Folsom

Liner Notes Written By Robert Lester Folsom

Anthology Recordings is pleased to present Ode To A
Rainy Day: Archives 1972-1975, a collection of previously
unreleased home recordings from Robert Lester Folsom.
The 13 tracks in this collection capture the halcyon,
wide-eyed experiments of Folsom who, after going
halves in a reel-to-reel tape recorder with a friend,
recorded all of this material over college summer breaks
in barns, screened porches and bedrooms across Adel,
Georgia. Folsom crafts a delicate form of folk-rock, with
a knack for penning gorgeous ballads (See You Later
I'm Gone, Can't See You), spellbinding instrumental
explorations (Oblivion) and elements of dusty
psychedelia (the farfisa-peppered Written In Your Hair
and On And On). There are echoes of Neil Young
(Southern Man was a favorite cover of Folsom's), Nick
Drake and early Fairport Convention in Folsom's form
and lyricism, that would later become more realized on
his full-length Music And Dreams (1976). Perhaps just as
precious as the songs revived in this collection is the
youthful sense of excitement and experimentation that
has been captured and preserved.

Music And Dreams is a shimmering, unbuttoned-collar
collection of songs by south Georgia's Robert Lester
Folsom. Originally released on private press in 1976,
there's a professionally rendered and vaguely
psychedelic quality to these songs that belies its
rarified, limited original release. Music And Dreams
spans breezy soft rock (Biding My Time, My Stove's
On Fire), and gorgeous sunset ballads such as
Brown Eyed Lady With Blonde Hair.

Features Johnny's all-time greatest songs, including I Walk The Line, Ring Of Fire, Folsom Prison Blues, Man In Black and A Boy Named Sue.

Johnny Cash's Debut Album, and the First Ever LP
Release from Sun Records

Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar is the debut
album from the 'Man in Black', featuring hits like I
Walk The Line and Folsom Prison Blues. Released in
1957, it was the first LP ever issued on Sam Phillips'
Sun Records label.

Johnny Cashs five-decade musical career was loaded with bigger-than-life landmark moments. None were more memorable than the Man in Blacks historic concerts at Folsom Prison and San Quentin State Prison, and the beloved albums that documented those shows. Cashs passion for prison reform and rehabilitation inspired him to perform a series of concerts for inmate audiences, and two of these unique events were documented on Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison and Johnny Cash at San Quentin. These albums, originally released in 1968 and 1969 respectively, remain among Cashs best-selling and best-loved recordings. At the time of their original release, they revitalized his career, and played a crucial role in his crossover from the country music world to the mainstream pop charts.

FIRST TIME ON VINYL

The birth of country cool! The Johnny Cash you hear on these two remarkable live per formances is not the venerable legend of today. This was the young, feral Cash, full of piss, vinegar and sly orneriness. Even to those who know every note, joke and guitar lick on Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison or San Quentin, hearing Cash in his prime, aided and abetted by the Tennessee Two, guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant, is a revelation. These historic documents, sourced directly from the 1958 and 1959 kinescope reels, capture Cash in his most revolutionary days, laying the bedrock of all that was to come anddespite age and infirmitiescontinues today.

FIRST TIME ON VINYL

The birth of country cool! The Johnny Cash you hear on these two remarkable live performances is not the venerable legend of today. This was the young, feral Cash, full of piss, vinegar and sly orneriness. Even to those who know every note, joke and guitar lick on Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison or San Quentin, hearing Cash in his prime, aided and abetted by the Tennessee Two, guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant, is a revelation. These historic documents, sourced directly from the 1958 and 1959 kinescope reels, capture Cash in his most revolutionary days, laying the bedrock of all that was to come and -despite age and infirmities- continues today.

The energy that Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three captured on the legendary Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison record can probably never be duplicated. That being said, Hello, I'm Johnny Cash comes very close. This forgotten album is arguably one of the five best albums in the Cash discography. It is fueled by superb original Cash songs and well executed covers. It contains "See Ruby Fall" (co-written with Roy Orbison) and one of his best '70s hits, "Blistered." The lean, minimalist instrumentation of the Tennessee Three ensures the album with great rhythm, leaving Johnny Cash's voice as affective as ever. The album itself reached No. 1 on the country charts and No. 6 on the pop charts.

The Clash, opening for The Who on their farewell U.S. tour played two nights at the legendary Shea Stadium (12th & 13th Oct 1982). They had recently released the Combat Rock album, and the singles Rock The Casbah and Should I Stay Or Should I Go were enjoying mass audiences via MTV and radio airplay. Despite being the support act, the New York Post reported there were as many Clash fans on those nights as Who fans.

Recorded by Glyn Johns, the album features the second nights performance in its entirety and shows the band at a fascinating and pivotal point in their career. They had risen from punk agitators to arena superstars and would break up less than a year later. One of the few remaining unreleased Clash treasures, the recordings have long been sought after by fans and were unearthed by the late Joe Strummer while packing for a move. This is a legendary Clash concert. More than an album, its an event.

Since the release of his debut single All On Me earlier this year, the California-native has already made his TV debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers,landed multiple Grand Ole Opry performances, and received critical praise from a multitude of outlets including. His unique mix of organic roots and high-voltage country is showcased masterfully on his forthcoming debut Dark Horse,produced by the daring Jay Joyce(Eric Church,Little Big Town,Brothers Osborne). With a co-write credit on every track, the result will further establish Dawson's building reputation as a dark horse set to emerge as one of the most exciting modern storytellers the format has ever seen.

On Oct. 17, 2001, Mark Collie came to Brushy Mountain with a sheaf of newly written songs about crime and punishment and an all-star band for a pair of performances that were recorded for a live album release. Mostly, though, Collie showed up at Brushy Mountain with a mission.

God gave me the opportunity to get in there and share something that might make a difference, he says. I believed the songs could matter. I wanted to make something that people could find hope in, or redemption, or restoration, or forgiveness.

His close friendship with country icon Johnny Cash supplied the principal inspiration for his own prison recording. Collie was well aware of Cash's celebrated 1968-69 live albums recorded at California's Folsom and San Quentin penitentiaries. He also knew the impact that a 1959 performance at the latter facility had on Inmate #A-45200, better known as the legendary country star Merle Haggard. Without Johnny going to San Quentin, Collie says, there might not have been a Merle Haggard. A lot of lives were changed or made better as a result of that music. Collie began writing his own cycle of prison songs.

A top-flight crew of musicians was assembled, including guitarist Dave Grissom (John Mellencamp, Joe Ely), keyboardist Mike Utley (Jimmy Buffett, the Dixie Flyers), guitarist-mandolinist Tommy Burroughs (Memphis Riverbluff Clan), Collie's longtime accordionist Hassel Tekkle, bassist Willie Weeks (the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, B.B. King), drummer Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler), and guitarist-fiddler-vocalist and solo star Shawn Camp. Austin-based critics darling Kelly Willis, who takes lead vocals on two tracks, also supplied backup vocals on several numbers; the late Texas blues giant Clarence Gatemouth Brown is the album's other special guest.

Alive at Brushy Mountain embraces a breadth of American styles - country, blues, gospel, bluegrass, and rock n roll. It largely comprises striking original material, which contemplates the convict's lot with compassion, keen detail, and sometimes boisterous humor.

First Time Gatefold Cover Art Featuring Rare Color Photo Of The Legendary Man In Black From The Sony Music Archives

Johnny Cash was born during the great depression into a poor family in Arkansas. At a very young age, he worked on the family farm and experienced many of life's struggles. This is also the time he would develop his love for music, family and the Bible, which followed him closely throughout his long career.

In the early fifties after spending time in the Air Force, he moved to Memphis, became friends with folks like Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, and ultimately cut some sides at Sun Studios which became the catalyst that would kick-start the beginnings of a soon to be worldwide superstar, troubadour and humanitarian unlike the world has ever known.

The folks at Columbia Records knew that this young fellow named Johnny Cash was destined for super stardom. They quickly signed the legend to a long-term deal, and his first singles like his Guess Things Happen That Way & Hey Porter etched The Man In Black trademark to his name.

In 1971 after many chart-topping country and pop albums and a bevy of hit singles and Grammy Awards, more fame followed as the brass at Columbia Records honored their journeyman Johnny Cash with his 2nd greatest hits collection, the gold and platinum smash Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits Volume II.

The album was a blockbuster as it hit the Top 5 in the charts, making this a crossover hit with both country and pop audiences, proving once again that his career was of historic merit. Filled with more hits than a roadside jukebox, the amazing album features his biggest hits like the groundbreaking Folsom Prison Blues and his Shel Silverstein classic A Boy Named Sue. The classic top charter duet with June Carter Cash If I Were A Carpenter is also included, followed up by one of his finest interpretations of his dear friend Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Mornin' Comin'Down.

More treasures follow with the country belter Big River and Cash's gospel smash of Daddy Sang Bass, which truly continues the treasure trove of hits contained in this masterwork.

In total, the album showcases eleven important Johnny Cash recordings which have truly gone on to become international classics for all time.

In honor of the Man, the Music and the Legend, Friday Music is very honored to announce the first time 180 Gram Audiophile Translucent Blue Vinyl release of the Columbia Records classic Johnny Cash Greatest Hits Volume II by Johnny Cash.

As another fine installment in our exciting Johnny Cash 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl Series, we are very pleased to present this masterwork in all its stereophonic glory. Mastered impeccably by Joe Reagoso at Friday Music Studios and Capitol Mastering and manufactured at R.T.I., Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits Volume II will be a much-anticipated audiophile dream release for his fans everywhere!

For this exclusive limited edition presentation, we are also including for the first time ever gatefold artwork which includes the groundbreaking original LP cover artwork and a rare inside photo of the legend directly from the Sony Music Archives.

As usual, we are also enclosing a poly bag to protect your album cover and poly lined inner sleeve to help keep your Johnny Cash vinyl in mint shape. Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits Volume II A history making album from a historic legend, an audiophile dream release First-time gatefold cover is now an audiophile vinyl dream on true blue vinyl come true From your friends at Friday Music

Stay tuned for more Johnny Cash original Columbia Records audiophile vinyl and remastered compact disc recordings from Friday Music.

Johnny Cash was a country legend even during his lifetime, although, or perhaps because, he was very different from the numerous country singers with chequered shirts. When performing he chose to wear black as a symbol of solidarity with the oppressed and those who had no rights. His chosen outlaw image was just as convincing as the train-like boom-tiddy-boom sound of his rhythm group who lent their typical sound to many of his 500 songs.

At the very zenith of his career, Cash (who himself had committed a few minor offenses) had the idea of singing and playing for the bad guys behind the prison walls for nothing. Initially his suggestion to market the live recording was rejected, but finally his record company decided to release the album At Folsom Prison. Fired by the success of his jailhouse recording, Columbia Records released At San Quentin shortly afterwards. The recording, in which Cash and his combo were frenetically applauded more or less at the end of each verse, exceeded all expectations. Today it is still considered by Cash fans to be the best live recording by the 'man in black'.

Musicians:

• Johnny Cash (vocals, guitar)


• June Carter Cash, Carter Family (voc)


• Bob Wootton (electric guitar)


• Marshall Grant (bass)


• W.S. Holland (drums)

Recording: 24 February 1969 live at San Quentin State Prison, USA, by Neil Wilburn and Bob Breault

Production: Bob Johnston

About Speakers Corner

At the beginning of the 90s, in the early days of audiophile vinyl re-releases, the situation was fairly straightforward. Companies such as DCC, Mobile Fidelity, Classic Records and, of course, Speakers Corner all maintained a mutual, unwritten ethical code: we would only use analogue tapes to manufacture records.

During the course of the present vinyl hype, many others have jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing a corner of the market. Very often they are not so ethical and use every imaginable source to master from: CDs, LPs, digital files, MP3s - or employed existant tools from the 80s and 90s for manufacturing.

A digital delay is gladly used when cutting a lacquer disc because tape machines with an analogue delay have become quite rare and are therefore expensive. When cutting the lacquer, the audio signal is delayed by one LP revolution against the signal, which controls the cutter head, and for this a digital delay is very often employed. Of course, the resultant sound signal is completely digital and thus only as good as this delay.

We should like to emphasise that Speakers Corner Records on principle only uses the original master tape as the basis for the entirely analogue cutting of lacquer discs. In addition, the pressing tool is newly manufactured as a matter of principle. We have one digital recording in our catalogue (Alan Parsons / Eye In The Sky"), but even in this particular case we used the analogue tapes for cutting.

We only employ existing tools for manufacturing if an improved result is not forthcoming, e.g. the title Elvis Is Back, which was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, or several titles from our Philips Classics series, which in any case Willem Makkee cut from the original masters at the Emil Berliner Studios in the 90s. It goes without saying that we only used the mother and that new tools were made for our production.

To put it in a nutshell: we can ensure you that our releases are free from any kind of digital effects - excluding the exception above - and that the lacquer discs are newly cut.

Pressed On Blue & White 180-Gram Colored Vinyl

"With His Hot And Blue Guitar" is the debut album by American country star Johnny Cash, released on October 11, 1957. The album contained four of his hit singles: "I Walk the Line," "Cry! Cry! Cry!," "So Doggone Lonesome," and "Folsom Prison Blues." "Sings The Songs That Made Him Famous" is Johnny Cash' second album and is wall-to-wall classic early Cash's, and wall-to-wall hit singles. Eleven of the original twelve tracks (everything except for a cover of Hank Williams' "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You))" hit the top-10 of the county charts (with four #1s!).

From the minute he walked into Sun Studios, Johnny Cash began a career that would see him become one of the biggest and most influential musicians of our time. Though only on Sun from 1955-58, Johnny made some of his most legendary recordings there. When he moved on to Columbia Records, Johnny left behind a large cache of material which Sun happily compiled and released on LPs throughout the 60's, mixing Cash's singles-sides with previously unissued recordings. The resulting platters were a goldmine for fans eager to hear more from country's newest superstar. From the original Sun masters, featuring many raw, in-the-studio sides (sans overdubs) - the Man in Black has never sounded better!