Johnny Cash - Ultimate Gospel (2007)

A very moving compilation of old time religious tunes originally recorded 1957-1981. Cash's voice and these tunes are a perfect match. From Jeff Tamarkin's AllMusic review:

A deeply religious man, he sang his songs of praise with as much, or perhaps more, conviction as he did his secular material -- even the most skeptical non-believer would have to appreciate the honesty and soul of Cash's gospel recordings. As with all of Cash's music, there is a realism and warmth to his delivery; Cash's spiritual music is saccharine-free and naked in its emotions, non-preachy and devoid of hellfire in its words -- he's out to tell a story, not to convert.

There's 24 tracks and 67 minutes of uplifting music here and I'm left wanting more. It's a treat to hear the autoharp and the traditional call-and-response background vocals and harmonies. Gospel as I remember it.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Highlights are Belshazzar, The Old Account, How Great Thou Art, (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me), Oh Come Angel Band, Daddy Sang Bass, and Children Go Where I Send Thee.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  Nothing specific, but if you, like me, were dragged to church by your parents during the time these recordings were made, these songs are strangely comforting. I'm struck with a vision of a revival tent on a dusty, West Texas prairie.

Previously revisited for the blog:
At Folsom Prison (1968)

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (1968)

Note: this 1999 re-release contains two bonus tracks.

Yes, I bought this CD after watching the 2005 Cash biopic, Walk the Line. What of it? It doesn't mater how I found it, I'm better for experiencing this music. People who blame violence and misogyny on rap music or heavy metal lyrics should hear these lyrics from the '60s. Controversial lyrics are nothing new. Interestingly, this CD does not bear the RIAA's music advisory label (maybe Tipper Gore was a Johnny Cash fan?). But just listen to songs like Folsom Prison Blues or Cocaine Blues and you'll see what I mean. Cash doesn't have the best voice in music, but he has the perfect voice for this music. In the liner notes, Cash calls the convicts "all brothers of mine" and you can hear it in these songs. Even the love songs have a rough edge of loneliness and heartache. I don't have many country albums, but I do have this classic. It's not something I listen to often; I have to be in just the right mood, otherwise it's just too depressing.

Update: In its 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone ranked At Folsom Prison at #164 and in 2017, it was ranked at #58 on Pitchfork's list of the 200 Best Albums of the 1960s.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #13
• Billboard Country: #1
• CashBox: #14
• CashBox Country: #1

Tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Busted, Orange Blossom Special, Jackson, and I Got Stripes are highlights for me.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None