More than two decades after Johnny Cash’s untimely demise in 2003, a treasure trove of unreleased recordings from the country music icon’s archives is set to be unveiled to the world. On June 28, Universal Music will release ‘Songwriter,’ a captivating collection of 11 original compositions demoed by Cash in 1993. These self-penned originals offer a tantalizing glimpse into the creative mind of a musical legend, showcasing his remarkable songwriting abilities.
Throughout his illustrious career, Cash primarily relied on material written by others, making these self-written songs a particularly intriguing find. Only two of the 11 tracks, ‘Drive On’ and ‘Like a Soldier,’ were ever re-recorded and released in any form, appearing on Cash’s ‘American Recordings’ album produced by Rick Rubin.
In many ways, the forthcoming ‘Songwriter’ album can be seen as a precursor to the American Recordings series with Rubin. As Cash contemplated his next musical steps, he recorded these demos while transitioning between his Mercury and American label tenures. However, the majority of these songs were ultimately set aside as Rubin’s approach for the American Recordings shifted towards covers of well-known rock songs.
The original 1993 recordings, made at LSI Studios in Nashville, were raw demos rather than polished tracks. To bring them to life for public consumption, Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, gathered a group of talented musicians at the legendary Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Their mission was to create new backing tracks to complement Cash’s rediscovered vocals.
John Carter Cash enlisted the expertise of David ‘Fergie’ Ferguson as co-producer for the fresh sessions. Ferguson, a longtime collaborator with Cash, intimately understands the Man in Black’s signature sound, having engineered projects for the star over a 30-year period, including the final albums with Rubin.
While backing musicians were present on the original ’93 sessions, the overall sound quality was deemed outdated. The new cast of musicians assembled for this release includes country music luminary Marty Stuart, Average White Band drummer Peter Abbott, and Cash’s longtime touring bassist, Dave Roe, who sadly passed away last year after contributing to the new album.
Vince Gill and the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach also make guest appearances on the project, with Gill lending his vocals to ‘Poor Valley Girl’ and Auerbach delivering a bluesy guitar part on ‘Spotlight.’ There is also a posthumous guest contribution from Cash’s close friend and musical companion, Waylon Jennings, who sang vocals on ‘I Love You Tonite’ and ‘Like A Soldier’ during the original ’93 session.
To provide a taste of what’s to come, the first preview track from the album, ‘Well Alright,’ a humorous ditty about finding love at the laundromat, has been released for streaming. John Carter Cash described the approach to recording as ‘rudimentary,’ emphasizing their focus on capturing the essence of Cash’s sound without excessive embellishments.
Ferguson echoed this sentiment, expressing his belief that ‘this record is the way I would have liked to have made one if I would have ever been in charge of one, before Rick Rubin or after Jack Clement.’ He praised John Carter Cash for giving him creative freedom, particularly in terms of grooves and arrangements.
The tracklisting for ‘Songwriter’ is as follows:
1. Hello Out There
2. Spotlight
3. Drive On
4. I Love You Tonite
5. Have You Ever Been to Little Rock?
6. Well Alright
7. She Sang Sweet Baby James
8. Poor Valley Girl
9. Soldier Boy
10.Sing It Pretty Sue
11. Like A Soldier
