Johnny Cash's America

It’s been five years since Johnny Cash died, but the reprises and compilations of his work keep on coming.  The latest, a music CD/DVD set, “Johnny Cash’s America,” happens to be one of the exceptionally good collections. 

Cash has a way of putting history to music and the songs on the album cover much of America’s growing pains. Tracks like “Pickin Time” and “All of God’s Children Ain’t Free” tell stories of the early South, while Custer’s battle is mentioned in “Big Foot” and then the CD moves on to the more current “Singing in Vietnam Talkin’ Blues” (you can easily substitute Iraq or Afghanistan for Vietnam) . 

Of course, if your compiling American music you have to include two Cash hits – “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Man in Black” which are included here and what better way to end the historical trip but with Woody Guthrie’s best, “This Land is Your Land” and the final track “I Am the Nation.”