Johnny Cash?

[Overdose]

Could anyone recomend a good Johnny Cash CD collection?

The choice seems overwhelming.

 

[Baldrick1]

Could anyone recomend a good Johnny Cash CD collection?

The choice seems overwhelming.

Funnily enough I saw a 3 disc Johnny Cash Collection set at Sainsbury's (mega store) that afternoon...very reasonable price (may be too reasonable if you are after real quality recordings...but may be worth a punt to see what you like of his and then look for better recordings, etc.).

 

[Overdose]

I was going for the quality. The Sun Recordings look tempting, but then so does a whole load of his work.

 

[ElectroMan]

I'm sure Johnny Cash fans can advise you better, but I have this compilation which I think is a good introduction as it includes some of his classics.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Best-Of-Johnny-Cash/dp/B000024ZAA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360523963&sr=8-1

 

[DocG]

I like his last album a lot, American VI, Ain't no Grave. He was terminally ill (and he knew it) when he recorded the songs, and you can hear it. Very authentic, very emotional, really beautiful... Well recorded album, too.

 

[Overdose]

I like his last album a lot, American VI, Ain't no Grave. He was terminally ill (and he knew it) when he recorded the songs, and you can hear it. Very authentic, very emotional, really beautiful... Well recorded album, too.

Thanks. Now on the list.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

You can't go wrong with Johnny Cash at San Quentin, fantastic live album, fantastic album full stop.

It's the one you want, trust me.

 

[Overdose]

Tick.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

+1 for San Quentin. It's great. JC at the height of his powers.

Early stuff is available in many,many incarnations. There's stacks of Sun recordings and rockabilly compilations out there. Usually with Get Rhythm, I Walk The Line and all the early hits on.

That said, my favourite recordings are probably the American Recordings, party referred to above. Volumes 1,3, and 5 are my personal favourites. They're all pretty fantastic. Late period Cash in pristine recordings. There's a big out-takes box called Unearthed which features many great tracks not on the American Recoordings series but recorded at the same time.

If you want to go bonkers there's a huge Cash Box set on Amazon, can't remember the price and exact details but it's loads of discs (50-60 or so) for £100 approx.

I've got a few fairly dreadfully bland Cash albums from the fallow early 70's period and one ghastly re-hash of his own back catalogue from the early 80s.

He's great duetting on Dylan's Nashville Skyline album from 1969 though.

 

[Overdose]

+1 for San Quentin. It's great. JC at the height of his powers.

If you want to go bonkers there's a huge Cash Box set on Amazon, can't remember the price and exact details but it's loads of discs (50-60 or so) for £100 approx.

The Columbia Collection. Just seen it and added it to my wish list. That, the American Recordings and the Sun recordings seem to cover most of his work.

At £120, the Columbia Collection seems quite good value for 63 discs!

Thank you BTW.

 

[jcarruthers]

JC at SQ is brill — I picked up the vinyl version at the charity store for £3 recently

 

[theexcitableboy]

Another +1 for San Quentin. No studio compilation album will come close to the atmosphere of that performance. Personally, I couldn't make my mind up and bought a total of 45 albums, but the ones I listen to most are San Quentin, Folsom, "Sings The Songs That Made Him Famous" and "Johnny Cash With His Hot And Blue Guitar". "The Essential Johnny Cash" (2CD) complements these albums quite well, though as a standalone compilation it isn't comprehensive.