Johnny Cash
Album: The Complete Sun Releases And Columbia Singles 1955-62
Label: Acrobat
Tracks: 26+28+28
Website: http://www.acrobatmusic.net

The late Johnny Cash is such an iconic figure that it's sometimes forgotten that he was much more than a country superstar - indeed, unusually for such a popular artist, he occupied a niche that genuinely straddled (indeed, virtually transcended) so many of the sub-genres of Americana, from straight country through to rockabilly, rock'n'roll, gospel, blues and folk. This versatility has been partially represented (and sometimes, I might say, even mis-represented) on countless Cash compilations over the years. A number of previous releases have concentrated on one particular sub-genre, while his Sun sides have also previously been well collected. However, this latest assemblage, a copious three-disc set, presents an admirably comprehensive overview of his early career. Running to three well-filled discs, it anthologises all of the tracks released by Cash on Sam Phillips' Sun label, either on singles, EPs or LPs, during the first seven years of his long career (1955-62), together with all the A- and B-sides of his singles made for Columbia during the latter part of that period.

The trademark Cash sound really is one of the most distinctive in American music: the deep, resonant baritone voice with its pure, direct honesty of delivery, backed by that spare, understated yet oh so effective guitar. It formed a template that was both definitive and hugely influential. Even the interpolation of rhythm tracks, female choirs and the like didn't seriously detract, although Cash's early years were crucial in establishing his reputation: not only did they provide him with a seemingly innumerable quantity of American hits (for both country and pop charts), but they also contained much landmark material that was to stand the test of time in the all-music Hall Of Fame (I Walk The Line, Folsom Prison Blues, I Still Miss Someone etc).

Although this Acrobat collection is sequenced more or less chronologically, the situation is complicated a little by the dual release scenario whereby Cash, reportedly frustrated by Phillips' reluctance to release a gospel album, went off and signed to Columbia - but stockpiled unreleased takes from the Sun sessions continued to be plundered for a while, albeit probably not exclusively to "cash-in" (sorry!) on the man's popularity. There was also a small number of sides where Cash's vocal was expediently overdubbed to replace that of Johnny Western… Even so, Cash was to have a measure of commercial success with a whole range of material, from the straight-ahead country honky-tonk of the likes of You Win Again and covers of approved Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams numbers (In The Jailhouse Now and Hey Good Lookin' respectively, to name but two) to skiffle (Rock Island Line), the Bonanza TV theme, and seasonal fodder (the schmaltzy Little Drummer Boy). There's also a few choice sides recorded with Carter Family members (and featuring Maybelle's autoharp).

Listening through these three discs just reinforces our view of Cash as an artist of genuinely iconic status, and the set's booklet essay and discographical and session documentation provide just the requisite (and deserved) level of detail for coverage of Cash's significant and extensive contribution to what can be judged a key era in the history of American country and associated musics.

David Kidman