Johnny Cash - American Recordings LP

Although he began his career as an outlaw to the Nashville establishment, Johnny Cash has come to literally define and embody country music. At first, his unique mix of hillbilly music with gospel and blues made him a perfect fit at Sam Phillips' Sun Records, where he recorded such classics as "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk The Line." 

From there, Johnny signed with Columbia records and embarked on one of the most remarkable musical careers of the twentieth century. Transforming into The Man In Black, Johnny spent more than thirty years reinventing and contradicting himself - breaking all of the rules of traditional country music only to emerge as the ultimate mythic hero and archetype of the genre.

No other artist has touched the world of music quite like Johnny Cash. He is the only person to be inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame, The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and The Songwriter's Hall Of Fame. His very name is synonymous with the fight for the rights of the poor and downtrodden and the image of "The Man In Black" is as deeply American as the stars and stripes themselves. 

In his 60s, Johnny Cash kicked off a new musical era with 1994's American Recordings, a simple acoustic roots-radical album on hip hop/metal producer Rick Rubin's label of the same name. The album wonderfully captured Cash's famous baritone unadorned and as powerful as ever. Topping out on the C&W chart at #23 and lingering on the pop chart for 9 weeks, American Recordings also took home a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. 

In addition to Cash originals like "Let The Train Blow the Whistle," "Drive On," "Redemption," and "Like A Soldier," the intimate 13-song set features stirring covers of songs by artists of all backgrounds including Nick Lowe ("The Beast In Me"), Kris Kristofferson ("Why Me Lord"), Glenn Danzig ("Thirteen"), Leonard Cohen ("Bird On A Wire"), Tom Waits ("Down There By the Train") and Loudon Wainwright III ("The Man Who Couldn't Cry"). 

1.  Delia's Gone

2.  Let The Train Blow The Whistle

3.  The Beast In Me

4.  Drive On

5.  Why Me Lord

6.  Thirteen

7.  Oh, Bury Me Not

8.  Bird On A Wire

9.  Tennessee Stud

10. Down There By The Train

11. Redemption

12. Like A Soldier

13. The Man Who Couldn't Cry