An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash

An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash (1999)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Willie Nelson & Sheryl Crow 'Jackson' 'Orange Blossom Special' / Chris Isaak 'Guess Things Happen That Way' 'Get Rhythm' / Willie Nelson 'I Still Miss Someone' / June Carter Cash 'Ring of Fire' / Bob Dylan 'Train of Love' / The Mavericks 'Man in Black' / Kris Kristofferson 'The Ballad of Ira Hayes' / Kris Kristofferson & Trisha Yearwood 'Sunday Morning Coming Down' / Brooks & Dunn 'Riders in the Sky' / Lyle Lovett 'Tennessee Flat Top Box' / Bruce Springsteen 'Give My Love to Rose' / Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Mary Chapin Carpenter & Marty Stuart 'You Are What I Need' / Wyclef Jean 'Delia's Gone' / Dave Matthews & Emmylou Harris 'The Long Black Veil' / Marty Stuart & The Fairfield 'Beishazzar' / U2 'Don't Take Your Guns to Town' / Johnny Cash 'Folson Prison Blues' / Johnny Cash & Friends 'I Walk the Line

Tribute concerts really don't get too much better than this one as a wide range of talent came together to celebrate the music of Johnny Cash. Unlike so many other tributes, there's really only a few weeks spots to be found in this one. Some of the weaker songs include U2's attempt on 'Don't Take Your Guns to Town' which they try to do with a Jamaican swing but it just doesn't work. I also didn't find Dave Matthews 'The Long Black Veil' to work as good as it should have. Outside of those two performances we get some pretty strong stuff including a rocking version of 'Jackson' that kicks off the concert with Crow and Nelson really delivering. Springsteen also offers a haunting version of 'Give My Love to Rose' while Dylan offers up a strong take on 'Train of Love.' Even Chris Isaak does a very good job with the underrated 'Guess Things Happen That Way.' Perhaps the best song comes from Trisha Yearwood delivering a perfect take on 'Sunday Mornings Coming Down' with Kristofferson backing her up on guitar. Then you have the closing two songs that feature the man himself delivering fine takes on the classic songs. Fans of Cash will certainly enjoy seeing him for these two numbers but there's also some terrific versions from the rest of the people. You can just tell that everyone wanted to do their best for Cash and they really do deliver.

This was the second TNT musical tribute (the first was Burt Bacharach's, and Cash was followed by Bob Marley and Brian Wilson), and by far it's my favorite of the four.

Even those who aren't into country music (I count myself among these) will be impressed by the body of music presented here. Not only is Cash the epitome of cool (he even appears on stage for a song), but looking at the array of musicians who accepted the honor of performing his songs, you can't help but be astonished at the effect this man has had on music today (his influence has been reversed, too, as since the early 1990s Cash has covered songs by Soundgarden, Beck and Tom Petty, among others).

Of course, you have the typical country artists, like Brooks & Dunn. A cut above them (in my opinion) are people like Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett. Getting a little more into the rock side are people like Chris Isaak and Sheryl Crow. And then there are the rock icons, like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. There's even an injection of rap, if you can believe it, with Wyclef Jean giving "Delia's Gone" his own little spin.

If you love music of any sort, do all you can to find a copy of this concert. You won't be disappointed.

I saw this concert for the first time late in 2001 (it had come out in 1999) and it is a remarkable musical testament to Johnny Cash the man and the musician. The performances fr. such extraordinary performers as Springsteen, Dylan, U2, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, etc. are some of their finest individual efforts. There are two extended filmed explorations of Cash's life & career within the concert, which are deeply informative and well done. They not only explore his musical legacy, but they place it in a musical & social context that allows the viewer to understand the extraordinary impact that Cash has had on American country & roots music over the past 4 decades.

This is a breathtaking concert film. Highly recommended.