VARIOUS ARTISTS
Dressed In Black - A Tribute To Johnny Cash
(Dualtone)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

---

Before there was a genre called "Americana," there was an artist who personified the concept. Whether as a rockabilly pioneer or a star of mainstream, outlaw and alt. country music, Johnny Cash has been a towering figure in American music for nearly half a century. With an artistic persona as rock solid as his Mount Rushmore caliber visage, The Man In Black has entertained and inspired generations of audiences and artists. This collection pays tribute to him with 18 tracks by some of those he has inspired, and it's about as fine a tribute album as I've heard.

Unlike many similar collections where the artists are so intent on their own self-expression that it's nearly impossible to identify with the source material, the players and singers on this set stay pretty close to the original Cash arrangements of the material they cover. That's not to say that these versions are imitative covers. Each of the artists presented have their individual voices and stylistic touches, and the resulting tracks reflect what they've learned from Cash, and how they've learned to use those lessons. Of course, there can be no real substitute for the original, but there's a lot of enjoyment to be had listening to these musicians who so obviously enjoy interpreting this material. Don't forgo a collection of Johnny Cash hits (and don't miss his new stuff, which after all these years continues to break new ground), but don't hesitate to give this one a try either.

Track List:

Wreck Of The Old '97/Hank III * Cry, Cry, Cry/Robbie Fulks * Ballad Of A Teenage Queen/Rodney Crowell * I Guess Things Happen That Way/Raul Malo * There You Go/ Chuck Mead * Get Rhythm/Rev. Horton Heat * Pack Up Your Sorrows/Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis * Ring Of Fire/Billy Burnette * Luther Played The Boogie/Redd Volkaert * Big River/Rosie Flores * Folsom Prison Blues/James Intveld * I Still Miss Someone/Earl Poole Ball * I'm Gonna Sit On The Porch And Pick On My Old Guitar/Damon Bramblett * I Walk The Line/Dale Watson * Train Of Love/Kenny Vaughn * Straight A's In Love/Eddie Angel * Jackson/Mandy Barnett & Chuck Mead * Flesh & Blood/Chris Knight

© 2002 - Shaun Dale