Personnel: Johnny Cash (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Johnny Cash; Elvis Costello, Billy Joe Shaver, Bob Dylan (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Carlene Carter (vocals, background vocals); Cindy Cash, June Carter Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Anita Carter (vocals); Luther Perkins (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Dave Edmunds, Jerry Reed, Billy Lee Riley, Bob Wootton, Carl Perkins (guitar, electric guitar); Tim Goodman (guitar, banjo); Marty Stuart (guitar, mandolin); John Leventhal (guitar, keyboards); Brian Ahern (guitar, tambourine); Chips Moman, Helen Carter, J.R. Cobb , Marty Stewart, Jack Routh, James Burton, Johnny Western, Pete Wade, Red Lane, Roy Nichols, Jerry Shook (guitar); John Carter Cash (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Dale Sellers (acoustic guitar); Pete Bordonali, Martin Belmont, Reggie Young , Steuart Smith (electric guitar); Robby Turner (steel guitar, dobro); Ralph Mooney (steel guitar); Jeff Hanna (National guitar); Bobby Thompson , Joe Babcock (banjo); David Mansfield (mandocello); Jimmy Ibbotson, John McEuen (mandolin); Gordon Terry (fiddle); Terry McMillan (harmonica, percussion); Danny Petraitis, Jimmie Fadden (harmonica); Bob Carter, Jo-El Sonnier (accordion); Jack Hale, Bob Lewin (trumpet, French horn, horns); Bill McElhiney, Karl Garvin (trumpet); Tony Kadleck (flugelhorn); Larry Farrell (trombone); Jay Patten (horns); Clayton Ivey (piano, organ); Chuck Cochran, Earl Poole Ball, Jimmy Smith , Jimmy Wilson , Clifford Robertson, Marvin Hughes, Ben Tench, Larry McCoy (piano); Benmont Tench (electric piano); Glen D. Hardin, Paul Davis , Bobby Emmons, Bobby Wood (keyboards); The Edge (synthesizer, background vocals); Shane Keister (synthesizer); Nick Lowe (bass guitar); Shawn Pelton (drums, percussion); W.S. Holland , Pete Thomas , Gene Chrisman, Greg Morrow, Hal Blaine, J.M. Van Eaton, Ritchie Albright, Owen Hale (drums); Chuck Turner, Richard Morris , Farrell Morris (percussion); Lynn Langham, Donivan Cowart, Evangel Temple Choir, Confederates, Ed Bruce, Sara Bruce, Asa Wilkerson, Don Carter, Bill Abbott, Nita Smith, Hoyt Axton, Cyd Mosteller, Lee Holt, Jan Howard, Barbara Bennett, Judy Rodman, Malcolm Yelvington, The Carter Family, Gene Lowery, The Jordanaires, Tommy Cash , Louis Dean Nunley, Marshall Grant, Laura Cash , Hershel Wigginton, Wendy Suits (background vocals); Waylon Jennings (vocals, guitar); Rodney Crowell (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Mother Maybelle Carter (vocals, acoustic guitar, autoharp); Rosanne Cash, Ray Charles (vocals); Randy Scruggs, Billy Sanford (guitar, acoustic guitar); Norman Blake (guitar, dobro); Bob Johnson (guitar, banjo, lute, mandocello); Doc Watson, Jack Clement, Jerry Hensley, Merle Watson, Ray Edenton (guitar); Don Helms, Pete Drake (steel guitar); Rufus Long (flute); Charlie McCoy (harmonica); Floyd Cramer, Bill Pursell (piano); Larry Butler , Hargus "Pig" Robbins (keyboards); Brian Eno (synthesizer); Kenny Malone (drums, percussion); Buddy Harman (drums); Flood (loops).
Liner Note Authors: Patrick Carr; Gregg Geller.
Recording information: Ashland, NC (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Folsom Prison, CA (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Fox Force Five Recorders, Hollywood, CA (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Hendersonville, TN (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Hollywood, CA (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); London, England (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Memphis, TN (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Nashville, TN (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); Quad Studios, Nashville, TN (04/02/1956-11/??/2004); San Quentin Prison, CA (04/02/1956-11/??/2004).
Illustrator: Martin Burckhardt.
Arranger: Johnny Cash.
Few artists in any genre can rival the recorded legacy of Johnny Cash, so it's impressive that Columbia took on the daunting task of compiling a box set that spans his career from 1955 to 2002. While this collection doesn't feature tracks from any of Cash's acclaimed albums for the American label, it does present a few songs recorded during that '90s/early-'00s era, offering listeners selections that touch upon each decade of the country superstar's studio output.
With its thematically arranged CDs, THE LEGEND revisits a number of Cash's finest Sun singles, showcasing his unmistakable deep voice and signature "boom-chicka-boom" sound on classics such as "I Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues." The bulk of the songs here, however, come from Cash's extensive Columbia '58-'86 run, most notably the passionate "Ring of Fire" (co-penned by his future wife, June Carter) and "A Boy Named Sue," his tongue-in-cheek narrative hit. The fourth disc focuses on Cash's many collaborations, presenting the Man in Black paired with everyone from the Carter Family to Bob Dylan to U2. While longtime Cash fans may own many of these recordings, this set is ideal for aficionados of his latter-day American albums who want an excellent overview of his truly legendary history.
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (No. 985, p.82) - 4.5 out of 5 stars - "...even without his astonishing final chapter, this is a feast of Cash."
Spin (p.107) - "[T]his four-disc box has all the great old stuff, plus a sprinkling from his Rick Rubin-produced renaissance."
Uncut (p.132) - 5 stars out of 5 - "Prolific, restless, ambitious and contradictory, Cash became a genre unto himself, swerving from rockabilly to gospel, drug-addled outlawry to staunch moralism, homespun folk to grand Nashville productions."
