An unreleased Johnny Cash album will finally see the light of day, thanks to his son John Carter Cash and a team of world-class country musicians. Titled Songwriter, the project was recorded in 1993, and will be released on June 28th via Mercury Nashville/UMe.
Songwriter features 11 songs written solely by Cash over the course of his then-40-year-long career. He made the album at LSI Studios in Nashville during a period when he was between contracts, and it ultimately ended up shelved until his son, John Carter, and producer David “Fergie” Ferguson sought to finish it with a group of musicians who played with Cash, including Marty Stuart, Pete Abbott, the late Dave Roe, and others.
Today, ahead of the album’s release, Cash’s estate shared the single “Well Alright,” a classic story-telling song with an even-more-classic country arrangement, even down to the tinny lead guitar, train-shuffle beat, and folksy, humorous lyrics. Watch the visualizer for the song below.
Beyond “Well Alright,” Songwriter will have plenty to offer. Retaining Cash’s original vocals, John Carter and Ferguson built new arrangements for the songs, utilizing the finest talents in Nashville. The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach laid down a guitar solo for the song “Spotlight,” and Vince Gill sang on the track “Poor Valley Girl.”
There’s even a feature from the original project whose voice has made it to the new release: the late country legend, Waylon Jennings, who dueted with Cash on “I Love You Tonite” and “Like a Soldier.” See the full tracklist below.
Speaking about finishing the project, John Carter said, “The musicians that came in were just tracking with Dad, you know, recording with Dad, just as, in the case of Marty and Dave, they had many times before, so they knew his energies, his movements, and they let him be the guide. It was just playing with Johnny once again, and that’s what it was. That was the energy of the creation.”
Upon its release in June, Songwriter will be available on digital, CD, and vinyl formats. Pre-orders are ongoing.
In other Cash news, his wife, June Carter Cash, was the subject of a new documentary, JUNE, that premiered on Paramount+ earlier this year.
Songwriter Artwork:
Songwriter Tracklist:
01. Hello Out There
02. Spotlight (feat. Dan Auerbach)
03. Drive On
04. I Love You Tonite (feat. Waylon Jennings)
05. Have You Ever Been to Little Rock?
06. Well Alright
07. She Sang Sweet Baby James
08. Poor Valley Girl (feat. Vince Gill)
09. Soldier Boy
10.Sing It Pretty Sue
11. Like a Soldier (feat. Waylon Jennings)