What do you think?
Rate this book
Johnny Cash: The Life
The national bestseller celebrated as "the ultimate Johnny Cash biography . . . Rock writer great Robert Hilburn goes deep." -- Rolling Stone
In this, the definitive biography of an American legend, Robert Hilburn conveys the unvarnished truth about a musical superstar. Johnny Cash's extraordinary career stretched from his days at Sun Records with Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis to the remarkable creative last hurrah, at age 69, that resulted in the brave, moving "Hurt" video.
As music critic for the Los Angeles Times , Hilburn knew Cash throughout his he was the only music journalist at the legendary Folsom Prison concert in 1968, and he interviewed both Cash and his wife June Carter just months before their deaths. Drawing upon a trove of never-before-seen material from the singer's inner circle, Hilburn creates an utterly compelling, deeply human portrait of a towering figure in country music, a seminal influence in rock, and an icon of American popular culture. Hilburn's reporting shows the astonishing highs and deep lows that marked the journey of a man of great faith and humbling addiction who throughout his life strove to use his music to lift people's spirits.
In this, the definitive biography of an American legend, Robert Hilburn conveys the unvarnished truth about a musical superstar. Johnny Cash's extraordinary career stretched from his days at Sun Records with Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis to the remarkable creative last hurrah, at age 69, that resulted in the brave, moving "Hurt" video.
As music critic for the Los Angeles Times , Hilburn knew Cash throughout his he was the only music journalist at the legendary Folsom Prison concert in 1968, and he interviewed both Cash and his wife June Carter just months before their deaths. Drawing upon a trove of never-before-seen material from the singer's inner circle, Hilburn creates an utterly compelling, deeply human portrait of a towering figure in country music, a seminal influence in rock, and an icon of American popular culture. Hilburn's reporting shows the astonishing highs and deep lows that marked the journey of a man of great faith and humbling addiction who throughout his life strove to use his music to lift people's spirits.
688 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2013
667 people are currently reading
6122 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 533 reviews
October 3, 2013
Johnny Cash: The Life is a biography of Johnny Cash.
I've been a Johnny Cash fan for couple decades but most of what I knew of the man was from his music and Walk the Line and a couple VH1 specials so when I saw this come up on Netgalley, I thought I'd give it a read.
The Life is a well-written chronicle of Johnny Cash's life and career, starting from his childhood in Arkansas to his time in the army and his steady rise into a music icon to his death. Walk the Line was just the sanitized tip of the iceberg.
This is no white-washed account of things. Maybe because most of the principal people involved are dead, this book doesn't pull any punches. While I knew Cash had a drug problem, I had no idea how big it was. Fifteen Dexedrines a day for almost a decade is crazy. Did you know Johnny Cash once let a fire get out of control in a drunken and drugged haze that killed some endangered condors? Or that he had lots of affairs, not just with June Carter, while he was married to his first wife Vivian? Or that he cheated on June with her sister? Or that he wasn't too keen on Elvis?
There were a lot of good things as well, like donating money to people he read about in the paper, or getting Glen Sherley, the guy who wrote Greystone Chapel that Cash performed on the legendary Live at Folsom Prison album, paroled.
Cash's career had its share of ups and downs, stemming to his drug use, and later, alienating a portion of his audience by focusing on religious themed music, sliding into irrelevance with the dawn of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and other outlaw country acts that he inspired.
One person I feel bad for, aside from his family, is Marshall Grant. Not only did Marshall play bass for Johnny for decades, he also kept the ship running smoothly and kept Johnny from dying on countless occasions. I wasn't surprised when Marshall later sued Cash. I would have sued the bastard, too.
Honestly, the book got sadder and sadder as it went. Everyone knew Cash's best days were behind him once 1980 hit except for him. By then, all the abuse he'd put his body through had caught up to him. Going from Columbia to Mercury didn't help much.
After a few surgeries, going bankrupt, and getting dropped by Mercury, things didn't get good for Cash until meeting Rick Rubin. From there, the American recordings, and the end of the trail for both June and John.
The story of Cash finishing American IV on sheer willpower reminds me of Warren Zevon, who died the same week as Cash, forcing himself to finish his final album before the curtain fell.
The Life was a very informative look into the life of Johnny Cash. And now, since I can't think of another way to wrap this up, my ten favorite Johnny Cash songs, in no particular order. Yes, I'm aware that a couple of them are only covers.
- Ring of Fire
- One Piece at a Time
- Orange Blossom Special
- Folsom Prison Blues
- A Boy Named Sue
- Long Black Veil
- Give my Love to Rose
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Hurt
- When the Man Comes Around
I've been a Johnny Cash fan for couple decades but most of what I knew of the man was from his music and Walk the Line and a couple VH1 specials so when I saw this come up on Netgalley, I thought I'd give it a read.
The Life is a well-written chronicle of Johnny Cash's life and career, starting from his childhood in Arkansas to his time in the army and his steady rise into a music icon to his death. Walk the Line was just the sanitized tip of the iceberg.
This is no white-washed account of things. Maybe because most of the principal people involved are dead, this book doesn't pull any punches. While I knew Cash had a drug problem, I had no idea how big it was. Fifteen Dexedrines a day for almost a decade is crazy. Did you know Johnny Cash once let a fire get out of control in a drunken and drugged haze that killed some endangered condors? Or that he had lots of affairs, not just with June Carter, while he was married to his first wife Vivian? Or that he cheated on June with her sister? Or that he wasn't too keen on Elvis?
There were a lot of good things as well, like donating money to people he read about in the paper, or getting Glen Sherley, the guy who wrote Greystone Chapel that Cash performed on the legendary Live at Folsom Prison album, paroled.
Cash's career had its share of ups and downs, stemming to his drug use, and later, alienating a portion of his audience by focusing on religious themed music, sliding into irrelevance with the dawn of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and other outlaw country acts that he inspired.
One person I feel bad for, aside from his family, is Marshall Grant. Not only did Marshall play bass for Johnny for decades, he also kept the ship running smoothly and kept Johnny from dying on countless occasions. I wasn't surprised when Marshall later sued Cash. I would have sued the bastard, too.
Honestly, the book got sadder and sadder as it went. Everyone knew Cash's best days were behind him once 1980 hit except for him. By then, all the abuse he'd put his body through had caught up to him. Going from Columbia to Mercury didn't help much.
After a few surgeries, going bankrupt, and getting dropped by Mercury, things didn't get good for Cash until meeting Rick Rubin. From there, the American recordings, and the end of the trail for both June and John.
The story of Cash finishing American IV on sheer willpower reminds me of Warren Zevon, who died the same week as Cash, forcing himself to finish his final album before the curtain fell.
The Life was a very informative look into the life of Johnny Cash. And now, since I can't think of another way to wrap this up, my ten favorite Johnny Cash songs, in no particular order. Yes, I'm aware that a couple of them are only covers.
- Ring of Fire
- One Piece at a Time
- Orange Blossom Special
- Folsom Prison Blues
- A Boy Named Sue
- Long Black Veil
- Give my Love to Rose
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Hurt
- When the Man Comes Around
May 31, 2018
It feels as if I've been listening to Johnny Cash my whole life. My dad loved his music, so I grew up loving it, too. It was the soundtrack to a lot of family car trips when I was a kid, and I can remember lying in the backseat and hearing dad sing along as he drove. I didn't know anything about Johnny Cash the man, but I sure loved his deep voice.
A few weeks ago I had the chance to visit Nashville for the first time, and I took along this biography, in part because Cash had lived in Nashville, and in part so I could discuss the book with my dad. When I started the audiobook, which was ably performed by Charles Pittard, my only expectation was to be somewhat entertained during the long road trip. But I ended up really liking it and got emotionally invested in the story of Cash's life.
Hilburn, who wrote for the Los Angeles Times, had been covering Johnny Cash for decades and had a wealth of good material, including interviews with Cash, his family, and other musicians. Hilburn includes references to Cash's own memoirs and other books written about Cash. As a fan of the 2005 movie "Walk the Line," I also appreciated that Hilburn mentioned several stories related to that film production.
In all, this was a satisfying and in-depth portrait of a complicated man. After finishing the book, I spent several hours listening to Cash's music. His voice made me travel back in time, and I felt like a kid again. Here's to you, Johnny.
Opening Passage
"The two-and-a-half-mile walk from the Cash family's five-room, federally assisted farmhouse in rural Dyess, Arkansas, to the town center was just long enough for young J.R. to work up a head full of dreams. For years, the third son of Ray and Carrie Cash walked the narrow gravel road with his schoolboy pals, all of them fantasizing about being cowboy movie stars like Gene Autry and Tex Ritter. But J.R. most enjoyed walking the road alone, especially at night, when the darkness felt like a shield against the rest of the world, leaving him free to pursue a dream that was far more important than he wanted to admit."
A few weeks ago I had the chance to visit Nashville for the first time, and I took along this biography, in part because Cash had lived in Nashville, and in part so I could discuss the book with my dad. When I started the audiobook, which was ably performed by Charles Pittard, my only expectation was to be somewhat entertained during the long road trip. But I ended up really liking it and got emotionally invested in the story of Cash's life.
Hilburn, who wrote for the Los Angeles Times, had been covering Johnny Cash for decades and had a wealth of good material, including interviews with Cash, his family, and other musicians. Hilburn includes references to Cash's own memoirs and other books written about Cash. As a fan of the 2005 movie "Walk the Line," I also appreciated that Hilburn mentioned several stories related to that film production.
In all, this was a satisfying and in-depth portrait of a complicated man. After finishing the book, I spent several hours listening to Cash's music. His voice made me travel back in time, and I felt like a kid again. Here's to you, Johnny.
Opening Passage
"The two-and-a-half-mile walk from the Cash family's five-room, federally assisted farmhouse in rural Dyess, Arkansas, to the town center was just long enough for young J.R. to work up a head full of dreams. For years, the third son of Ray and Carrie Cash walked the narrow gravel road with his schoolboy pals, all of them fantasizing about being cowboy movie stars like Gene Autry and Tex Ritter. But J.R. most enjoyed walking the road alone, especially at night, when the darkness felt like a shield against the rest of the world, leaving him free to pursue a dream that was far more important than he wanted to admit."
November 13, 2013
I feel this book is a must read for the hard-core Cash fan. If you think the story depicted in the movie Walk the Line is the whole story,(like I did) then read this and understand why Johnny Cash the man, was so different than Johnny Cash the legend and superstar. The book does get a little bogged down when discussing Cash's religious feelings, and spirituality, but I felt like it was necessary because understanding Cash's spiritual journey, is important in order to be able to understand Johnny Cash, the man. This biography also discusses Cash, the father, and Cash,the husband. He was not always perfect or great at being those things, but he struggled daily with trying to be better at these roles. He did not always succeed. This was an enlightening, well written read. I can whole-heartedly recommend this to any Johnny Cash fan, but be warned, you will have to take off your rose colored glasses as your eyes will be opened to aspects of the legend and hero, that were not always heroic. He struggled with horrible drug addiction, spiritual darkness and real pain on a daily basis, his whole life, but always seemed to be able to come back into the light with his music, family and spirituality. A great read about a larger than life man who managed to be a hero to millions of people (including myself) despite all the odds working against him. 5 stars and best reads pile.
November 9, 2014
I tend to not read biographies of artists I greatly admire because I usually end up finding them reprehensible and lose my respect for them as creative people. A recent attempt to read a bio of Van Gogh ended in disaster and I had to give up halfway through because his being-a-prick almost turned me off of him forever.
Luckily, I already knew the worst of Cash, his problems with drugs, his infidelities, and his problems with drugs. Even better, as this incredible, epic biography shows, Cash exploited the weaker, darker angles of his nature to great effect, reconstructing himself as an artist time and time again when his self-inflicted (usually) adversities got the better of him.
Now, this isn't a gossipy, scandalous kind of biography. If anything, it is a study of Cash, the man, as a musician, artist, and lyricist. As I hinted, though, it is impossible to divorce this from Cash, the tormented. Riddled with demons and daemons alike, Cash's life was one of diversity, darkness, and ultimate triumph. His career spanned decades, with that huge dip in the center in the 1970s and 1980s when no one listened to his music, his health problems got worse and so on. It is this period and the period of the Rick Rubin recordings that I found most fascinating.
Yes, yes, we've all seen the Jouagagin Phoenix movie and we know the story of early, reckless Johnny Cash, the Sun Records Johnny Cash, the Folsom Johnny Cash. But to me, the best and most surprising bits was the latter day Cash, tormented and tortured by physical pain, deteriorating health, and a flagging career. Reduced to playing Wayne Newton-esque shows at tourist resorts, it is a wonder Cash survived his fall as long as he did.
The last decade of his life, when Hilburn was apparently with him a lot, interviewing him and the people around him, saw Cash rebound artistically. With the help of the sympathetic Rick Rubin who let Cash redefine himself in the studio, the two recorded a string of successful albums that made Cash relevant again. Or, better, reminded everyone of how relevant he was.
Touching, depressing, and torturous, there is more dark than light to this story. But, hell, it's the Man in Black. What'd you expect?
Luckily, I already knew the worst of Cash, his problems with drugs, his infidelities, and his problems with drugs. Even better, as this incredible, epic biography shows, Cash exploited the weaker, darker angles of his nature to great effect, reconstructing himself as an artist time and time again when his self-inflicted (usually) adversities got the better of him.
Now, this isn't a gossipy, scandalous kind of biography. If anything, it is a study of Cash, the man, as a musician, artist, and lyricist. As I hinted, though, it is impossible to divorce this from Cash, the tormented. Riddled with demons and daemons alike, Cash's life was one of diversity, darkness, and ultimate triumph. His career spanned decades, with that huge dip in the center in the 1970s and 1980s when no one listened to his music, his health problems got worse and so on. It is this period and the period of the Rick Rubin recordings that I found most fascinating.
Yes, yes, we've all seen the Jouagagin Phoenix movie and we know the story of early, reckless Johnny Cash, the Sun Records Johnny Cash, the Folsom Johnny Cash. But to me, the best and most surprising bits was the latter day Cash, tormented and tortured by physical pain, deteriorating health, and a flagging career. Reduced to playing Wayne Newton-esque shows at tourist resorts, it is a wonder Cash survived his fall as long as he did.
The last decade of his life, when Hilburn was apparently with him a lot, interviewing him and the people around him, saw Cash rebound artistically. With the help of the sympathetic Rick Rubin who let Cash redefine himself in the studio, the two recorded a string of successful albums that made Cash relevant again. Or, better, reminded everyone of how relevant he was.
Touching, depressing, and torturous, there is more dark than light to this story. But, hell, it's the Man in Black. What'd you expect?
June 8, 2017
“Everyone I know goes away in the end”
Johnny Cash, defined the country music for much of his life. Robert Hilburn follows the iconic singer from his first steps in the music, to his bitter end.
Not only his musical career is examined, his personal life is also dealt with. His first marriage to Vivian, his second marriage with his true love June Carter. His addiction to drugs. His never ending urges to make music his way.
Although his succes waned during the latter years of his life, tragically, at the end of his life he had his greatest revival with his last album When The Man Comes Round, perhaps his best album of his life.
Robert Hilburn gives a good introduction to the life and music of Johnny Cash, although this biography may hold not much suprises for the more die hard Johnny Cash fan.
“What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way"
Johnny Cash, defined the country music for much of his life. Robert Hilburn follows the iconic singer from his first steps in the music, to his bitter end.
Not only his musical career is examined, his personal life is also dealt with. His first marriage to Vivian, his second marriage with his true love June Carter. His addiction to drugs. His never ending urges to make music his way.
Although his succes waned during the latter years of his life, tragically, at the end of his life he had his greatest revival with his last album When The Man Comes Round, perhaps his best album of his life.
Robert Hilburn gives a good introduction to the life and music of Johnny Cash, although this biography may hold not much suprises for the more die hard Johnny Cash fan.
“What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way"
December 8, 2013
Three things I didn’t know about Johnny Cash:
* Billy Graham was a close friend, and Cash testified at many evangelical Christian “crusade” performances.
* Rick Rubin wanted him to cover Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” but he refused.
* He recorded (and later hated) a song called “The Chicken in Black.” The song is a story about Mr. Cash switching brains with a chicken. The video’s one of the worst ever made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljxywt...
Beyond trivia, however, Robert Hilburn’s Johnny Cash: The Life is as good a book about music as I’ve read in years. Hilburn’s intense commitment to the subject’s integrity results in what appears an honest, professional, well-written biography. He doesn’t dance around judgments about Mr. Cash’s actions and motivations but treats the man’s story with respect. Cash’s story, true, is one of the more compelling celebrity tales of the last century, in my mind, but in the wrong hands the history could get saccharine or poisonous quickly. Hilburn seamlessly melds interviews with key figures and analysis of the records (and I had no idea Cash released so many) around a narrative vital, in my eyes, to the American psyche. There’s something about Mr. Cash that resonates with many American men that goes beyond, I think, the singer’s tough guy persona. He’s flawed and vulnerable and (no pun intended) hurt, but he’s not to be fucked with. He’s an evangelical Christian counted among rock and roll’s heroes. He’s of my parents’ generation yet venerated by mine. Johnny Cash: The Life’s last few chapters, where Hilburn focuses on the singer’s partnership with Rick Rubin, describe the singer’s desperate desire to make meaningful records as neared death. His American Recordings albums are fucking amazing. I laughed when Cash tells Rubin “I want to make a record that offends Johnny Cash fans” after years on the Branson/casino circuit, and I’m not ashamed to say I teared up as his health fails during his final recordings. I’m not a huge country music guy but I need to dig deeper, I think, into the link Cash forged between rock and roll and the best of country music. So, sure, he made that chicken video, but “Hurt” is also the best video ever made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aF9AJ...
The book reveals June Carter Cash knew she would die soon when she filmed her scenes in the video and that Cash’s spilling of the wine on the table was unrehearsed. Hell yes, Mr. Cash. Hell yes. There’s something about you that runs deep in America. Hell yes.
* Billy Graham was a close friend, and Cash testified at many evangelical Christian “crusade” performances.
* Rick Rubin wanted him to cover Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” but he refused.
* He recorded (and later hated) a song called “The Chicken in Black.” The song is a story about Mr. Cash switching brains with a chicken. The video’s one of the worst ever made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljxywt...
Beyond trivia, however, Robert Hilburn’s Johnny Cash: The Life is as good a book about music as I’ve read in years. Hilburn’s intense commitment to the subject’s integrity results in what appears an honest, professional, well-written biography. He doesn’t dance around judgments about Mr. Cash’s actions and motivations but treats the man’s story with respect. Cash’s story, true, is one of the more compelling celebrity tales of the last century, in my mind, but in the wrong hands the history could get saccharine or poisonous quickly. Hilburn seamlessly melds interviews with key figures and analysis of the records (and I had no idea Cash released so many) around a narrative vital, in my eyes, to the American psyche. There’s something about Mr. Cash that resonates with many American men that goes beyond, I think, the singer’s tough guy persona. He’s flawed and vulnerable and (no pun intended) hurt, but he’s not to be fucked with. He’s an evangelical Christian counted among rock and roll’s heroes. He’s of my parents’ generation yet venerated by mine. Johnny Cash: The Life’s last few chapters, where Hilburn focuses on the singer’s partnership with Rick Rubin, describe the singer’s desperate desire to make meaningful records as neared death. His American Recordings albums are fucking amazing. I laughed when Cash tells Rubin “I want to make a record that offends Johnny Cash fans” after years on the Branson/casino circuit, and I’m not ashamed to say I teared up as his health fails during his final recordings. I’m not a huge country music guy but I need to dig deeper, I think, into the link Cash forged between rock and roll and the best of country music. So, sure, he made that chicken video, but “Hurt” is also the best video ever made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aF9AJ...
The book reveals June Carter Cash knew she would die soon when she filmed her scenes in the video and that Cash’s spilling of the wine on the table was unrehearsed. Hell yes, Mr. Cash. Hell yes. There’s something about you that runs deep in America. Hell yes.
abandoned
March 1, 2023Another book on my 'abandoned' shelf that I really want to rate, though. I've abandoned this book just because I know I probably won't return to it anytime soon. I've had this book for years and am a very big fan of Johnny Cash. I know a lot about this man's life and therefore this book was interesting to read as I definitely learned a lot. I stranded somewhere in the late 1970s in Cash's life story, and however I think it's still interesting, I am sure I won't pick up this book anytime soon, so the chances are that it will take years before I continue or reread this. It was an interesting read, but it has been years, so I can't rate it properly.
August 6, 2022
This is a detailed history of Johnny Cash's life and song-writing and recording career. Very interesting to know the backstory of many of his songs and of his interactions with other musicians of his time.
This book deals honestly and openly with the many issues with which Johnny Cash struggled. He was a definitely a tortured man as he had a strong belief in Christ, yet was constantly plagued by his drug addiction. His life is a very vivid example of the struggle his hero, the Apostle Paul, described in Romans 7.
I give only three stars because of how much the author's personal aversion to religion affects how he presents Johnny Cash's spiritual beliefs. In the 80's when Johnny chose to focus on Bible study and family time, the author only showed how detrimental this was to his musical career. He frequently alluded to Johnny Cash being evangelistic and "giving his testimony" in public, even stating that many fans felt put off by how strongly he tried to push his beliefs on them. However, this was the one area in which the author never gave any quotes from Cash nor did he detail what that evangelism looked like. I would've appreciated if the author had been as transparent with this aspect of Cash's life as he was with the negative parts.
Nevertheless, it was a great walk-through of Johnny Cash's musical career.
This book deals honestly and openly with the many issues with which Johnny Cash struggled. He was a definitely a tortured man as he had a strong belief in Christ, yet was constantly plagued by his drug addiction. His life is a very vivid example of the struggle his hero, the Apostle Paul, described in Romans 7.
I give only three stars because of how much the author's personal aversion to religion affects how he presents Johnny Cash's spiritual beliefs. In the 80's when Johnny chose to focus on Bible study and family time, the author only showed how detrimental this was to his musical career. He frequently alluded to Johnny Cash being evangelistic and "giving his testimony" in public, even stating that many fans felt put off by how strongly he tried to push his beliefs on them. However, this was the one area in which the author never gave any quotes from Cash nor did he detail what that evangelism looked like. I would've appreciated if the author had been as transparent with this aspect of Cash's life as he was with the negative parts.
Nevertheless, it was a great walk-through of Johnny Cash's musical career.
July 22, 2018
Listened to this audiobook during several long road trips. This was interesting but VERY long & detailed.
January 12, 2021
Johnny Cash has always been an interesting figure to me, but even more so since visiting Nashville two years ago. His life story is both astonishing and heart rending.
May 1, 2025
4.5. I am, and always have been, weirdly drawn to Cash, and now even more so. His artistry and musicianship were apparent to me (those prison albums!!), but now the backstory of his ever-present addiction mixed with his deep faith shed even more light on why I like him.
This book isn’t for everyone (it is long and sometimes hard to read) but man, was it for me. I’m rating it so high because it made me reflect on the type of faith I want to have: one that clings to Jesus and the hope of salvation despite falling again, and again, and again. This book made me remember that Jesus is for the sinner always, no matter how broken or how many times we fall. His music will always make me think of that.
This book isn’t for everyone (it is long and sometimes hard to read) but man, was it for me. I’m rating it so high because it made me reflect on the type of faith I want to have: one that clings to Jesus and the hope of salvation despite falling again, and again, and again. This book made me remember that Jesus is for the sinner always, no matter how broken or how many times we fall. His music will always make me think of that.
August 13, 2020
This was a thorough biography of Johnny Cash that was as much about his music choices on albums as it was about his personal life. Cash was a conflicted person who struggled with addictions, but his writing, his singing and his bible were all the things that brought him back to sobriety over and over. I kept listening to his songs as I was reading about him. His influence can’t be overrated.
July 11, 2019
In honor of my son's third appearance in a production of "Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash", I decided to listen to this bio of the Man in Black and get the real lowdown on Cash. It turned out to be a fascinating experience as I learned about his life, his struggles, his family & friends, and his music. Through the magic of Apple Music, I searched and listened to songs that were highlighted in the text as I went along and that was also enlightening and fun. I was introduced to many new songs that I didn't know but had power because of the story behind them. The bio itself is well-written and fascinating.
July 12, 2015
Wow - that was amazing.
Thought that I knew all about Johnny Cash but this book reveals everything in great detail, warts and all, and is so well researched. The author seems to have unprecedented access to all those nearest and dearest to Johnny Cash and some of the content is pretty shocking and could really only be published posthumously.
A great story of a flawed hero but so sad at the end.
My favourite biography of the year and an absolute must read for any Johnny Cash fan.
Thought that I knew all about Johnny Cash but this book reveals everything in great detail, warts and all, and is so well researched. The author seems to have unprecedented access to all those nearest and dearest to Johnny Cash and some of the content is pretty shocking and could really only be published posthumously.
A great story of a flawed hero but so sad at the end.
My favourite biography of the year and an absolute must read for any Johnny Cash fan.
February 10, 2021
Una de las mejores biografías musicales que he leído en mi vida. Un recorrido por la vida del rey del country y un análisis de toda su carrera discográfica. Sorprende la similitud de su trayectoria con la de Elvis Presley: ambos perdieron un hermano pequeño (el de Elvis no llegó a nacer, vale), crecieron en un entorno pobre y rural, hicieron la mili en Europa, grabaron sus primeros discos en 1954 en Sun Records, luego ficharon por multinacionales, atravesaron una etapa de crisis creativa en los años 60, se divorciaron, recuperaron el éxito comercial y personal a finales de la década (J. Cash con sus discos grabados en las cárceles de Folsom y San Quintín), se engancharon a las drogas y sus conciertos perdieron garra...
Elvis se quedó en la cuneta definitiva pero Cash consiguió remontar en los 90 de la mano del mítico productor de Hip Hop y Heavy Metal Rick Rubin y recuperó su prestigio para las nuevas generaciones seguidoras de Nirvana y del rock alternativo. Grabó con American Recordings cuatro discos en vida y dos póstumos. Su videoclip del tema Hurt llegó a ser calificado como el mejor de la historia. Su estilo ya no era country ni rock ni folk simplemente era Johnny Cash adaptando todo el cancionero americano que se le ponía por delante.
La edición de espop es espectacular y la traducción soberbia, es un libro que no quieres que se acabe nunca. Se nos cuenta su relación Con June Carter, sus apariciones en la tv con su propio programa, también hizo una película con su propia versión del evangelio, una novela de San Pablo, dos autobiografías, fue arrestado, hospitalizado para tratar su adicción... Por otro lado de su experiencia actuando en la cárcel se podría escribir un libro entero...
He creado una lista en spotify con sus temas más relevantes que iré actualizando con el tiempo Johnny Cash esencial
Elvis se quedó en la cuneta definitiva pero Cash consiguió remontar en los 90 de la mano del mítico productor de Hip Hop y Heavy Metal Rick Rubin y recuperó su prestigio para las nuevas generaciones seguidoras de Nirvana y del rock alternativo. Grabó con American Recordings cuatro discos en vida y dos póstumos. Su videoclip del tema Hurt llegó a ser calificado como el mejor de la historia. Su estilo ya no era country ni rock ni folk simplemente era Johnny Cash adaptando todo el cancionero americano que se le ponía por delante.
La edición de espop es espectacular y la traducción soberbia, es un libro que no quieres que se acabe nunca. Se nos cuenta su relación Con June Carter, sus apariciones en la tv con su propio programa, también hizo una película con su propia versión del evangelio, una novela de San Pablo, dos autobiografías, fue arrestado, hospitalizado para tratar su adicción... Por otro lado de su experiencia actuando en la cárcel se podría escribir un libro entero...
He creado una lista en spotify con sus temas más relevantes que iré actualizando con el tiempo Johnny Cash esencial
February 17, 2014
Johnny Cash: The Life
Robert Hilburn
Little, Brown and Company, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-316-19475-4
Hardcover, 680 pages
Biography
From touring with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and June carter to his final days and perhaps the best song he ever recorded, Johnny Cash lived his life and managed his singing career on his own terms. This is the one thing Robert Hilburn makes abundantly clear in his exhaustive commentary regarding the career of Johnny Cash, a career that spanned 5 decades (1954-2003). It didn't matter if the record was bad because Cash was wired on drugs or if it was a gospel record when his fans wanted more country or if he was recording punk rock in an effort to connect with the youth of today, Cash always had an album concept he was working on—the record label be damned. He was the original outlaw for both country and rock and roll, and unknown by most people, he never really gave up those titles. Cash was simply overshadowed during the latter part of the 70's and most of the 80's. But he never stopped touring and he never stopped making records.
"From his early days as a pioneer of rockabilly and rock and roll in the 1950s, to his decades as an international representative of country music, to his resurgence to fame in the 1990s as a living legend and an alternative country icon, Cash influenced countless artists and left a large body of work. Upon his death, Cash was revered by the greatest popular musicians of his time. His rebellious image and often anti-authoritarian stance [even] influenced punk rock." - Wikipedia -
Sources disagree, but to the best of my knowledge Johnny cash recorded: 55 studio albums, 104 compilations, 6 live albums, 2 soundtracks and 153 singles. With the constant touring this man did, the number of songs he wrote and the number of songs he recorded is mind-blowing.
I can't say this with more passion. If you have ever wanted to know about the life of a rock or country music star, why not study the greatest of them all: Johnny Cash: The Life by Robert Hilburn.
Copyright © 2014 Clayton Clifford Bye
November 30, 2015
Didn't get far into this book. Comes across as more of a tabloid story that may or may not be true. Early in the book it talks about Johnny's first sexual experience and then states the girl may or may not have been mentally unstable and didn't know what she was doing. Crap literature. Pass on this.
September 21, 2016
Hilburn definitely has a handle on Cash's life, but I got very bogged down in all the details of when he wrote a song, when he recorded it, when it was released, etc. Too much about the songs, not enough about the man.
June 22, 2019
I don’t typically read nonfiction. I think I maybe have ten on my bookshelves and a majority of them are by people like Tina Fey, Aziz Ansari, and Neil Patrick Harris. Nonfiction just isn’t really my thing. Lately I’ve been listening to audiobooks at bedtime, but I found that fiction keeps me awake longer because I accidentally get invested in the story. I thought that listening to nonfiction would help with that. No action or adventure, no cliffhangers, no epic twist I HAVE to stay awake to follow. A boring old biography would be the perfect choice, right? I sure picked the wrong book for that.
I’ve been a fan of Johnny Cash for my entire life. I was raised listening to his music and collected his vinyl records throughout my teenage years. I didn’t know much about him at all, though. When I saw this biography offered as an audiobook through my library, I jumped on it. Every night before bed, I turned it on and set the timer to automatically turn it off after a half hour. More often than not, I was still awake at the end of that thirty minutes and had to set the timer again.
My four star rating is not based on my love for Johnny Cash, but on the book as a whole. This biography unexpectedly sucked me right into the story and made it difficult NOT to pay attention (which is great unless you’re trying to fall asleep). It took four weeks to finish The Life and I’m pretty sure I got less sleep than usual. I just couldn’t help but listen to every word.
Many biographies sugarcoat events or pass right over the things that may cast someone in a negative light. Robert Hilburn included everything: the good, the bad, the ugly, the embarrassing. Everything is here in detail. I knew Johnny Cash wasn’t a perfect person, but at one point I remember thinking “Wow, he was a jerk.” Hilburn isn’t interested in making Cash look good, he’s all about sharing the truth.
I learned so much about J.R. Cash from his childhood to his army days, his romance with his first wife to their nasty divorce, his very first days at Sun Records to the final days of his life, and everything single song in between. This book explores the rise and fall of one of the greatest country music artists to ever touch a microphone.
I really enjoyed hearing about Cash’s relationships with other famous artists like Elvis, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Horton. I also really enjoyed learning the background stories of my favorite songs (and all the others, too). I appreciated the brutal honesty about Cash’s addiction and infidelity, as well.
Hilburn took 71 years worth of information and arranged it so perfectly that the reader is able to walk the line though Johnny’s life with him. I became so immersed in the story that, though I knew it was coming, when Cash passed away, I woke my husband up because I sobbing as if it had just happened.
If you have any sort of interest in country music or the life of Johnny Cash beyond what’s shown in Walk the Line, check this one out. It’s definitely meant for a specific audience, but it is so worth the read if you dig the man in black.
And just for fun, here are my favorite Cash songs in no particular order:
Hey Porter
Folsom Prison Blues
Cocaine Blues
God’s Gonna Cut You Down
Get Rhythm
Jackson
I Walk the Line
I’ve been a fan of Johnny Cash for my entire life. I was raised listening to his music and collected his vinyl records throughout my teenage years. I didn’t know much about him at all, though. When I saw this biography offered as an audiobook through my library, I jumped on it. Every night before bed, I turned it on and set the timer to automatically turn it off after a half hour. More often than not, I was still awake at the end of that thirty minutes and had to set the timer again.
My four star rating is not based on my love for Johnny Cash, but on the book as a whole. This biography unexpectedly sucked me right into the story and made it difficult NOT to pay attention (which is great unless you’re trying to fall asleep). It took four weeks to finish The Life and I’m pretty sure I got less sleep than usual. I just couldn’t help but listen to every word.
Many biographies sugarcoat events or pass right over the things that may cast someone in a negative light. Robert Hilburn included everything: the good, the bad, the ugly, the embarrassing. Everything is here in detail. I knew Johnny Cash wasn’t a perfect person, but at one point I remember thinking “Wow, he was a jerk.” Hilburn isn’t interested in making Cash look good, he’s all about sharing the truth.
I learned so much about J.R. Cash from his childhood to his army days, his romance with his first wife to their nasty divorce, his very first days at Sun Records to the final days of his life, and everything single song in between. This book explores the rise and fall of one of the greatest country music artists to ever touch a microphone.
I really enjoyed hearing about Cash’s relationships with other famous artists like Elvis, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Horton. I also really enjoyed learning the background stories of my favorite songs (and all the others, too). I appreciated the brutal honesty about Cash’s addiction and infidelity, as well.
Hilburn took 71 years worth of information and arranged it so perfectly that the reader is able to walk the line though Johnny’s life with him. I became so immersed in the story that, though I knew it was coming, when Cash passed away, I woke my husband up because I sobbing as if it had just happened.
If you have any sort of interest in country music or the life of Johnny Cash beyond what’s shown in Walk the Line, check this one out. It’s definitely meant for a specific audience, but it is so worth the read if you dig the man in black.
And just for fun, here are my favorite Cash songs in no particular order:
Hey Porter
Folsom Prison Blues
Cocaine Blues
God’s Gonna Cut You Down
Get Rhythm
Jackson
I Walk the Line
March 10, 2019
If you loved Johnny Cash, you will love this biography. I would use the term exhaustive to describe it, but I can't say that I would edit it in any way. It learned so much about Cash that I didn't know. I have a better understanding of what motivated him in his music and life. The book is full of interviews with people who had relationships with him over the years. Those interviews are interesting in and of themselves.
April 19, 2019
banger
Read
October 31, 2025I don’t know how to review this as I’m not a diehard Cash fan and thus didn’t enjoy all 21 hours of listening to this a whole lot.
It is an exceptionally detailed and at times draining and disheartening read with some bright moments interspersed. But it’s also clearly very well-researched and if you grew up listening to Cash and want a very thorough, year by year account of his life, and are prepared to hear the good, bad, and ugly (rather a lot of that), this is your book.
It is an exceptionally detailed and at times draining and disheartening read with some bright moments interspersed. But it’s also clearly very well-researched and if you grew up listening to Cash and want a very thorough, year by year account of his life, and are prepared to hear the good, bad, and ugly (rather a lot of that), this is your book.
November 26, 2013
A word up front on my history with Johnny Cash. My cousins and I used to play wargames and D&D on a nightly basis when we were in high school back in the late 70s. To accompany the games, we took turns playing our favorite records - for me, Elvis Costello and Mott the Hoople, for my cousin Marc, Jimi Hendrix and Parliament, and for my cousin Craig, Johnny Cash. We listened to Cash's album "Silver" so many times we banished that one. Craig was a huge Johnny Cash fan and remains one to this day, and we listened to a lot of Johnny Cash. I was more a run-of-the-mill appreciator of Johnny Cash until his American Recordings came along in the mid 90s. Those records made me a fan, and I listen to them quite a lot to this day. So why did I want to read a 600+ page biography on Cash? I asked myself that a lot as I read it. Initially it was so I could give the copy I won (thanks, Goodreads) to my cousin. But I also found Cash fascinating. He kept at his music until he died, and was in effect reborn multiple times and in multiple ways, a charismatic jack-of-all-trades where music is concerned. I find biographies of these kinds of individuals often help you figure out what makes them tick.
With this biography, I'm not sure I know what made Johnny tick. After all those pages, there is still an unpredictability in his thoughts and actions in many ways. Quite a bit of the dichotomy of Johnny Cash was his Christian spirituality on one side and his womanizing and joking about drugs on the other. It's easier listing family members without addiction problems than those with. He was always up for releasing another gospel album (in this he was entirely predictable), yet he's well known for songs about murder. Another big dichotomy was between being an artist and being commercial -- you didn't know which way Cash would go when making a decision to focus on one or the other. Hilburn paints between the contrasts, illustrating the context.
There were also questions caused by the book. Cash valued his family, at least most of the time. I found it odd that his brother Tommy is mentioned on one sentence as putting out his own greatest hits album, but no where does it mention any help by Johnny. In other circumstances, details felt missing or glossed over. But the bulk of the color of the stories in the book overcame these little issues.
Cash was a man that defined himself by his music. The author includes lyrics to roughly a dozen songs in the text, and I found this greatly helped explain the context or the story. Most of the lyrics were from either very early in Cash's career or very late. I also appreciated that the author, a rock journalist, had the nerve to say whether a song was good or bad. The author picked roughly half a dozen Cash songs as being special - quite a concise greatest hits collection, great for an iPod.
Overall, this was very easy to read - I found it hard to put down. It isn't written in an academic way. It appears well researched, with some interesting endnotes on who was interviewed and issues in determining when a song was written. When you read this book, you may want to listen along. I found good music while contemplating the first half of the book was "Live at San Quentin", while the last quarter of the book goes well with any of Rick Rubin's American Recordings. And when you get to the last two chapters, limit the songs to Cash's gospel songs. Reading with soft gospel in Cash's baritone in the background -- that really added to the experience.
With this biography, I'm not sure I know what made Johnny tick. After all those pages, there is still an unpredictability in his thoughts and actions in many ways. Quite a bit of the dichotomy of Johnny Cash was his Christian spirituality on one side and his womanizing and joking about drugs on the other. It's easier listing family members without addiction problems than those with. He was always up for releasing another gospel album (in this he was entirely predictable), yet he's well known for songs about murder. Another big dichotomy was between being an artist and being commercial -- you didn't know which way Cash would go when making a decision to focus on one or the other. Hilburn paints between the contrasts, illustrating the context.
There were also questions caused by the book. Cash valued his family, at least most of the time. I found it odd that his brother Tommy is mentioned on one sentence as putting out his own greatest hits album, but no where does it mention any help by Johnny. In other circumstances, details felt missing or glossed over. But the bulk of the color of the stories in the book overcame these little issues.
Cash was a man that defined himself by his music. The author includes lyrics to roughly a dozen songs in the text, and I found this greatly helped explain the context or the story. Most of the lyrics were from either very early in Cash's career or very late. I also appreciated that the author, a rock journalist, had the nerve to say whether a song was good or bad. The author picked roughly half a dozen Cash songs as being special - quite a concise greatest hits collection, great for an iPod.
Overall, this was very easy to read - I found it hard to put down. It isn't written in an academic way. It appears well researched, with some interesting endnotes on who was interviewed and issues in determining when a song was written. When you read this book, you may want to listen along. I found good music while contemplating the first half of the book was "Live at San Quentin", while the last quarter of the book goes well with any of Rick Rubin's American Recordings. And when you get to the last two chapters, limit the songs to Cash's gospel songs. Reading with soft gospel in Cash's baritone in the background -- that really added to the experience.
August 11, 2015
I thought I knew pretty much all there was to know, or better said, would have wanted to know about The Man in Black from watching Walk the line, but I was so wrong. The story picks up speed pretty much like one of Johnny Cash's train songs and the last stop is particularly heart-wrenching. The life of Johhny Cash is recounted primarily through his musical journey but that is best fitting for a man who was a great artist. The human Cash also comes to the fore through his tumultuous life, his calling to his music, to his faith, his love for his fellow human beings, for his family and for his rock, June Carter Cash. The biography also goes in depth on Cash's musical heroes, his deep appreciation for his fellow musicians, his vulnerabilities and the qualities that have made him an absolute legend in the eyes of so many of his fans. I have come to love Johnny Cash the man as much as his music in this thoughtful biography. A real gem for any Johnny Cash fan.
January 1, 2014
Long but exceptionally good, very detailed. Seems very sincere and honest. Blows holes in some previous events, telling the truth now. I ended the book liking Johnny Cash very much in spite of his flaws, faults and hardships. Probably because of them. He was a hard drinking pill popping womanizer, but very loving and spiritual. He found his greatest love at the end with God. Recommend this book. Excellent writing.
January 20, 2015
Only made it 3/4 of the way through. There's only so much "Johnny had a methamphetamine problem....then he made a lackluster album....then he cheated on his wife....his methamphetamine problem got worse....rinse and repeat" a person can listen to. Maybe because it was an audiobook, I couldn't take anymore?
The guy was a huge talent and his rise occurred during a fascinating time, so I'm surprised that this biography wasn't more dynamic. It dragged.
The guy was a huge talent and his rise occurred during a fascinating time, so I'm surprised that this biography wasn't more dynamic. It dragged.
May 21, 2017
prachtige biografie over dit icoon in de pop / rock / country / folk / gospel-muziek, een absolute aanrader. En als je hem leest, luister gelijk ook naar de muziek, maakt het allemaal nog levendiger en je gaat de nummers beter begrijpen.
September 19, 2020
Johnny Cash is both a great and an enigma to most music fans: So much public yet so much unknown. His combination of country and folk music with a deeply baritone voice entertained audiences for nearly 50 years. The timelessness of his takes on American life reached for the heavens. Anyone who can elicit praise from Bob Dylan for musical acumen deserves to be remembered.
Hilburn unearths Cash’s life in this in-depth biography. Though both explored and written after Cash’s death, Hilburn uncovers many a niche in Cash’s story that portrays how real life happens. Many of these niches were left out of Cash’s two autobiographies because he surmised they would hurt people who were living. Fortunately, Cash’s children permitted Hilburn the freedom to be honest in his portrayal of their father.
The picture Hilburn paints of Cash is one of deep respect, with deep flaws, and possessing a deep soul. Cash struggled with drugs for much of his life, and this probably cut years off of his life. The drugs probably limited his creativity, which in turn limited his mass appeal. Cash committed marital infidelities during both of his marriages – even during his “Christian” period. He was a bad father to his daughters.
Yet Hilburn’s portrait simultaneously leaves us with glimmers of Cash’s light. Cash ultimately sought redemption through honesty in almost every significant sector of his life. His expression left behind a gleaming record of songs over decades. He made perhaps the best music video of all time in the song “Hurt.” He died beloved by young singers who continued to follow his relevance. He steadfastly stood up for the common man in America. European audiences seemed to love him more abidingly than even American fans. Over the years, he became more, not less, dedicated to his wife June, his daughters, his son, and the Christian faith of his youth.
Johnny Cash expresses the American soul in a unique way, and Hilburn captures this in the nearly 700 pages in this narrative. It’s worth the time to read. I grew up listening to Cash’s music, and this biography fills in a lot of gaps that I have long been curious about. Hilburn brings forth deep research and brings out Cash’s passions through music. Many times, by quoting the songs, Hilburn wonderfully evokes in the reader a sense of the majesty of this American man.
Hilburn unearths Cash’s life in this in-depth biography. Though both explored and written after Cash’s death, Hilburn uncovers many a niche in Cash’s story that portrays how real life happens. Many of these niches were left out of Cash’s two autobiographies because he surmised they would hurt people who were living. Fortunately, Cash’s children permitted Hilburn the freedom to be honest in his portrayal of their father.
The picture Hilburn paints of Cash is one of deep respect, with deep flaws, and possessing a deep soul. Cash struggled with drugs for much of his life, and this probably cut years off of his life. The drugs probably limited his creativity, which in turn limited his mass appeal. Cash committed marital infidelities during both of his marriages – even during his “Christian” period. He was a bad father to his daughters.
Yet Hilburn’s portrait simultaneously leaves us with glimmers of Cash’s light. Cash ultimately sought redemption through honesty in almost every significant sector of his life. His expression left behind a gleaming record of songs over decades. He made perhaps the best music video of all time in the song “Hurt.” He died beloved by young singers who continued to follow his relevance. He steadfastly stood up for the common man in America. European audiences seemed to love him more abidingly than even American fans. Over the years, he became more, not less, dedicated to his wife June, his daughters, his son, and the Christian faith of his youth.
Johnny Cash expresses the American soul in a unique way, and Hilburn captures this in the nearly 700 pages in this narrative. It’s worth the time to read. I grew up listening to Cash’s music, and this biography fills in a lot of gaps that I have long been curious about. Hilburn brings forth deep research and brings out Cash’s passions through music. Many times, by quoting the songs, Hilburn wonderfully evokes in the reader a sense of the majesty of this American man.
September 27, 2022
A comprehensive, honest, and balanced view of Cash's life. I only took off one star because I felt the ending dragged on so long - this book was about Cash, so though Carter was important, I don't know why we dwelled so long on her death.
An interesting thing about this book - it made me strongly dislike the film "Walk the Line," which previously I've been a huge fan of. Obviously for film there's a certain amount of romanticizing necessary, and I always assumed "Walk the Line" included enough of the difficult stuff to make up for it, but after reading this its clear that that film portrays June Carter as the sweet little band-aid that magically fixed Cash, and that seems to be disingenuous and untrue.
Additionally, a really beautiful part of this book was the retelling of Cash's last meeting with Vivian Liberto. He treated her appallingly (as he did many women in his life), and his humble reaction to her wanting to tell their story, fully unfiltered, was uplifting.
Cash's life is an interesting one because to me, he represents a man who genuinely pursued a relationship with God in way that was not toxic. He believed despite his own struggles. He was a hypocrite, but he never stopped trying to find spiritual relief. And though he was a Christian, he was a drinker, a philanderer, a drug user, and a convict, and he was humble about that, and he did not judge. He was a Christian who tried to walk the right lines when he could - anti-war, pro-Native American, etc. History should remember that this is a man who, when radio stations refused to play "The Ballad of Ira Hays" because it might "offend" conservatives, took out entire billboards to demand
"Where are your guts?"
Cash was a force - his life was rough, and made more difficult by his own hubris and poor choices at times, but he was an artist, an activist, and an inspiration.
An interesting thing about this book - it made me strongly dislike the film "Walk the Line," which previously I've been a huge fan of. Obviously for film there's a certain amount of romanticizing necessary, and I always assumed "Walk the Line" included enough of the difficult stuff to make up for it, but after reading this its clear that that film portrays June Carter as the sweet little band-aid that magically fixed Cash, and that seems to be disingenuous and untrue.
Additionally, a really beautiful part of this book was the retelling of Cash's last meeting with Vivian Liberto. He treated her appallingly (as he did many women in his life), and his humble reaction to her wanting to tell their story, fully unfiltered, was uplifting.
Cash's life is an interesting one because to me, he represents a man who genuinely pursued a relationship with God in way that was not toxic. He believed despite his own struggles. He was a hypocrite, but he never stopped trying to find spiritual relief. And though he was a Christian, he was a drinker, a philanderer, a drug user, and a convict, and he was humble about that, and he did not judge. He was a Christian who tried to walk the right lines when he could - anti-war, pro-Native American, etc. History should remember that this is a man who, when radio stations refused to play "The Ballad of Ira Hays" because it might "offend" conservatives, took out entire billboards to demand
"Where are your guts?"
Cash was a force - his life was rough, and made more difficult by his own hubris and poor choices at times, but he was an artist, an activist, and an inspiration.
June 23, 2023
A very comprehensive account of the life of a music legend. Johnny Cash was a complicated and often contradictory man and this book chronicals his childhood, time in the Air Force, the highs and lows of his career and his eventual death. I really loved how the book didn't shy away from it's accounts of Johnny's drug use, affairs, bad financial/business decisions and the other mistakes he made throughout his life. I found it to be written respectfully and it was clear that a monumental amount of time and research was put into it, with the acknowledgements stating that Robert Hilburn had consulted with Johnny's children, Rick Rubin and other people who had been close to Johnny throughout his life.
I did find that it started to lag a bit in the middle, however I quickly regained interest when it moved into the Rick Rubin era of albums, and I found the ending very moving.
I have adored Johnny Cash's music for years, and find that it is hard to convey to other people (who aren't familiar with him or don't enjoy his music) the huge presence that he has and the reasons why I think his music is so meaningful to me. Instead, I'll end this review with a quote in the book from his son - John Carter Cash - that I think does the job:
"Everyone carries burdens around with them. I believe the thing about Dad that people find so easy to relate to, is that he was willing to expose his most cumbersome burdens, his most consuming darknesses. He wasn't afraid to go through the fire and say 'I fell down, I've made mistakes, I'm weak, I hurt.'
But in doing so, he gained some sort of defining strength, every moment of darkness enabled him to better see the light. Perhaps at the end of each life there is a balance of this darkness and light. To me, as far as my father's life, the light wins - hands down."
I did find that it started to lag a bit in the middle, however I quickly regained interest when it moved into the Rick Rubin era of albums, and I found the ending very moving.
I have adored Johnny Cash's music for years, and find that it is hard to convey to other people (who aren't familiar with him or don't enjoy his music) the huge presence that he has and the reasons why I think his music is so meaningful to me. Instead, I'll end this review with a quote in the book from his son - John Carter Cash - that I think does the job:
"Everyone carries burdens around with them. I believe the thing about Dad that people find so easy to relate to, is that he was willing to expose his most cumbersome burdens, his most consuming darknesses. He wasn't afraid to go through the fire and say 'I fell down, I've made mistakes, I'm weak, I hurt.'
But in doing so, he gained some sort of defining strength, every moment of darkness enabled him to better see the light. Perhaps at the end of each life there is a balance of this darkness and light. To me, as far as my father's life, the light wins - hands down."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 533 reviews