Many listeners may be put off by the mere existence of American VI: Ain’t No Grave, recorded by Johnny Cash in 2003, as he lived the final months of his life. When June Carter Cash died in May 2003, Johnny mourned his wife of 35 years by stepping up his recording schedule. By the time he died a scant four months later, Cash had put enough music in the can to yield the posthumous American V: A Hundred Highways in 2006, and this album, his final one in the American Recordings series with Rick Rubin.
Sure, Cash’s voice breaks down into a wheeze at times and the subject matter may be overly dark – but the ailing singer still had enough snap to know this was going to be his final statement. Kicking off the album, the title song is as chilling as anything Cash ever recorded – keeping time to a stomping drum and the shaking of a ghostly chain, the singer fights off the Grim Reaper by declaring “ain’t no grave gonna hold my body down.” Cash’s reading of “Redemption Day” (written by Sheryl Crow) takes on a similar urgency, but this short album isn’t entirely dark.
“For The Good Times,” written by Kris Kristofferson is perhaps the best cut on American VI, and “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound” is elegaic without being morbid. The closing track, and Johnny Cash’s goodbye to this world, is “Aloha Oe.” Producer Rubin has said this song choice was Cash’s own – if so, even on his death bed Johnny Cash still had a sense of humor. In fact, the final song somewhat redeems the second half of an album that seems to run out of gas as it progresses. Still, it’s a fitting final chapter to a legendary career. Should you get American VI: Ain’t No Grave? Sure – if only for those first few tunes, which become classics in Johnny Cash’s hands. You should hear the entire American Recordings series, too. Don’t wait for the box set.
Day 25 – Only four shopping days left till Christmas, and we’re huffing into the homestretch of our holiday music marathon. Today we’ll pick up some of the leftovers that have been left on the cutting room floor. You got a little of everything: some WTF? (Tiny Tim), something new (Hives, Sheryl Crow) some rock and roll (Gary Glitter), Zappa, Belafonte and a full Christmas episode of Jack Webb’s “Dragnet” radio show from the 1950s. My advice to you is to make like the couple in the photo above – pop a few bottlecaps (of Schlitz? … That woman looks a little drunk) and cue up the tunes. Thanks and a big “Merry Xmas” to L.A. correspondent and radio personality Randy Fuller, who shared some of his library for this ill-advised project.
The new U2 album isn’t due until sometime next year, so consider this a Christmas bonus. The band has just released a video for the excellent Greg Lake Christmas tune “I Believe in Father Christmas.” As usual, it kicks ass. It’s U2’s first contribution to Bono’s (RED)WIRE, a new download service that will help African children stricken with HIV and AIDS. It will feature exclusive tracks from artists like Elvis Costello, REM, Sheryl Crow and Bob Dylan just to name a few.
In 1994, I went to go see Crowded House and Sheryl Crow at the now-defunct Rockefeller’s West in Houston. Crow had just released her monster first CD, Tuesday Night Music Club, featuring the breakout hit, “All I Wanna Do.” She was hot, in more ways than one. I remember a friend of mine saying to me; “Did you see Sheryl Crow’s mouth in the “All I Wanna Do” video?” “Uh, yes I did,” I said.
Anyway, I was working for a radio station at the time, and one of the promotions people from KLOL (located right down the hall from my station) asked if I wanted to go backstage and meet Crow after the show. “Absolutely,” I said. So, I asked my friend Robert and my brother, Jim to go back with me. Well, I don’t know if she was tired, unhappy or what, but Ms. Crow didn’t quite look as good as she did in her videos. However, she was nice, and everyone has an off day. As you can tell by the picture at the top of this post, she’s still got it going on….. Oh, did I mention, my wife was also at the show.
30 Days Out 
