North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine October 2017 | Page 13

BY DAN SUMMERFIELD
You’d be hard pressed to find a more beloved
American musician than the late Johnny
Cash. What makes the Man in Black, as he was
called, so amazing is that his music and work,
at once, appeals to the hard core “old country”
crowd and today’s generation. With remakes of
Soundgarden’s Rusty Cage, and Nine Inch Nails’
Hurt, and his lyrics dealing with the plight of the
common man, Cash made a connection between
two cultures that few artists could attain.
Since his discography is so extensive, it’s
difficult to place a finger on my most cherished
Cash album. If I had to choose one for that
proverbial deserted island, however, it would be
The Essential Johnny Cash, which is a 2-CD set.
Yes, I know; I’m allowed one disc on that island,
but give me a break, man, I gotta have two.
The Essential Johnny Cash contains 36
tunes and exhibits a decent selection of Cash’s
1,500-plus singles. Those 36 chronological cuts
are reminders of Cash’s extensive career, which
stretched between 1955 and September 2003.
The set begins with eight tunes from his early
years (1955-1958) with Sun Records including
Hey Porter; Cry, Cry, Cry; and I Walk the Line.
Those tunes exhibit that “boom-chika-boom”
rhythm that Cash is so well known for.
After Cash left Sun Records in 1958, he
joined with Columbia Records and most of the
remaining tunes are from his Columbia days. Disc
one contains Don’t Take Your Guns to Town; Ring
of Fire; the folk-style Ballad of Ira Hayes; and a
kickin’ bluegrass tune, Orange Blossom Special.
THE ESSENTIAL
JOHNNY CASH
Disc two showcases Cash’s work from the mid-
sixties forward and includes Jackson, which
is performed with his sweetheart, June Carter
Cash; a live version of A Boy Named Sue; and the
traditional favorite Ghost Rider’s in the Sky.
One of my favorite lines from a Cash song, “I
shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die,” shows
up in a live version of Folsom Prison Blues. Cash
is so convincing when he belts out that line, you
have to ask, “Did he really do that?” And, by the
favorable reaction from his inmate audience, you
may feel a chill run down your spine.
Besides solo versions of his tunes, Cash joins
with other notables on disc two. The classics Girl
From The North County, sung with Bob Dylan;
Song of the Patriot, sung with Marty Robbins;
Highway Man, belted out with Willie Nelson, Waylon
Jennings and Kris Kristofferson; and The Wanderer,
a collaboration with U2, round out the set.
Some of my fondest memories consist of
barreling down a long dirt roads after dark, in
search of new water, with a couple friends riding
with me, and Cash blaring over the speakers. For
me, Cash completes the road trip experience. Oh,
sure, I listen-to and love other artists, but there
is something about Cash’s deep bass voice and
addicting rhythms that soothe the soul. w
13