Johnny Cash - Cash: Ultimate Gospel

Johnny Cash released more than half a dozen gospel albums during his career, beginning with 1959's Hymns by Johnny Cash, and he scattered gospel tunes throughout his other works as well. 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. Cash: Ultimate Gospel collects 24 of his best, most drawn from his Columbia catalog with a pair ("I Was There When It Happened" and "Belshazzar") emanating from Cash's early Sun Records period, and two ("Oh Come, Angel Band" and "Children Go Where I Send Thee") originally on the Cachet label. Three tracks on the set are previously unreleased: a moving reading of "How Great Thou Art," that rivals Elvis Presley's, "It Is No Secret What God Can Do," and "My Ship Will Sail." 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. Cash: Ultimate Gospel is sequenced in a non-chronological manner, which works to its benefit -- the songs flow together beautifully, so that the transition from a polished '70s track such as "The Preacher Said 'Jesus Said'" to the more minimalist "I Was There When It Happened" (from 1957) isn't jarring in the least. Some of the songs here are traditional and well-known to all ("Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Amazing Grace"), while others have a distinctive Cash stamp on them ("Daddy Sang Bass," the Cash-June Carter Cash duet on the Carter Family's "Far Side Banks of Jordan"). All told, it's as rich and rewarding a collection of Johnny Cash music as any other. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide

Name Credits 21st Century Singers, Nashville Vocals (Background) Anna Grizzard Vocals (Background) B.J. Baker Vocals (Background) Beegie Cruzer Piano Bill Harris Quintet Percussion Bill Pursell Piano Bill Walker Orchestra Bob Johnson Guitar Bob Johnston Original Recording Producer, Producer Bob Lewin Trumpet Bob Wootton Guitar (Electric) Buddy Harman Drums C. Williams Arranger Carl Perkins Guitar (Electric) Carter Family Vocals (Background) Charlie Bragg Producer, Original Recording Producer Chuck Cochran Piano Don Hunstein Photography Don Law Original Recording Producer, Producer Duke Goff Bass Earl Poole Ball Piano Farrell Morris Percussion Frank Jones Original Recording Producer, Producer Frederic Schulman Vocals (Background) Gregg Geller Compilation Producer Howard Fritzson Art Direction Jack Clement Original Recording Producer, Producer Jack Hale Piano, Trumpet Jack Routh Guitar, Original Recording Producer, Producer James Carter Wilson Piano Jan Howard Vocals (Background) Jerry Hensley Guitar Jerry Shook Guitar Jim Marshall Photography Joe Allen Bass John Jackson Project Director John Williams Bass Johnny Christopher Guitar Johnny Western Guitar Johnny Whittaker Vocals (Background) June Carter Cash Vocals, Duet Larry McCoy Piano Luther Perkins Vocal Harmony, Guitar (Electric) Marshall Grant Bass, Vocal Harmony Marty Stuart Guitar Marvin Hughes Piano Millicent Alexander Vocals (Background) Morris Palmer Drums Mother Maybelle Carter Autoharp Norman Blake Dobro Pete Wade Guitar Philip Donnelly Guitar (Electric) Ralph Hansell Vibraphone Randall Martin Design Rev. Billy Graham Text, Performer Ritchie Albright Drums Robin Johnson Vocals (Background) Rosa Dotson Vocals (Background) Steven Berkowitz A&R Sylvie Simmons Liner Notes Vic Anesini Mastering W.S. Holland Drums William A. "Bill" Walker Piano