The Resurrection of the Man in Black Chronicled

The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption and American Recordings
by Graeme Thomson
2011 - London:Jawbone Press (254 pages)

While not a full biography, Graeme Thomson’s “The Resurrection of Johnny Cash” is a remarkably thorough examination of the revival of Johnny Cash’s musical and career fortunes in the last years of his life. Cash of course emerged with Sun Records in the mid-fifties and then had a lengthy career on Columbia Records which included some major recordings, both thematic albums and “Live at Folsom Prison.” The Man in Black also had a weekly television show where he had an intriguing mix of performers from Louis Armstrong to Bob Dylan.

But as the 1980s came, and shifting personnel at Columbia as well as shifting musical trends and tastes, Cash found himself without a record contract as sales on his recordings dropped to the tens of thousands, well below what was required by the bean counters that were running the major labels. And as a concert act, he was increasingly a country oldies act, playing to older crowds that might flock to the Cash Theater in Branson, Missouri, or county and state fairs. And lets not talk about country radio, to which a new Cash release was no longer a must play. At the same time, Cash was having other personal battles including health issues and ongoing battles with addiction and a career that seemed directionless.

Thomson traces how the what superficially would seem to be the odd linkage between Cash and Rick Rubin, the head of Def Jam and Def American Records and known as the producer of hip hop and metal records. But it was a partnership that enabled Cash to return to prominence with nothing more simple than having him sing some songs accompanied solely by his own guitar. This simple idea recognized that Cash’s strength was his personality as a performer, undiluted by lavish accompaniments and production. This was evident with his Sun Records and the best of his Columbia recordings. His music had an integrity that resonated with listeners that transcended fans of country music that had been diluted. Many high moments and who can ever forget, having seen, the video for “Hurt.”

Interviews with countless interviews including Rosanne Cash, Nick Lowe, Rodney Crowell, Will Oldham, ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement, Adam Clayton of U2, Bruce Lundvall and others helps Thomson put together the story, taking us from the depths, to a show at the Viper Room in Hollywood, shortly after completing the “American Recordings,” and to an unforgettable set in Glastonbury in 1994. The recordings with what seemed as the time, unusual choices of material, are detailed as well as his health struggles that he fought through the final recordings with Rubin which includes a discussion of the production of Cash’s posthumous recordings and how they were compiled.

Thomson is to be thanked for this terrific chronicle of Johnny Cash’s last years. It is an excellent biography that is thoroughly researched, well written, handsomely published and certainly appeal to fans of Cash as well as contemporary popular music.

I received a review copy from a publicist.

Ray Charles' Rare Gems Rare No More

I am writing this from Nashville ( I am there until Sunday when I return to DC), and visiting the Ryman Auditorium this afternoon. Among the exhibits there is one one June Carter and Johnny Cash. Included was some photos and video clips from the television show that Johnny Cash did for two years on ABC television that included performances from the Ryman. Ray Charles was among the guests that Cash had on his show and coincidentally, a duet between Cash and Charles is the centerpiece of a new Concord album that is scheduled for release on October 26, Rare Gems, Below is a review of this release.


“Rare Gems: The Undiscovered Masters” is the title of a new ray Charles release on Concord that contains, as its title suggests, previous issued recordings which come from the seventies through the nineties. From the publicity, some of these tracks were relatively stripped down to which some sweetening was added. The centerpiece of this is a duet with Johnny Cash, “Why Me, Lord?”, a Kris Kristofferson song, that was supposed to be part of a duet project that never was completed. Musically, there should be little in terms of surprises as the music here is centered in the blues/soul, country and pop fused with jazz that Charles mined throughout his legendary career.

The opening “Loves Gonna Bite You,” and the rousing big band “It Hurts To Be In Love,” are clear reminders of his blues soul roots, while “Wheel of Fortune,” which Dinah Washington (and Kay Starr) recorded in a 1952, is a more jazzy performance with strings sweetening the big band setting. “I’m Gonna Keep On Singin’,” with electric piano and guitar sounds sounds like an 80s or 90s recording with some spoken breaks in the number. “There'll Be Some Changes Made,” is usually taken at a brisk tempo, while Charles transforms it into a slow blues here, with plenty of greasy organ and solid blues guitar (could that be that Tony Matthews at the original session), with Charles apparently imitating guitar with his electric piano before the actual guitarist enters with a solid solo. The groove of “Isn’t It Wonderful,” sounds not far from what Billy Preston, who had an important association with Charles might have recorded, and again more bluesy guitar can be heard here. “I Don’t Want No One But You,” is one of several tracks with synthesized horns, in the backing, with Charles singing how much he needs his lady, and come back and Ray will make it right in a typical fashion. Charles’ rendition of Hank Cochran’s “A Little Bitty Tear,” is a country-flavored rendition of a number that may sound familiar when one hears it, and the country flavor continues on “She’s Gone,” that suggests some of Jerry Lee Lewis’ country recordings of the seventies. The duet with Cash, “Why Me, Lord,” is only a taste of what might have been if the duet album by Cash & Charles had ever been completed. Cash takes the lead on singing this gospel number with Charles joining in on the choruses and taking an electric piano solo.

There is nothing that might suggest they were scraping the bottom of the vaults simply to release unissued material. The music here will not harm Charles’ reputation. In contrary, the music on this is quite good. One expects that Charles’ many fans will be delighted by these previously unissued recordings.


For purposes of FTC regulations, this was provided by a publicity form for Concord Records.