An original demo of “I Walk the Line.†Early recordings with Sam Phillips. A solo acoustic version of Leadbelly’s “Goodnight Irene.†If one every wanted to understand why Johnny Cash is a legend, this collection of 57 tracks from speaks volumes.
Cash had a voice that commanded authority. The demos captured here – more than 15 from early in his career – provide ample evidence to support the point. Whereas contemporaries like Elvis emphasized the emotion in their performances, Cash leaned more towards authenticity. One can hear it in the confident quiver in his voice on tracks like The confident quiver in Cash’s voice on songs like “Come Along and Ride This Train†and “Get Rhythm.â€
The seven rarities from legendary Sun Studios are especially compelling. Not surprisingly, Sam Phillips recognized the distinctive quality in Cash’s voice and put it front and center in tracks like “Brakeman’s Blues.â€
The collection also includes some radio performances from 1955. Between songs like “Wide Open Road†and “Luther’s Boogie†there are some entertaining clips of Cash reading commercials. Even better is this request, “…write us a card and letter and we’ll try our best to get the song on that you want to hear, if we don’t know it we’ll learn it.â€
To celebrate this new release, Twangville is partnering with Sony Records to offer an unbelievable prize package that includes:
- Johnny Cash From Memphis To Hollywood : Bootleg Vol. 2
- Limited Edition Bootleg Vol. 2 poster
- Limited Edition Bootleg Vol. 2 tee
- Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around
- Johnny Cash American V: A Hundred Highways
Heck, I want to win this! Alas, no dice for me, but it could be yours. To win, post a comment with your favorite Johnny Cash lyric. A winner will be selected at random when the contest ends on Monday, 21 February 2011 at midnight ET.**
From Memphis To Hollywood: Bootleg Vol. 2 by Johnny Cash
Track Listing:
CD ONE: THE 1950s
A. On The Air
1. KWEM Announcements and Advertisements
2. Johnny Cash Show Intro and Theme
3. Wide Open Road
4. Home Equipment Company Advertisement
5. One More Ride
6. Home Equipment Company Advertisement/Luther Perkins Intro
7. Luther’s Boogie
8. Belshazzar Intro
9. Belshazzar
10. Closing Comments and Theme
11. Overton Park Shell “Country Music Jamboree†Advertisement by “Texas†Bill Strength, broadcast August 4, 1955. (Tracks 1-10 recorded May 21, 1955 in West Memphis, Arkansas. Tracks 1-11 previously released as bonus CD in limited edition of The Legend boxed set, 2005.)
B. Early Demos
12. I Walk The Line (demo)
13. Get Rhythm (demo)
14. Train Of Love (demo)
15. Country Boy (demo)
16. My Treasure (demo)
17. Belshazzar (demo)
18. He’ll Be A Friend (demo)
19. When I Think Of You (demo)
20. I Just Don’t Care Enough (To Carry On) (demo)
21. I’ll Cry For You (demo)
22. You’re My Baby (demo)
23. Rock And Roll Ruby (demo, recorded probably late 1955; West Memphis, Arkansas, courtesy of Sun Entertainment Corporation.)
(Tracks 12-22 previously unreleased, recording dates and locations unknown.)
C. Sun Rarities
24. Wide Open Road (recorded late 1954; produced by Sam Phillips)
25. Leave That Junk Alone (recorded August 4, 1957; produced by Jack Clement)
26. Brakeman’s Blues (incomplete) (recorded April 2, 1956; produced by Sam Phillips)
27. Big River (recorded November 12, 1957; produced by Jack Clement)
28. I Couldn’t Keep From Crying (recorded probably 1955; produced by Sam Phillips)
29. New Mexico (recorded probably 1955; produced by Sam Phillips)
30. Goodnight Irene (recorded November 12, 1957; produced by Jack Clement)
(Tracks 24-30 recorded in Memphis, courtesy of Sun Entertainment Corporation.)
D. More Demos
31. Restless Kid (demo)
32 It’s All Over (demo).
(Tracks 31-32 previously unreleased, recording dates and locations unknown.)
CD TWO: THE 1960s
1. All Over Again
2. You Dreamer You
3. I’ll Remember You
4. Johnny Yuma Theme (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
5. Five Minutes To Live (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
6. The Losing Kind (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
7. Locomotive Man
8. Girl In Saskatoon
9. There’s A Mother Always Waiting (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
10. Johnny Reb (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
11. Shifting, Whispering Sands-with Lorne Greene (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
12. Send A Picture Of Mother
13. Hardin Wouldn’t Run (demo)
14. Thunderball (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
15. One Too Many Mornings (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
16. The Frozen Logger (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
17. Foolish Questions (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
18. Bottom Of The Mountain
19. Put The Sugar To Bed
20. You Beat All I Ever Saw
21. On The Line (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
22. Roll Call
23. The Folk Singer
24. Six White Horses (demo) (previously unreleased)
25. Come Along And Ride This Train (demo) (previously unreleased).
(Tracks 1-6 recorded in Nashville, produced by Don Law.) (Tracks 7-12, 14-21 recorded in Nashville, produced by Don Law and Frank Jones.) (Tracks 22-23 recorded in Nashville, produced by Bob Johnston.)
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About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.