These were produced by Rick Rubin with the first one in 1996. I think there are 5 or 6 total. I have 3. When Johnny started recording these, he knew his days were probably numbered and that's the dynamic behind the recordings. He includes quite a few covers and performs them in true Cash style. They're very reflective and cause some powerful emotions.
One cover is Bridge Over Troubled Waters. It made think about my sweet mom. She always liked Johnny Cash plus she liked to play Bridge Over Troubled Waters on the piano.
If there is ever a Mt. Rushmore for American Musicians, Johnny Cash will be one of them.
Hey, I agree on the Mount Rushmore thing. Very few musicians are as respected by fans of all types of music as is Johnny Cash 
I bought the 5 cd collection called "Cash Unearthed". It has one disc of the best of his American Recordings plus a whole bunch of songs that were not included in the original albums that he did with Rick Rubin.
These are not out takes but great songs that easily could have been included in any of the albums.
One of my favorites is a duet with Joe Strummer of The Clash on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". If you are a fan of Bob Marley, Cash or The Clash you gotta hear this version! 
😉
[Edited on 10/2/2014 by CanPeach]
I agree on the Mount Rushmore thing. Very few musicians are as respected by fans of all types of music as is Johnny Cash
X 100
I have all of them (although I don't have the Cash Unearthed box set) and they get a lot of play. Incredible and stark, often with just Johnny, his guitar and voice. They give me shivers. Definitely need him on the level of a Mt. Rushmore!
True American treasure. His body of work is right up there with Dylan.
What else can you say about Rick Rubin except that he took Johnny at the lowest point in his career, after being callously dumped by both longtime label Columbia and then Mercury Records, and gave him a new musical direction, new found confidence in his abilities, and most importantly, a new young Alterative Rock audience who not only "got" what he was doing, but gave him the adoration that he truly deserved as one of the "coolest" American musical artists of all time?
I would love to meet Rubin sometime just to shake his hand and thank him for what he did for Johnny. He took a big financial risk in recording Johnny and releasing his first album American Recordings. And he did it because he felt Johnny was still a vital artist, regardless of what the clueless "suits" in Nashville thought, and he truly wanted to help him get his career back on track.
He obviously succeeded. The American Recordings were not huge sellers, but they sold just enough to get Johnny's name back out there and reestablish him as a true artist with serious credibility among the younger alternative music fans.
Rubin not only gave Johnny the opportunity to continue creating music (and great music ) for a few more years, but it is also very possible that he extended Johnny's life for quite a few years as well.
The six American Recording albums and the box set Unearthed speak for themselves. They are essential listening for any true music fan.
RIP Johnny Cash
God bless Rick Rubin
[Edited on 10/3/2014 by les_paul_sunburst]
What else can you say about Rick Rubin except that he took Johnny at the lowest point in his career, after being callously dumped by both longtime label Columbia and then Mercury Records, and gave him a new musical direction, new found confidence in his abilities, and most importantly, a new young Alterative Rock audience who not only "got" what he was doing, but gave him the adoration that he truly deserved as one of the "coolest" American musical artists of all time?
I would love to meet Rubin sometime just to shake his hand and thank him for what he did for Johnny. He took a big financial risk in recording Johnny and releasing his first album American Recordings. And he did it because he felt Johnny was still a vital artist, regardless of what the clueless "suits" in Nashville thought, and he truly wanted to help him get his career back on track.
He obviously succeeded. The American Recordings were not huge sellers, but they sold just enough to get Johnny's name back out there and reestablish him as a true artist with serious credibility among the younger alternative music fans.
Rubin not only gave Johnny the opportunity to continue creating music (and great music ) for a few more years, but it is also very possible that he extended Johnny's life for quite a few years as well.
The six American Recording albums and the box set Unearthed speak for themselves. They are essential listening for any true music fan.
RIP Johnny Cash
God bless Rick Rubin
[Edited on 10/3/2014 by les_paul_sunburst]
Great post LPS. I didn't know that Johnny Cash had gotten dropped by his prior labels. That was really a shame considering Johnny Cash's body of work and career. That being said, good bet Rick Rubin never gets involved. Thank you Columbia and Mercury Records...
This past 9/11 was the first I listened to my American CDs in a while. I wanted to play Danny Boy. It makes me think of all the first responders who died. Since then, I've probably spun them a few times each week. Like I posted about Bridge Over Troubled Waters, it made me thing of my mom.
What else can you say about Rick Rubin except that he took Johnny at the lowest point in his career, after being callously dumped by both longtime label Columbia and then Mercury Records, and gave him a new musical direction, new found confidence in his abilities, and most importantly, a new young Alterative Rock audience who not only "got" what he was doing, but gave him the adoration that he truly deserved as one of the "coolest" American musical artists of all time?
I would love to meet Rubin sometime just to shake his hand and thank him for what he did for Johnny. He took a big financial risk in recording Johnny and releasing his first album American Recordings. And he did it because he felt Johnny was still a vital artist, regardless of what the clueless "suits" in Nashville thought, and he truly wanted to help him get his career back on track.
He obviously succeeded. The American Recordings were not huge sellers, but they sold just enough to get Johnny's name back out there and reestablish him as a true artist with serious credibility among the younger alternative music fans.
Rubin not only gave Johnny the opportunity to continue creating music (and great music ) for a few more years, but it is also very possible that he extended Johnny's life for quite a few years as well.
The six American Recording albums and the box set Unearthed speak for themselves. They are essential listening for any true music fan.
RIP Johnny Cash
God bless Rick Rubin
[Edited on 10/3/2014 by les_paul_sunburst]
Great post LPS. I didn't know that Johnny Cash had gotten dropped by his prior labels. That was really a shame considering Johnny Cash's body of work and career. That being said, good bet Rick Rubin never gets involved. Thank you Columbia and Mercury Records...
This past 9/11 was the first I listened to my American CDs in a while. I wanted to play Danny Boy. It makes me think of all the first responders who died. Since then, I've probably spun them a few times each week. Like I posted about Bridge Over Troubled Waters, it made me thing of my mom.
Thanks brother ....:)
they are excelllent.Made me get every one oh his albums and i never thought i was a country fan
Thank you folks for posting. I'll be listening to Johnny Cash this week because of this.
I think I have four of the six. As soon as this Neil Young goes off, I'm switching to Johnny.
Peace.
