The Fabulous Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash - "The Fabulous Johnny Cash" (1958) - Columbia Records

Hello Friends,

We've got the Man In Black tonight on the turntable.  This is his third LP but first for Columbia Records-- the record label that Cash would leave his Sun Records contract for and stick with until 1986.

And, as the title implies, this record is pretty fabulous.  Flanked by his usual guitarist & bassist (Luther Perkins & Marshall Grant, respectively) these songs are "fleshed out" by some sparse drums, some pedal steel & some subtle backing vocals by The Jordanaires-- who sound almost celestial on the hit, "I Still Miss Someone".

"Okay Johnny, now say Cheeeese!"

In his long career, Johnny Cash released tons and tons of records, some obviously better than others.  This one, however, is one of the good ones; definitely one of his best!   The album's single, "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" (b/w "I Still Miss Someone") reached Number 1 on the Country charts and also reached Number 32 on the Pop Chart.  Other Cash originals include "Run Softly, Blue River", "Frankie's Man, Johnny" and his ode to the cotton fields of his sharecropping youth, "Pickin' Time."  

RATING: 5 Long-Legged Guitar Pickers with Wicked Wanderin' Eyes out of 5