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The Man in Black Is Back…Again
A look at the latest Cash CD and DVD releases, not all of which are worth the bling
Johnny Cash
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Although I attended high school outside of Nashville with his grandson, and Johnny and June attended my graduation, it wasn’t until I left the South that my appreciation of Mr. Cash grew. Memories of afternoons spent jumping off the cliffs by his house into Old Hickory Lake, or selling June hanging baskets during my stint at Wal-Mart’s garden center, will always be imbedded in my mind. And thanks to Johnny’s enduring popularity, there is always some new product to help jog those memories, though not all of them are worth the sticker price.
Now available on DVD, a recent documentary on the Bio Channel called Johnny Cash’s America is a comprehensive look at the man in black. A 10-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Cash comments on life, love and religion on more than 1,500 tracks over the span of six decades. In the movie, Cash’s good friend and collaborator Bob Dylan remarks that Johnny was like a “religious figure” to him. As Oscar-winning actor and narrator of Johnny Cash’s America, Chris Cooper states, “Cash navigated some of the most contentious issues of our time without losing his audience… How can one speak his mind without losing his voice?”
Cash’s career has many memorable moments, including the legendary image of him giving the middle finger, performing at Folsom Prison and San Quentin, as well as working with Rick Rubin to cover famous songs from iconic musicians U2 (“One”) and Nine Inch Nails. Making music is what kept Johnny alive and these last recordings are like a good-bye to the America he loved, but ultimately not worth purchasing.
Considering Johnny influenced so many, it came as no surprise that such diverse artists have remixed his songs and released a CD and DVD called Johnny Cash Remixed. For those who have heard or seen it, we’re all wondering: Who knew Snoop Dogg was a fan? He does his own take of—guess what? “Walk the Line.” Even more surprising is the fact that a dude named Greg DeMammos, who is an NY-based life coach with many public pages: Facebook, Myspace, Linkedin, Plaxo, Classmates, got the job of producing an album of remixes of Johnny’s best-known work. Being an avid fan for the past 18 years makes hearing these country songs set to electronic beats a bit unnerving. There’s nothing creative here, and frankly it’s a disappointment, but then again I should have suspected as much—look what happened when people tried to remix Dolly or Billie Holiday. Remembering those who have passed is essential, but, for me, reminiscing won’t include these new offerings.