Johnny 99 (CD - 1983)

Personnel: Johnny Cash, June Carter (vocals); Marty Stuart (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin); Tim Goodman (acoustic, electric & slide guitars, banjo, 6-string bass); James Burton, Bob Wooton (electric guitar); Brian Ahern (gut string guitar, 6-string bass, tambourine); David Mansfield (mandolin, mandocello, fiddle); Norton Buffalo (harmonica); Nick DeCaro, Jo'El Sonnier (accordion); Glen D. Hardin (keyboards); Jerry Scheff (bass); Hal Blaine (drums); Hoyt Axton, Barbara Bennett, Donivan Cowart, Lynn Langham (background vocals).

Producer: Brian Ahern.

Reissue producer: Dave Nives.

Engineers: Donivan Cowart, Brian Ahern Jack "Stack-A-Track" Grochmal.

Recorded at Magnolia Sound Studios, North Hollywood, California. Originally issued on Columbia (38696). Includes liner notes by Grant Alden.

Personnel: Johnny Cash (vocals); Al Casey, James Burton (guitar); Tim Goodman (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, banjo, 6-string bass); Marty Stuart (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin); Bob Wootton (electric guitar); Brian Ahern (gut-string guitar, 6-string bass, tambourine); David Mansfield (mandolin, fiddle); Norton Buffalo (harmonica); Nick DeCaro (accordion); Hal Blaine, Jerry Scheff (drums).

Liner Note Author: Grant Alden.

Recording information: Magnolia Sound Studios, North Hollywood, CA.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Glen D. Hardin; Hal Blaine; Marty Stuart.

Arranger: Johnny Cash.

This is a reissue of a John R. "Johnny" Cash album that came out on Columbia Records in 1983. Back then, country wasn't' considered cool, and easy-listening pop-country ruled the country charts. There was very little crossover between country, rock and folk--or was there? Long before "alterna-country," "No Depression," "y'allternative" or roots-rock bands like Son Volt, Cash did this daring (for its time) album. Cash was a Classic Country Figure by this time, and so was taken for granted. A shame, for this great album was over-looked by the country, rock and folk crowds of the day.

Cash covers--wonderfully--two Bruce Springsteen tunes, "Highway Patrolman" and "Johnny 99," as well as songs by Guy Clark ("New Cut Road") and Erik Von Schmidt ("Joshua Gone Barbados"). Producer Brian Ahern (then married to Emmylou Harris) keeps the back-up band lean & mean (featuring guitar master James Burton) and Cash's deep, stoic voice is as reassuringly real & honest as a forest of Redwoods. Highly recommended to Cash fans as well as those into the neo-country/roots-rock bands. minimize