Johnny Cash: The Legend

Sony Legacy 2005

There’s not a lot one can say about Johnny Cash that hasn’t already been said, but I can certainly talk about this spectacular set from Legacy, beginning with the way the songs are presented on the four discs. Disc One is entitled Win, Place and Show—The Hits and has ‘em all from I Walk The Line to (Ghost) Riders In The Sky. Everything you ever loved about The Man In Black is right there on one disc. So where the hell does one go next? Legacy went to Disc Two and called it Old Favorites and New and included the charming Hey Porter, Cry Cry Cry, Pickin’ Time and my favorite The Long Black Veil. Disc Three proclaims The Great American Songbook but don’t expect Gershwin or Porter. Here we have The Wreck Of The Old 97 as well as Casey Jones and other Americana standards. Finally, disc four is Family And Friends where Cash is joined by the legendary Maybelle Carter, Waylon Jennings, Elvis Costello, June Carter Cash and far too many more to name here. The book by Patrick Carter makes for wonderful reading and the photo gallery is a treasure. I thank you for this Sony Legacy. It’s an indispensable reference as well as a terrific collection of some of the best stuff ever put to vinyl. The CD production is, as expected, clean and crisp and—well, in short, perfect. What else can I say about Johnny Cash? I’ve loved him since I was a little girl and heard a man sing a song called Folsom Prison Blues. I cried every time I heard a train whistle for months afterwards. Imagine.

—Jessie Lilley