While the disc contains versions of some of Cash's classics, "I Walk The Line"(Russ Rankin), "Folsom Prison Blues" (Chon Travis), "Wreck Of The Old '97" (Chuck Ragan), and "Cry, Cry, Cry" (The Flatliners), one of the ones I liked most was one I wasn't familiar with. "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen", performed by The Dresden Dolls and featuring Franz Nicolay, stands out for the way they played it as a nearly straight country song, but added an edge to the vocals and the music that removed any potential for cheap sentimentality the song might have had. Instead it was a genuine expression of a person realizing the hollowness of fame and the importance of having someone who loves you for who you are, not what you are, in your life.
All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash isn't just a great collection of music either. All the proceeds from the sales of this recording are being donated to Syrentha Savio Endowment (SSE) a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to underprivileged women who can't afford the cost of fighting breast cancer. Since its inception the SSE has awarded gifts to organizations in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles California that help women in struggling neighbourhoods find the means to fight the disease. Not only does the music reflect the spirit of Johnny Cash, but the disc is taking care of some of those that Johnny wanted to make sure wouldn't be forgotten.
You can pre-order copies of All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash at the Anchorless Records' web site either as a CD or if you hurry, a special, limited edition, pink vinyl LP. No matter what format you purchase, you're guaranteed receiving fifteen songs (the LP contains a bonus track, an alternate version of Ben Nichols' version of "Delia's Gone") that will have you appreciating the genius of Johnny Cash all over again. Mainstream country music may have tried to co-opt Cash as one of their own, but this recording will remind the world that Johnny walked his own path, one that more of us could stand to follow.
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