The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash 1969-1971
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Movie Reviews of The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash 1969-1971
Movie Review: Treasure trove of great musical performances
Summary: 5 Stars
Johnny Cash's 58 episodes of prime time television, stretching from late 1969 into early 1971 were broadcast, musical and social landmarks all in one. In a society roiled by the Vietnam War, a generation gap, racism, and numerous other divisions, Cash parlayed his artistry, broad musical vision, experienced opinions, faith and personal integrity into a television series that crisscrossed the American landscape. This two-DVD set excerpts four hours of material from the series, providing a good sense of the show's overall breadth and depth. Both discs intersperse short interview segments (with Kris Kristofferson, John Carter Cash and original show staff) to explain just how radical were many of the show's elements.
Cash brought his ease as a stage performer to the improvised studio of Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. He played easily to both the cameras and the live audience, making this a hybrid of a concert being taped and a television show with an audience to generate applause. The shows offer the energy and edginess of live performance with the polish of a studio program. The production, audio, video and staging teams all did superb jobs. The sets vary between large abstract shapes (ala Hullabaloo) and cozy suburban living rooms; the lighting is colorful and flattering to the performers and the sound is captured surprisingly well. Columbia/Legacy's engineers have done a terrific job of remixing from the multi-track master tapes. The video shows a few artifacts in the margins but is generally quite good, and the color is fine.
The guest list reached forward to the cutting edge, but also backward with segments highlighting the contributions of acts like Bill Monroe, Homer & Jethro, The Carter Family and Cash's Sun labelmates, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. The list of contemporary acts from country, folk, soul and rock is astounding. Starting with Bob Dylan on show #1, Cash gathered what he thought to be important and interesting talents to present to both his Nashville audience in the Ryman, and to those tuning in nationwide. He challenged his audience with the controversial and defiantly anti-war Pete Seeger, bringing him on to play banjo and sing "Cripple Creek" before moving him to the front of the stage to lead a sing-a-long of "Worried Man Blues." By the time Cash rejoins him, Seeger has the crowd nervously singing along.
Another fascinating guest is Louis Armstrong, featured less than a year before his passing. Cash and Armstrong recreate a 1930's session on which the latter backed the father of country music, Jimmie Rodgers. For those who only remember Armstrong's grin and "Hello Dolly," his trumpet playing here will quickly inform you of his seminal role in the history of American music. Merle Haggard provides another tribute to Jimmie Rodgers with a version of "No Hard Times," before sitting down with Cash to sing his own "Sing Me Back Home." Hank Williams Jr., clean-cut and in a western suit (that is, before the sunglasses and hat), provides a moving tribute to his father.
Established country stars George Jones, Marty Robbins and Tammy Wynette show just why they were stars. Jones voice is in stellar form - it's almost hard to believe he's singing live - as he swings through a medley of three classic songs. Robbins was a Ryman favorite, and you can hear the audience hooting and hollering as he sings a medley of his western hits that culminates with an abridged version of "El Paso." Wynette's performance gains the most from its video dimension. The close-ups of her face reveal an emotional connection to "Stand By Your Man" that goes well beyond the vocal. The stark staging of singers with the accompanying band off-stage will make you long for a time when vocalists were sufficiently fetching performers to hold your attention without dancers and other razzle-dazzle.
Cash's selection of mavericks is similarly spot-on. Kris Kristofferson appears young, long-haired, and clear-eyed as he sings "Loving Her Was Easy." It's a stark contrast to the grizzled veteran interviewed in the documentary segments. Waylon Jennings, clean shaven and with his hair still slicked back, was well on his way to presenting country music with the fire of a rock band. His bassist sports a flower-power sticker on his Fender axe, Jessi Colter hots things up playing organ, and his cover of Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" shows how fluidly he created music out of multiple genres. Cash offered a surprisingly honest and potent introduction to Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done" by discussingg his own drug use on location with college students.
Among the happiest-to-be-there guests is Creedence Clearwater's John Fogerty. He seems to be having a religious experience singing "Bad Moon Rising" at the Ryman, and was probably thinking about Carl Perkins (who was backstage as a member of Cash's troupe) as he picked the break. Another guitarist who had Perkins on his mind was Eric Clapton. After playing a tune with Derek and the Dominos, Clapton and Perkins happily swap licks on the latter's Sun era hit, "Matchbox," with Cash strumming and singing along. Cash was perfect at slipping in and out of his guest's sets, sitting with Ray Charles on the piano bench as he growls out an amazing gospel arrangement of "I Walk the Line," then slipping away as Charles swings into a slow, soulful version of "Ring of Fire."
Cash's entourage of Carl Perkins, The Tennessee Three, Mother Maybelle Carter and her daughters (June, Anita and Helen) and the Statler Brothers also got their share of stage time. The Tennessee Three could flatten you with the powerful, locomotive rhythm of "Big River," and June Carter Cash is featured singing the terrific original, "A Good Man," filled with the questions of day (the war, the environment, the generation gap) and an appeal to faith for solutions. Mother Maybelle can be spied playing her autoharp and picking her beloved Gibson, and of course, Cash's own musical segments find him at one of his performing peaks.
It's hard to imagine anyone else with the talent, range and personal gravitas to hold this show together from the center. Hosts like Ed Sullivan could arrange and produce shows, but only Cash could have been the performing ringmaster who worked with the musicians at their own level. It was the context of his personal endorsements that bound these disparate artists into a fluid, entertaining, educational and ultimately impactful whole. Whether or not the entire series is ever remastered and released, these two DVDs are both a solidly entertaining four hours of treasures, and a wonderfully selected overview of the series. [?2008 hyperbolium dot com]
Movie Review: dvd
Summary: 5 Stars
The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash 1969-1971
great performances of old favorites
Movie Review: whoah nellie!
Summary: 5 Stars
lot's of great performances. this set is rich with performance and low on interviews. has some interviews but not too much. ray charles and stevie wonder are amazing - sends chills down you.
not a big country fan, but the country performances here are great. george jones, t. wynette, waylon jennings, hank jr. are exceptional.
Movie Review: Short & Sweet...
Summary: 5 Stars
I was on my way home from Nam when the JC show premiered. And I had alot of catching-up to, so I didn't watch too much tv. But Thank God for recordings. The Best of the Johnny Cash TV Show 1969-1971 is awesome! GET IT! You won't be disappointed. There's a little bit for everyone, and a whole lot for some! For me, it's all good. Especially, Tony Joe White. But that's the way Johnny Cash wanted it. Screw the producers...Movie Review: an education
Summary: 5 Stars
If you love music -- any kind of music----and/or have an appreciation for set design and art direction of the lo-fi variety, this is a must. Early 70s baroque, a bit of modernism, and an eclectic hootenany of good times. If you do nothing else, read the liner notes booklet.
JC's a bit Tennesee Dracula in his finery, and I loved every minute of it.