is on display, as well as the full range of his musical talent, from the heartbreak of I Still Miss Someone to the up-tempo country of Cocaine Blues, one of my favourites on the album. Cash always had a wider conception of country music than many, he was a big tent man, supporting musicians like Dylan who dabbled in the genre with Nashville Skyline, while ensuring country wasn't the sole preserve of parochial purists. On tracks like 25 Minutes To Go and I Got Stripes, there's an empathy with prisoners though he never seeks to romanticise their plight, it's just an honest depiction. I could keep listing what I love about this album, his ghostly performance of Long Black Veil, his duets with June Carter (notably on Jackson) and the philosophical Greystone Chapel, but the only way to really appreciate At Folsom Prison is to buy the Legacy edition and listen to both performances from start to finish.
Artist: Johnny Cash
Born: Kingsland, Arkansas
Released: May 1968
Genre: Country
Influenced: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons, Nick Cave
Johnny Cash lived one of the great American lives. Of mixed English and Scottish stock, he overcame family tragedy by learning guitar and singing gospel and rockabilly songs (his Sun recording with Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis, known as the Million Dollar Quartet, is worth seeking out) and became a big crossover country star in the late 50s / early 60s with hits like Ring Of Fire. By the time '68 rolled around though, he was washed out on drink & drugs and under huge pressure from his record label, Columbia, after poor sales. A change of management brought in legendary producer Bob Johnston, who was integral in persuading the label to let Cash record his next album in a prison. Flanked by soon-to-be wife June Carter, the mighty Carl Perkins and the Tennessee Three, Cash produced the performance of his life. Outlaw music played to outlaws makes for an electric listening experience, right from the opening announcement, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash".
Right from the opener, all of Cash's humour, energy and humanity is on display, as well as the full range of his musical talent, from the heartbreak of I Still Miss Someone to the up-tempo country of Cocaine Blues, one of my favourites on the album. Cash always had a wider conception of country music than many, he was a big tent man, supporting musicians like Dylan who dabbled in the genre with Nashville Skyline, while ensuring country wasn't the sole preserve of parochial purists. On tracks like 25 Minutes To Go and I Got Stripes, there's an empathy with prisoners though he never seeks to romanticise their plight, it's just an honest depiction. I could keep listing what I love about this album, his ghostly performance of Long Black Veil, his duets with June Carter (notably on Jackson) and the philosophical Greystone Chapel, but the only way to really appreciate At Folsom Prison is to buy the Legacy edition and listen to both performances from start to finish.
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