We Walk the Line : A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash

Last spring a concert was held celebrating the 80th birthday of Johnny Cash. The list of performers who lined up to perform was a veritable who's who of the list of alternative and outlaw country performers. As has been well established I am a huge fan of cover versions, obscure or faithful to the original, of songs.

Therefore as a huge Johnny Cash fan, a fan of Outlaw country, and a lover of cover songs this was the triple threat. I was not disappointed. This is a fantastic album. My wife is tired of it already most likely as Spotify has been playing it for me for the last week.

Every song on this album is a great interpretation. Opening with Brandi Carlisle ( who we saw opening for Ray Lamontagne a year ago) doing Ring of Fire, then proceeding to Ronnie Dunn's version of Ring of Fire and Buddy Miller doing Hey Porter we then land on the first standout song of the album.

Lucinda Williams is another of those polarizing singers, I land firmly in the Love Lucinda camp, and her version of the Cash classic from the nineties Hurt is wonderful. Williams rasp is well suited to this song.

Two songs by bands I have heard of, but had no real exposure to, have made it a certainty that I will soon be exploring these artists full catlog's The Carolina Chocolate Drops ( what a name ) do a blistering take on Jackson that has been played about twenty times in our house since discovered. That is followed by a band called Iron and Wine which is from what I understand predominantly one man, singing a version of Long Black Veil that is nothing short of wonderful.

Kris Kristofferson croaks through Big River and Shelby Lynne then does Kristofferson's own, Cash interpreted Why Me Lord.

Surprising, at least to me, is how effective Train lead singer Pat Monahan was on a version of Help Me Make it Through the Night and then with help from Shelby Lynne on It Ain't Me Babe. Very good. It should be noted that the concert was not just songs Johnny wrote but songs he interpreted himself as he and June did a version of the Dylan classic. Lynne and Monahan did them proud.

Near the end of the album we get Sheryl Crow doing Cry Cry Cry and then she joins Willie Nelson on If I Were a Carpenter. Nelson himself sings I Still Miss Someone, surprisingly though these two artists contributions are far from the highlight.

Shooter Jennings and Jamey Johnson fill out the Highwaymen, Jennings particularly effective in his father's role, joining Willie and Kristofferson on their famous title track from which the group got their name.

The highlights of the album, as strong as these songs earlier mentioned were, are so far and above the other entries that I have saved them for last.

Kris Kristofferson, still croaking, joins Jamey Johnson for a version of Sunday Morning Coming Down which might be a more faithful rendition than any you will ever hear to the true spirit of the song. Johnson, himself, might well have the strongest, most traditional voice in country music. At times he seems like he has come along a generation too late but we are lucky for it. This is a fantastic song.

Shooter Jennings covers Cocaine Blues and proves that he, as well as Johnson, are proof that country music still has artists that remember their heritage.

Surprisingly perhaps the most unique song on the album is from the former lead singer of Evanescence Amy Lee who destroys I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. Listening to her voice on this track begs the question where has she been?

And of course that version of Jackson, earlier mentioned rocks too.


This is one of the best albums of the year.