Posted on 07/12/2006 4:13:55 PM PDT by pissant
NEW YORK -- He died nearly three years ago but Johnny Cash is back at the top of the charts _ for the first time in 37 years.
The accomplishment, though, is muted slightly:
"American V: A Hundred Highways," a compilation of recordings by the Man in Black, reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart with a record-low sales figure for a first-place debut, 88,000 units, according to the Web site billboardradiomonitor.com.
The disc is Cash's first No. 1 album since 1969's "Johnny Cash at San Quentin."
It also tops Billboard's country-albums chart, pushing the Dixie Chicks' "Taking the Long Way" to second place.
Cash died of complications from diabetes on Sept. 12, 2003, at age 71. June Carter, his wife of 35 years, died in May of the same year.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
PING
John and June arrived when the gates opened for general admission. They spent the hour before the show posing for pictures and signing autographs for the fans.
June and John came back stage when the show started. They did not want to detract attention from the opening artists.
After the show they were back stage.. John came up to my buddy and said, "Hi I'm Johnny Cash, and you are..." When my friend told Cash his name, "John said.. I really enjoyed your pickin... You are some guitar player."
My friend has worked with nearly every Opry star of the last 50 years. He has worked thousands of shows with top artists in country music. He said none were as nice as June and Johnny Cash to both fans and fellow performers
I think that tells us a lot about the kind of poeple J June and Johnny Cash were.
How many autographs and pictures are on display in how many homes? Tons is the best answer. Betcha nearly everyone of those people came out to buy his last album.
Good story. Thanks.
It is a compilation album. Which there are already several good Cash compilations.
He seemed like the real deal. Saw live from San Quentin on TV the other day. Great stuff.
He was. He had a terrible time handling his intial success. He got kicked off the opry.
I don't think he could have turned his life around with out June. She believed in him and it changed his life.
Few who knew him figured he would last long after June passed. She was his life.. and he was hers.
Well, I think he was pretty ill the last few years. I never did get to see him live.
Good.
Cash was the best!
An iconic guy. I listened to his Ragged Old Flag CD on July 4.
This won't be the last Johnny Cash album. Producer Rick Rubin has about 60 more tracks recorded by Cash in the last months of his life. I'm glad Cash nudged the DCs from number one.
Turn your speakers up.
A dead country music singer beat out the "alive" Dixie Chicks on the charts. They could probably hold a concert with Johnny Cash on a big screen with old clips and they'd sell more tickets... hehe
Did you see "Walk the Line"?
I didn't realize there was another CD out. I'll have to get it ASAP!
I wanted to remember John from what I knew about him.. not what Hollywood portrayed him to be. I understand that Hollywood did a good job, but I still wanted to remember him as he was not as an actor portrayed him.
Great story, thanks for sharing.
I am sure you are aware that Mr. Cash was instrumental in picking Joaquin Phoenix to play him. The movie was good, but if you don't see it, well, your memories will suffice, I am certain.
Dean Porter, a Nashville Guitarist for many years, told me this story. Cash has just finished the Folsum Prison Blues session. As they left the session someone asked Luther how it had gone. Luther said terrible. They asked him what went wrong. Luther said I played way over my head... I'll never be able to do it on the road.
Most guys with a Fender Tele, a Twin Reverb amp and about 5 lessons can do a good job on Folsom Prison.
But there was not one guy in 10,000 that could create guitar licks with the appeal of the simple lines of music Luther could do at the drop of a hat. Lots of Guys could play Folsum..after they heard Luther do it. They could do it in their sleep. But few if any could have created the simple licks Luther played on Folsum.
I think Chet Adkins said it best. There are a thousand guitar players that can play complex licks that impresses other guitar players. There are a lot of singers that can really impress other singers with their vocal skills. But only a very, very, few can play and sing new music that the fans want to listen to.
John and the Tennesee Two-Three could do that better than a lot of far more accomplised musicians.
Cash used to object when other performers would refer to him as a singer. He would say.. I may have a style that some folks like.. but I am nothing near a singer.
I think the term for Johnny Cash is he was what he was. He was genuine. He never tried to be anything but himself.
my Cash favorite duet is on one of his American recording series , "I'm Leavin' Now" with Merle Haggard.
Does this new CD have previously unreleased tunes?
Nice! Thanks
Johnny Cash will be remebered 100 years from now.
And what was the name of that band again that you mentioned he supplanted on the charts?
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