Saw a Johnny Cash video the other night and decided he wasn't just some old guy I had vaguely heard of - he was a major talent and I need a CD! Anyone here have any advice as to which one I should get?

for the older albums i'd heartily recommend either (or both!) of the prison albums at San Quentin or Folsom. they've both been remastered in recent years and sound great. for more recent stuff the Unchained album is good, especially his version of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage", which is better than the original!

I second the recommendation for his live album from San Quentin (great stuff and I am not a country music fan). I also have his last album, American IV, and I like it a lot as well. It is recorded very well.

Was the video for the song "Hurt", but any chance? It's a NIN cover that he did shortly before he passed.

It was "Hurt", yes - it was excellent.

CASH: "When the man comes around"

Powerful.......AND fantastic sound quality, as well.

Yes, that NIN cover was a good one. Cash took the song and made it his own. He really showed all the hurt and pain throughout his life. The video is very well done. That song is pretty much my first and only exposure to Cash as well, other then hearing about him on the fringe as you had Amie.

Speaking of Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash singing 'I've Been Everywhere' while the flying boxcar is cruising over the desert during the opening scene of the new 'Flight Of The Phoenix' movie is probably the coolest opening scene of any movie I've seen in a long time.

Also, I remember as a youngster I must have listened to every song Johnny Cash (and Elvis) ever put on vinyl. My parents couldn't get enough of him, even had one of those 'high-tech' early 1960s vintage console (Magnavox?) to play them on.

A third for San Quinton and Folsum. I have the re-mastered copies and they are excellent and not alot of repeating tunes.

I'm with BrotherBob,

Not only was it cool because you never hear the beginning of that song, but only the names of the places, it was funny because what you knew was going to happen (assuming you know the original).

Loved it.

I miss Johnny Cash though.

Ben