The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash

339 Pages·2018·9.82 MB·English

by  John M. Alexander

THE MAN IN SONG
A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash
JOHN M. ALEXANDER
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PRESS
FAYETTEVILLE
2018
Copyright © 2018 by The University of Arkansas Press
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-68226-051-7
eISBN: 978-1-61075-628-0
22 21 20 19 18 5 4 3 2 1
Designer: April Leidig
∞ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1984.
FRONTIS: October 1959 in recording studio.
Photo: Don Hunstein © Sony Music Entertainment.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017956139
To my mother, Raymonde Alexander,
who spent endless hours listening to Johnny Cash
records with me. She was my best friend and inspiration.
I miss her every day and take comfort knowing
that we will meet again one day on the
“Far Side Banks of Jordan.”
Contents
Acknowledgments
A Foreword from Larry Gatlin
Introduction
1
Five Feet High and Rising
Autobiographical, Geographical, and Societal Songs
2
I Walk the Line
The Sun Years
3
What Is Truth
Songs of Personal Conviction
4
The Ballad of Ira Hayes
The Concept Albums
5
Far Side Banks of Jordan
The Gospel According to Cash
6
I Got Stripes
The Legendary Prison Recordings
7
Ring of Fire
Songs for June
8
Sunday Morning Coming Down
Kris Kristofferson and the Great Singer-Songwriters
9
Heroes
Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, and Other Musical Influences
10
Highwayman
Jack Clement, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Other Collaborations
11
Delia’s Gone
The Murder Ballads
12
Committed to Parkview
Drug Use and Abuse
13
One Piece at a Time
The Great Story-Songs
14
You Wild Colorado
Deep Cuts and Buried Treasures
15
I’ve Been Everywhere
Travelin’ Cash
16
The Man Comes Around
The American Recordings
17
Ain’t No Grave
The Songs Live On
18
September When It Comes
Final Reflections
Notes
Bibliography
Index of Names and Songs
Acknowledgments
THIS BOOK is the fruition of a lifelong dream, and there are many people to thank
for making it a reality. I would like to thank Lou and Karen Robin for arranging
my first meeting with Johnny and June; John Carter Cash for his approval of this
book; Rosanne Cash for her generous comments, and especially Larry Gatlin for
always being an inspiration and friend to me.
To my daughters, Amanda and Samantha, and my son Johnny, who was
named after the Man in Black, and most importantly my wife Denise, for her
love, guidance, and invaluable help in putting this book together.
To my father Alex and my uncle Albert Alexander for passing down their
love of music; to my cousin Laila Khoury for her faith in me as an author; Paul
Khoury for all his insightful ideas and observations; Lloyd LaRousse, my friend
and fellow Cashologist, for his remarkable eye for photos; Robert Rich and
Vincent Rohan for their encouragement and sound advice; John Lamberton,
Richie Merhige, Mark Hamwi, Robert Shaouy, and Thomas Mayrose for
patiently listening to me talk about Johnny Cash for so many years; Father Paul
Schneirla and Father Michael Ellias for their friendship and spiritual guidance.
Also: J. Dozier Hasty, Jim Bessman, Peter Lewry, Matt Lindsey, Allen
Reynolds, Shelby Singleton and John Singleton at Sun Records, Earl Thomas
Conley, Fred Conley, Mitchell Sirls, Michael Sirls, Rick Peoples, John L. Smith,
Michael Streissguth, Don Murry Grubbs, Randy Howard, Tracy Parker, Steve
Cooper, Karen Cunningham, Lisa Grauso, Toby Silver and Tom Tierney at Sony
Music, and David Scott Cunningham at the University of Arkansas Press.
And finally, to Johnny Cash whose songs and stories inspired a chubby little
boy from Brooklyn to develop a lifetime love of music and literature.