Some NOLA thanks to Mark G.

Have a Ho-Di-Ko-Di-Ya-La-Ma-La holiday 11/22/05 Chris Rose

I talked to Dr. John on the phone the other day. He said he's doing fine and will be coming to New Orleans in early December for the first time since the storm. At least, I think that's what he said. I mean, it was Dr. John; I don't even think his mama ever knew what the hell he was saying once he got started talking.

With Dr. John, you just kind of nod your head and every now and then, say: "Yeah you right, Mac. You bet." The Night Tripper speaks a language unique unto himself. And yet -- and this is the killer part -- his is perhaps our city's most recognizable voice, with that accent born of primordial stew and swamp gas, hoodoo and magic spells, incense and roux, known the world over and immediately associated with New Orleans. - complete article

ROXANNE......on second thought

Old prostitutes find work in rural Australia

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Prostitutes as old as 70 continue to work in rural Australia, pushed out of the cities due to strong competition from younger and more attractive sex workers, the author of a study said on Tuesday. Brothels are legal across most of Australia, but states have strict laws against soliciting and running brothels in residential areas, and near churches or schools. - complete story

Songs about prostitutes:
Elton John, "Island Girl"
AC/DC, "What Do You Do For Money Honey?"
Elton John, "Japanese Hands"
Elton John, "Sweet Painted Lady"
Digital Underground, "Good Thing We're Rappin'"
Janis Ian, "Pro Girl"
ZZ Top, "Mexican Blackbird"
Isaac Hayes, "Lady Of The Night"
Donna Summer, "Bad Girls"
Rick James, "P.I.M.P. The S.I.M.P.

THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE INDUCTEES FOR 21st ANNUAL INDUCTION CEREMONY

The list of 2006 nominations included Cat Stevens, Black Sabbath, John Mellencamp, Miles Davis, Sex Pistols, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the Patti Smith Group, Joe Tex, J. Geils Band, the Paul Butterfield Band, Dave Clark Five and the Sir Douglas Quintet.

From RRHOF website: The following artists will be inducted at the Twenty-First Annual Induction Ceremony, which will be held Monday, March 13th 2006 in New York at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel:

Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sex Pistols



Meanwhile:

I am, I said, to no one there......(actually, he is getting decent reviews on his 12 Songs CD, said to be a return to his songwriting roots.)

Also, not yet in:

The Singing Nun

Journey

1410 Fruitgum Company
Previous post at nomination date

Boston Folk Radio (on my laptop)

This may be old news to Beantown music lovers, but I just discovered a wonderful radio program, Highway 61 Revisited (Saturdays 7am - 11am), on WUMB Folk Radio, UMass-Boston.

For example: Richie Havens' version of She's Leaving Home from Sgt. Pepper; Bonnie Raitt doing a live version of John Prine's Angel From Montgomery; Greatful Dead's Box of Rain; Byrds' The Bells of Rhymney ; The Band 4% Pantomime (with Van Morrison sitting in) .

They will be doing a retrospective next Saturday morning on Rubber Soul.

The station recently polled its listeners about "what artists top their iPod playlist? Imagine you could fit only 10 artists (folk or any genre) on your iPod . . . who would they be?" - complete top 120 listing

Top 5 were: Bob Dylan Cheryl Wheeler Patty Griffin Dar Williams Richard Shindell

(Okay, I plead ignorant about the music of all except Dylan, although I've heard of Dar Williams and Patty Griffin.)

Rubber Soul's 40th anniversary

With the release in 1965 of this rushed-into-production-for-Christmas album, the Beatles began the change to more varied musical styles, complex arrangements, and sometimes-darker subject matter. Revolver gets top billing on many of the "best of" lists, but Rubber Soul has always been my favorite. It was such a hip change for them at the time that many in the Beatles' pop fan base began to abandon them. Interestingly, two songs, "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man," were not included on the USA release. They are on the CD version.

There will be lots of press hype surrounding the anniversary of the December 3rd release date (December 6 in the USA), but I found a potentially interesting tribute CD containing covers by Ben Harper, the Donnas, Cowboy Junkies on Daedalus' music website - This Bird Has Flown. The title refers to Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).

..."You can’t muck with greatness, but you can sometimes put together a dang good cover album. A case in point is this track-by-track recapitulation of a landmark Beatles disc by a gaggle of adult-alternative and indie rock artists. With banjos and mandolins, the Yonder Mountain String Band recasts “Think for Yourself” as a bluegrass tune, while Ben Harper infuses “Michelle” with a reggae flavor. Mindy Smith’s “The Word” is a little bit country, while Ted Leo's “I'm Looking Through You” is a little bit rock 'n' roll. One of the most exhilarating tracks is the Donnas’ “Drive My Car,” which mimics the original arrangement but takes on a sweetly distinctive flavor because of the female voices. Another nice reworking is Low's “Nowhere Man,” enhanced by the harmonies of husband and wife duo Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk. Other highlights are a folksy “You Won't See Me” by Dar Williams, a typically laconic “Run for Your Life” by the Cowboy Junkies, and an alluring deconstruction of “If I Needed Someone” by Nellie McKay."

Here comes Bonnie!

bonnieraitt.com

Bonnie received a lukewarm review of a recent concert in elay where the reviewer made some of the points I've voiced about her getting too mellow, too often....."the lyric and gently grooving arrangement remind that Raitt made the transition from blues belter to middle-of-the-road crooner long ago." When I last saw her about four years ago in Wallingford, CT (I've seen Bonnie in concert about ten times, including a strange pairing with her dad, Broadway legend John Raitt), I enjoyed Jon Cleary's opening set more than Bonnie. When she picks it up, she's still great and I'm not stuck in a time warp longing for just her old stuff, but there is WAY too much mid-tempo dirges these days. Hey, I don't blame her for going for the bucks; early on she put out SO much great music that never was commercially successful, so no need to apologize for finding the niche that makes her some cash. And it's not like her new material is bad, it's just not interesting enough for this old snob.
Bonnie plays Detroit 10/17/05

Update: Bought the CD (along with Sarah Borges' Silver City and Maria Muldaur's Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul) and found that Bonnie is getting funky again, thanks, in part, to two John Cleary songs - Love On One Condition and Unnecessarily Mercenary.

Bonnie Raitt is about to release her new CD, Souls Alike, a set of songs from promising young songwriters. She is touring in support of the CD and, from all reports, these songs will be a little edgier than her more recent stuff. Here's hoping. Jon Cleary (who was great at the Maple Leaf Club in NOLA during JazzFest last Spring) will again be on keyboards, James Hutchinson on bass, Ricky Fataar on drums and George Marinelli on guitar. Bonnie will be at the Warner Theatre in Torrington, CT on October 22 (Saturday) with Maia Sharp and at Foxwoods Casino on December 16.

San Francisco Chronicle interview
Unofficial site
Rolling Stone review

Picked up on a quick trip to Borders with G-man

Music Aerial- (Kate Bush) Mountain Soul- (Patty Loveless) Exile on Main Street- (Rolling Stones) Blue Moon Swamp- (John Fogerty) The Alternative to Love- (Brendan Benson)

Books Teacher Man- (Frank McCourt) Vernon God Little- (DBC Pierre) John Henry Days- (Colson Whitehead)

I'm walkin' to New Orleans

Speculation abounds concerning the fate of NOLA in general and some of its major cultural festivities in particular. It seems that the mood is to do SOMETHING for each event to maintain continuity. But how it will play out is anyone's guess.

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Johnny Gumbo sent an email: New Orleans Blues- Not a very happy story. By the way, Happy Birthday, today to Dr. John...IKO....IKO! (and a post from Time Magazine)

New Orleans Today: It's Worse Than You Think. Neighborhoods are still dark, garbage piles up on the street, and bodies are still being found. The city's pain is a nation's shame By CATHY BOOTH THOMAS/NEW ORLEANS (Posted Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005)

On Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, the neon lights are flashing, the booze is flowing, and the demon demolition men of Hurricane Katrina are ogling a showgirl performing in a thong. The Bourbon House is shucking local oysters again, Daiquiri's is churning out its signature alcoholic slushies, and Mardi Gras masks are once again on sale. But drive north toward the hurricane-ravaged housing subdivisions off Lake Pontchartrain and the masks you see aren't made for Carnival. They are industrial-strength respirators, stark and white, the only things capable of stopping a stench that turns the stomach and dredges up bad memories... Time On-line

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New Orleans Planning Shorter Mardi Gras -here

Musicians fear New Orleans jazz traditions will die
By Russell McCulley (Reuters)

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Philip Frazier, who leads the New Orleans jazz group ReBirth Brass, was one of the lucky ones. His house and tuba survived Hurricane Katrina mostly intact. But hundreds of his fellow musicians were not so fortunate. The floodwaters that swept through this city nearly three months ago destroyed not only homes but also the instruments local musicians use to make a living, and cast doubt on the future of New Orleans' vivid musical traditions.

"We were very blessed," Frazier said of ReBirth's revival after its members had relocated as far as Houston and Baltimore. "We were fortunate that we were able to regroup and go out and continue to make a living for ourselves." Katrina scattered musicians across the country, and shuttered many clubs and concert venues. More critically, perhaps, it halted the convention and tourism industries that supplied much of the audience.

........There are hopeful signs. The mammoth New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival says its 2006 event will take place on schedule, and some music clubs have reopened to enthusiastic crowds of mostly local fans. Tipitina's is hosting its first post-Katrina "fais-do-do," a Sunday afternoon ritual for Cajun dance aficionados, followed by a practice session for Mardi Gras Indians, the bead-and-feather bedecked troupes who parade during New Orleans' huge and famously decadent pre-Lenten festival. - complete article

2006 jazz fest

Me and Peter and Sarah Borges at the Narrows.....

It's to be a Fall River Saturday night with Peter McGowan and our new-best-friend, Sarah Borges and I wonder during the two-hour drive from CT whether the johnnykmusic-touted young lady will live up to the high expectations I have for her performance. Since purchasing her "Silver City" CD (Silver City being her hometown of Taunton, MA), I've given out a number of copies to friends to quite favorable responses. Could have waited for her return appearance to Cafe Nine in New Haven on Friday, January 6, but here I am.

Found the warehouse building (among many of same) down by the waterfront beneath the Braga Bridge in Fall River, parked and met Peter up in the third-floor lobby area of the Narrows Center for the Arts. We quickly checked out the concert venue, then scooted out for a bite to eat before showtime - Al Mac's Diner, right out of Barry Levinson's wonderful movie, Diner, set in Baltimore circa 1959. We were instructed to "take anything along the window," so we obediently slipped into one of the two available booths. Our hostess took our drink order for two Red Dogs (I think it's a Miller faux-grunge beer- unfortunately, not nearly as dangerous as it sounds), handed us a hand-written listing of specials and told us that our waitress would be with us shortly - she then reappeared momentarily AS said waitress! I guess she was playing both parts - ACTING! Okay, two bacon, cheddar, hurt-us-badly burgers, medium rare. Nope. No can do rarities here, you'll have to settle for the low end of medium. Okay, fine. You're the boss.

A quick trip to the packy for a six o' Bass (Narrows is a byob venue) and we're back to the warehouse. The art show reception in the lobby has ended and cleared out, we settle up on the tickets and enter. It's still pre-showtime and a few people are seated in the three sections of ten-deep church pews that face the stage. As we make our way along the back wall of artist cubicles (some open for viewing), we bump into a tall, thin long-haired girl who greets us with a friendly, "How're you doing tonight." It's Sarah! Mentioned that I was planning to catch her at Cafe Nine in January and she said how great they treated her when she played there in September.

We homestead a pew to the right of the stage awaiting the opening act that Peter has seen before and gave lukewarm review about, The Heygoods. Husband/wife duo with quirky style and some interesting subject matter. I didn't like them.

After a very brief intermission, Sarah and her band (members of Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men) take the stage and launch into about an hour of her Silver City songlist coupled with a few other artists' numbers (didn't catch the names) thrown in.

Sarah and her band at the Narrows Center for the Arts 11/19/05 (photo courtesy of Backstage at the Narrows).

She sounded great and has a wonderfully engaging stage presence. She has been compared with Lucinda Williams and Chrissie Hynde. I see more rock influences than blues; and I will refrain from describing her guitar playing as 'kick-ass' (she does have some pretty cool moves) because she defers to The Edge guy (Mike Castellana)for the guitar/pedal steel solos. I'd like to see Borges and the guys take some chances with their songs, not sticking to playing them just as a live version of the CD, but that will probably come in time. Very solid show. Looking forward to her Cafe Nine show. Be there, aloha.

Who IS she?
Portland Phoenix article

P.S. The Narrows Center for the Arts is a neat place for a concert and has some very good shows coming up. The MC is a likeable chap who writes a blog, Backstage at the Narrows, but telling us that he is divorcing and going through a mid-life crisis is a little more information than this cowboy wants to know.

Jim Kane's Road Trip Oldies Contest

Winners so far:

CD#1 - John Johnson (4 correct)

CD#2 - Paul Massey (5 correct)

CD#3 - Teresa Porter (9 correct)

CD#4 - Laura Landry - Paramus, NJ (6 correct)

CD#5 - Ed Thomas - Springfield, MA (8 correct)

CD#6 - Betty Franklin - Wildwood, NJ

CD#7 - Tony Proto - New Haven, CT

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Jim Kane, Bristol's Oldies Music Guru, has gotten involved with the "Save the Music project". With advice and help from some of the oldies artists, Jim has put together a collection called "ROAD TRIP", which contains 201 songs (7 CDs) from our era. It will be sold in many stores around the country. He is having a contest for the next seven weeks with the winner awarded one of the CDs. Go to the site and try your luck! Contest Site Jim Kane's Oldies Music CD Collection

Johnny Gumbo reunites with Willie Nelson at the Palace Theatre

a special report to johnnykmusic by Johnny Gumbo 11/13/05

Willie and family………

Got an opportunity to reconnect with an old musical friend on Sunday night at The Palace in Waterbury (a great venue, by the way, reminiscent of the of the way theaters used to be with the marble steps, high painted ceilings, gold flecked wood trim, and side balcony boxes…great acoustics). It almost seemed a little grandiose for a Willie concert. As we settled into our seats in the right lower mezzanine, I had some trepidation about seeing Willie live again after 15 years. I wondered if the magic would still be there. But I was happy to drag out my shit-kickers, black leather vest, western necktie and cowboy hat as I knew I would not stand out at a Willie concert (although most were dressed much more average-Joe like). Willie’s music has always had a blue-collar, down home quality that is universal in its appeal.

I first got interested in Willie back in the early ‘70’s just before his breakthrough album, Red Headed Stranger (wore that 8-track sucker out in my little Ford pick-up) and probably have more of his albums/CD’s than any other performer. Over the course of the next 20 years, got to see him in a number of venues from shit-kickin’ bars to big coliseums (even got to light up a fattie with him one night after a performance in the parking lot of an auditorium in Mobile, Alabama). I had just exited the Air Force and the “outlaw” image that he and the late Waylon Jennings portrayed fit right in to my mindset. So I wanted this night to be the same as I remembered many others. Willie’s concerts are foot tappin, do-your-own-thing happenings all wrapped up in warm fuzzies.

Didn’t have to wait long. No opening act, some brief promotional hype and then, as is his nature, Willie walked quietly on stage dressed in his usual garb…jeans, t-shirt, sneakers, hair in two long braids under a red bandana….waved a couple of times while the rest of the band got into place, picked up “Trigger” (his Martin N-20 nylon-string acoustic) and once again, as he has for every concert he’s ever done, launched into “Whiskey River” as a huge Texas state flag unfurled behind the band. AHH! I was back home. From there we were taken in rapid succession through many of the standards (my personal favorite, the medley “Crazy”, “Night Life” and “How Time Slips Away”). As usual the band and he were in complete sinc…his sister, Bonnie, on piano, Paul English (“Me and Paul”) on drums, Bea Spears on bass guitar, and Mickey Raphael on harmonica. Noticeably absent was Jody Payne, back-up guitar. Don’t know if he was just absent tonight or had stopped touring.

By the time we had worked our way through some of the oldies (Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain, Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys ) to “On the Road Again”, “Always on my Mind”, and “Poncho and Lefty”, I was ready for “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”. Willie is a master songwriter and his nasal tone has a way of just pulling you in and holding you there on every note. And you forget what a superb guitarist he is. When he and Bonnie get rolling on some instrumentals, like “Down Yonder”, it’s pure honky-tonk. By the time we got to “The City of New Orleans” I knew the evening was getting to the point of being over, but, like always, I didn’t want it to end.

As I thought about it, I realized that, even though the music was the same, there was a little less energy in his step, a little less zip in his on-stage presence. And then it hit me, the guys gettin’ old (72) and so are the band. Bea Spears was wearin’ a baseball hat and t-shirt (always had a big cowboy hat and western shirt), Paul was still dressed in black but just played a snare drum, and Bonnie had to be helped to and from the piano. And if they were gettin’ old, then “the gumbo” must be gettin’ old, too. Well, it ain’t true. Willie’s still the man, an American icon, and his music crosses every genre (his latest CD “Countryman” is a collection of reggae music) and, I’ll be back to see him, waiting for that flag to unfurl and those immortal words…”Whiskey River take my mind……”

Johnny Gumbo 11/13/05

willienelson.com
AMG biography

Clubbing the Cape with Reet, John & Judi

Saturday night at British Beer Company in Hyannis
Much younger crowd at this version of the BBC. Arrive from our 11 mile trip from Mashpee just as Rhode Island-based The Complaints are starting their first set of rock covers (U2, Counting Crows, Strokes, etc.) mixed in with original stuff from their two CDs, Fear/Criminal Mind. The place is packed, so we position ourselves along the rail to the right of the band for good listening and people-watching. Reet/Judi are not at all smitten with the LOUD music (perhaps a bit peeved at not being carded at the door), preferring the previous night's retro fare, but I enjoy The Complaints. Judi scores a free copy of their newest 3-song CD for me.

The Complaints: Dean Petrella - guitars, lead vocals Chris Cruz - bass, backing vocals Tony Marotti - drums (and dancing girlfriend) Update: not blown away by the 3 songs on the CD, but I recommend highly seeing the band live. thecomplaints.com

Reet & Judi wanted to dance with this guy, but he instead opted for the drummer's girlfriend (not pictured). Note - The Complaints take lots of photos of their fans at each show and post them to their website. -Pics of Saturday night

Friday night at British Beer Company in Falmouth
We hear The Dave Foley Band starting up with some Bob Dylan as we finish our meal and I coerce the group into staying for a set. Tasty song choices (Little Richard, old Elvis, Stray Cats, Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran) played in a rockabilly style gets a table of young people near the band up and dancing. We tap our toes, sip and observe.

The Dave Foley Band: Dave Foley - Electric Guitar, Harmonica & Singing Rich Holbrook - Upright Bass & Singing Mal Shaw - Drums davefoleymusic

Kate Bush returns, purr and muse intact

By Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune music critic

Renaissance maiden, feminist homemaker, cosmic sensualist, idiosyncratic recluse, piano prodigy -- Kate Bush was an oddball even during her heyday in the '80s. Only two years ago, when her once luminous career had lapsed into a decade of silence, the British magazine Mojo commissioned a cover story on her titled "English Eccentric Weirdfest." Now she's back with her first album since 1993, the double-CD "Aerial" (Columbia).

Once again producing herself, writing all the music, and working with a trusted core of musicians, she has made no attempt to update her sound or reinvent her persona. "Aerial" sounds like it could have been made in 1985 as easily as '05. And why shouldn't it? Masterworks such as "Hounds of Love" (1985) and "The Sensual World" (1989) have aged far better than many albums of their time. "Aerial" affirms that the power of her strange muse has not dimmed. - complete article

Pitchfork review
Yahoo artist page
AMG biography

Hockey night in Hartford (Bobcat hockey, that is)

Scored some Quinnipiac v Harvard hockey tickets from Jimmyk and invited Johnny Gumbo to come along. Can't get there too early, so we parked along Bushnell Park and sauntered up Ann Street to Tapas for a pre-faceoff drink - Stella for me, Newcastle for Gumbo. Lots of construction around the Civic Center with the tearing down of the mall, replacing it with high-end, high-rise apartments and retail space. But we finally negotiate our way through the build-out maze up to the GMAC corporate box where our host is Ed Sweeney, '88 QU hockey captain, who played in the alumni contest earlier in the day. A very entertaining game before an enthusiastic crowd of about 5,000. The Bobcats (nee Braves) STUN the Crimson (was Tommy James from Harvard?) 5-2 in their virgin ECAC match!!!

What better way to celebrate such an IMPORTANT win than a walk down to Blackeyed Sally's for a nightcap and some good music. The doorguy, once he was able to unglue his eyes from the entering talent, informed us that the Savage Brothers Band, with complete horn section, would be going on presently. We, no fools, quickly added another half hour and felt it was still okay - we'd commit. The 'Bros finally take the stage and go non-stop for the next hour-plus until we decide to call it a night. No original material in the songlist, but a great selection of songs played in a tight, funky manner to a crowd that most likely has seen them quite often if we observe correctly. The list: Starting with two Stevie Wonder songs (we thought it might be a tribute concert for a moment) - Very Superstitious and (I forgot, must ask Gumbo), Sam & Dave's Hold On, Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music, White Boy, Santana's Oye Como VA (sounding very Iguanas-like), Tower of Power's What Is Hip? and ending with Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On (great song, also done by Jack Black on the VERY fine Hi-Fidelity soundtrack). I've missed some, wil fill in after consulting with Gumbo.

Listened to Al Anderson's Pay Before You Pump on the way home and Gumbo recognized one of Al's songs having been recorded by zydecat Wayne Toups. Later.

Big Al Anderson

Here she comes in a hot pink pedal pusher
Bouffant hair from the Curl Up and Dye
Cat momma shades with the rhinestone customizing
Tell me I ain't one lucky guy
You may remember Al Anderson as the larger-than-life, shaggy lead singer of the legendary Wildweeds, whose "No Good to Cry" was the ridin' in my car song of the summer of '67 in these parts. Anderson then joined NRBQ as guitarist/songwriter from 1971 until leaving amicably in 1993 to pursue a Nashville songwriting career. I have just purchased two solo projects, Pay Before You Pump (1996) and After Hours (2004), which are dominating my CD listening time ever since they arrived.


Big Al Anderson official Website
Hartford Advocate retrospective article on The Wildweeds
NRBQ official website

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash

If you wake up some morning and find they are doing a film of your amazing life with a companion tribute concert (cd/dvd available in deluxe packaging) with all the current stars who ignored you in the later years of your life (or never even knew you were still alive), BEWARE! - you're most likely dead.

But if you get Jerry Lee Lewis to perform, it might almost be worth it!

Jerry Lee Lewis Rocks Johnny Cash Tribute
By Beth Harris, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - Jerry Lee Lewis stole the show from Norah Jones and Kid Rock when the musicians performed at a taping of a Johnny Cash tribute. Lewis teamed with Kid Rock on the Cash classic "I Walk the Line." An upcoming biopic that goes by a similar name and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon will be released in theaters Nov. 18.

Lewis later returned to the stage of the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, where the performances were taped Tuesday night for "I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash," airing Nov. 16 on CBS. Waiting for stagehands to make adjustments, a few fans yelled out to Lewis to perform his hit "Great Balls of Fire." "I know what you'd like to hear. I know what I'd like to do," said the 70-year-old singer. "They got me down for a little bit lower key."

To entertain the restless crowd, Lewis started in on "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." After a few verses, the stage crew cut him off and the audience booed. It was just a false start, though. Once the cameras were ready, Lewis played the entire song, with the crowd on its feet, clapping and singing along. "I guess that was a take," Lewis said, smiling.

Jones was accompanied by Phoenix on guitar as she sang "Home of the Blues." Kris Kristofferson and Jones sang "Guess Things Happen That Way." Shooter Jennings and his mother, Jessi Colter, who was married to Waylon Jennings, teamed up for a rollicking version of "Jackson." Other performers tackling Cash tunes were Martina McBride, Allison Krauss and Dwight Yoakam. Also on the show are Sheryl Crow, Coldplay, U2, Brad Paisley and Montgomery Gentry.

It's the second time the network has organized a music special tied to a major movie. CBS also promoted Jamie Foxx's Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles with a star-studded tribute show.

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Johnny Cash & Million Dollar Quartet
On December 4, 1956 a recording session with Car Perkins was winding down. Jerry Lee Lewis had been playing piano on the session. Presley had called in and was listening to the playbacks. They started singing and playing together and Phillips called newspaperman Robert Johnson saying that there might be a story and photo opportunity. Phillips also called Johnny Cash, who was on Sun's books at that time. Even though Presley was now signed with RCA, Phillips switched on the mikes and recorder while the jam session took place, with a range of country, gospel and hits of the day. The session later came to be known as the Million Dollar Quartet jam session.

A mix of rock 'n' roll and country music brought about a short-lived style known as rockabilly. Johnny Cash was one of rockabilly's first Stars. Johnny Cash lived close to Sun Records and had been rehearsing regularly with guitarist Luther Perkins and Marshal Grant who had just started playing bass. He felt that they had it right and started calling in at Sun every day asking to see Mr Phillips, but always told he was not in yet, or he was at a meeting. Finally Cash was waiting outside when Phillips came into work. He said "I'm John Cash and I want you to hear me play." Phillips invited Cash in and liked what he heard, inviting Cash to return with his group. Excerpt from The Sun Rose
and The World Rocked from Golden Graham Online website.

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Cash sets posthumous new record on album chart By Fred Bronson
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - More than 46 years after making his first appearance on the Billboard album chart, Johnny Cash has rewritten chart history by coming up with the highest-debuting title of his career.

"The Legend of Johnny Cash," the 41st charting album by the Man in Black, entered The Billboard 200 at No. 11 in the week ended October 30, as promotional efforts gather momentum ahead of the November 18 release of the Cash movie "Walk the Line." That makes this new set the third highest-charting album of Cash's career. The only two LPs to chart higher were "Johnny Cash at San Quentin" (No. 1 for four weeks in 1969) and "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" (No. 6 in 1970). Pushed down to fourth place is "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" (No. 13 in 1968). - complete article - CD review