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Johnny Cash might be remembered most for his black outfits and his deep voice. “The Man in Black” sang for almost five decades, and I’m glad to say that this 4-CD set does the country music legend honor. The set is divided into four disc themes: Win, Place And Show – The Hits; Old Favorites And New; The Great American Songbook; Family And Friends.
Win, Place and Show – The Hits: His most famous song “I Walk The Line” is the first track of CD One, and is well-placed. Many of his best tracks on here include the surprisingly heartfelt “Without Love,” the western “Don’t Take Your Guns To Town” and his masterpiece “Folsom Prison Blues” – the live version.
Old Favorites And New: Cash’s versatility is almost unmatched. His songs ranged from the textbook traditional country song “Cry, Cry, Cry” to the gospel-like “Forever Young” to the more contemporary country “Highway Patrolman” to the classic rock “I Will Rock And Roll With You.”
The Great American Songbook: His ode to America and its culture. He pays tribute to the musical genres of blues in “Walking The Blues,” of jazz in “Waiting For A Train” and of classic western in his rendition of “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad.”
Family And Friends: He recorded many duets with his wife June Carter including “Jackson” and “If I Were A Carpenter.” He has also recorded with Bob Dylan (“Girl From The North Country”), Waylon Jennins (“The Night Hank Williams Came To Town”), and Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson (“Highwayman”).
Johnny Cash loved to make music and in this set includes only a fraction of his music recorded from 1955-2002. To those who have never heard a Johnny Cash song, but always wanted to experience him – this is a collection to get. It’s sad that he is no longer with us, but at least he left his music.
