Songwriter (Mercury, 2024)

This is a treasure trove of Johnny Cash-penned songs, written over the years, but never recorded or released. Then in the early '90's, after parting with Sony Records, but before meeting Rick Rubin, Cash recorded his songs. Those early 90's recordings didn't see the light of day back then as he and Rubin began working on his American Recording career, helping to revitalize his career.

Years after his passing, his son, John Carter Cash, re-discovered these recordings, re-engineered them and released them.

The songs are among the most personal of Cash's career. We don't immediately think of the Man in Black as a songwriter, but indeed he was. "Songwriter" reminds us of Cash's song-creation skill. Case in point, "Poor Valley Girl," a tribute to his late mother-in-law, (Mother) Maybelle Carter and late wife, June Carter Cash, "She Sang Sweet Baby James," a slice-of-life tune, about a young mother's making her way and caring for her baby, and "Have You Ever Been to Little Rock," showing his affection and fond memories of the state of his birth.

The most touching song here is "I Love You Tonight," written for June and their lives together. Two lines in this song really tug at our hearts: "will we make the millennium?/Well we might" (they did), and "when it's all over, I hope we can go together" (they died within four months of each other).

"Sing it Pretty, Su," is an anomaly for this album. Not written in the 90's, rather recorded in the 70's. It has a throwback feel to it, back to Cash's more rootsy songs of early in his career.

Cash's vocals sound great, prime of his career. The re-recorded instrumentation is top-notch, as is the harmony singing. Overall, Johnny Cash's legacy is rock-solid. "Songwriter" only adds to it.