Johnny CashBootleg, Volume 2: From Memphis To Hollywood

Two discs-59,64 minutes each approximately. The sound, by and large is good to fine. There are exceptions-a few of the demos are a bit rough, but overall the remastered period sound is fine. The booklet lists songs, authors, dates if known and who plays on what. There's also a short but good overview of Cash during this point in his career, along with some good period photos of Cash.This set is, arguably, better than the first release in this apparently on going series. "House of Cash", now retitled "Bootleg Vol. 1", was one of the better releases of "American" music in a long while. This set is easily it's equal.The first eleven tracks (including intros and commercials) is an aural time machine. Hearing ads for the movie "Apache", and the Home Equipment Company is to take a trip back in time. It's a small but telling look into an America no longer easily found. These tracks (probably taped off the radio by Cash's then wife), are a combination of honky-tonk tunes, then current favorites, gospel music, and an instrumental. This is Cash's first radio performance, a live 15 minute program at 4:00 in the afternoon. On these songs Cash uses his group, the "Tennessee Two"-Luther Perkins on a Telecaster, and Marshall Grant on stand-up bass. The show is a bit loose and rough around the edges, but because of that it has a charm, a warmth all it's own.The rest of the disc is taken up primarily with demos Cash made in the years 1954-1957. These are Cash alone with just his acoustic guitar, singing truncated versions of a number of songs that would be developed at a later time. The track "Rock and Roll Ruby", a guitar and rhythm version is fairly rough and distorted, but it's the only example of less than good sound on the disc.There's also seven tracks recorded for Sun Records, during the same time period as the demos. These are full band recordings, including incomplete starts and some start-stop-start tracks. Also of note is an unheard demo of "Restless Kid", a song written for Ricky Nelson for use in the John Wayne western "Rio Bravo". Unused, it hasn't been heard until now. Also included is a Cash favorite, "It's All Over", recorded a number of times, but this is the earliest version of the song.Disc two is mostly tracks from Columbia Records between 1958-1969. Included are singles, B-sides, and outtakes. Cash's sound was changing (he had recently relocated to Los Angeles), and these tracks show him changing from his Sun Records sound into a more pop/TV/movie approach. Backing now includes the Tennessee Two with drums and chorus, to different small bands, the Anita Kerr Singers, the Carter Family, and a few tracks with horns. The last two tracks are demos recorded in Nashville. Once again we hear just Cash, alone, with his guitar-a fitting end to a set that's stuffed full of good, honest, American music. And Johnny Cash was one of the best at portraying an America from the point of view of the average person, and sometimes those less fortunate in life. One listen to this set (and the first volume) will tell you all you need to know about the early stages of Cash's life in music. This is exciting, important music-the kind not heard to often by today's writers/composers/singers. It's certainly one of the better releases of it's kind-it's sound will pull you in if you let it, and that's a good thing.

Very cool to hear him do the old radio show and commercials along with the stripped down songs from that time!

This is the second two cd collection of Johnny Cash rarities. Disc One covers the 1950's. It starts with the first episode of "The Johnny Cash Show", which was a 15 minute radio show. Then we get a dozen demos from the Sun Records era. Then seven rare Sun Studios recordings. The disc concludes with two demos he recorded soon after he left Sun. Disc Two covers the 1960's, although the first few are actually from the late 1950's. Most of these songs are unreleased, but some of them were released on singles that didn't appear on albums. Some actually aren't that rare, having been bonus tracks on previously released cds. Anyway, most of this material is quite good and will appeal to fans of Johnny Cash.

If you are a J.C. fan then you will want this disc. trust me. I have been a fan for many a year and this disc did not disappoint. The raw nostalgic feel gives you goosebumps. The clean recording makes it worth it. Johnny Cash knew when he was being recorded but he didn't let on to that fact. Rocking fun is the outcome, and pure music is what you get, Johnny Cash style, and no style is better. This guy had class always, young and old will appreciate this album. Trust someone who knows Johnny's music, if you are a new listener or a vintage fan like myself, give this disc a try and I think you will agree, the young green John Cash was a blast to listen to as he is in his later years. Long live Johnny Cash.

Some bad quality recordings on the CD but otherwise, it's more Johnny. I like it.

Pure Johnny - like sitting with him while he strums and sings "just for you"

Any fan of Johnny Cash's music who wishes to go deeper than the standard greatest hits packages should not hesitate to buy this set.CD 1 focuses largely on Johnny's career at Sun Records from 1954-1958. The CD opens with a radio show from 1955 that was sponsored by John's employer, the Home Equipment Company. (He hadn't given up his day job yet...)The next group of recordings will be of greatest interest to Cash completists. A group of demo recordings from the Sun era for such classics as "I Walk The Line" and "Get Rhythm" show that the songs were pretty well complete prior to the recording session.The demo of "I Walk The Line" is especially noteworthy as it may put to rest rumors that Johnny originally envisioned the song at a much slower tempo and recorded it that way until Sam Phillips encouraged a take at a faster tempo that became the classic that was finally released. This demo, along with the alternate take on "The Outtakes", shows a fairly consistent approach to the song.Other demos, most notably "Rock and Roll Ruby" and "You're My Baby" are songs written by Cash and recorded by Warren Smith and Roy Orbison, respectively. Johnny seems a little ill at ease singing both songs.The next section features "Sun Rarities." For fans of Sun and Johnny Cash who have heard the Bear Family "Man In Black" collections, these have been previously released and may not be so rare. Of special note are the alternate of "Big River", which contains an extra verse not on the original single, and a brief, incomplete attempt at Jimmie Rodgers' "Brakeman's Blues" which leaves the listener wanting more.The final selections on CD 1 are "Restless Kid", which was recorded by Rick Nelson for "Rio Bravo". The song owes a lot to (or borrows a lot from) the "Johnny Yuma Theme" on CD 2. "It's All Over" wasn't recorded by Cash until the 1970s.CD2 contains a cross-section of Columbia recordings that are unfamiliar to most casual listeners. All of these have been released on the "Man In Black" series and most Johnny Cash completists have heard them.A couple of highlights of CD2 are "The Losing Kind", which in this writer's opinion would have made an excellent single. A slightly edgier version is available on the "Man In Black" set, but this is a fine recording.The other highlight is "Come Along And Ride This Train", which was a segment on Cash's TV show in the late 1960s. The song transports you back to Saturday nights in 1969 and a time when Johnny Cash had survived some of his personal demons to see a resurgence in his career.Sony Legacy indicates that further volumes of this series are planned. Volume 1 (Personal File) was an excellent compilation of intimate recordings. This volume is even better, showing the development of Johnny Cash as a recording artist and performer. The next volume will have a high standard to meet.I recommend this set without reservation. The price is right (2 CDs at a single CD price) for adding this to your collection.

A comprehensive collection of early Johnny Cash music, Disc 1 (SUN records Era) is culled from an early radio show where the adverts are as prominent as the music a Johnny stumbles over the sponsor's name (approximately 15 minutes). To home demos of songs which show us how many famous songs started in unfamiliar styles (`I walk the line' `Belshazzar').Disc 2 (Early Columbia Era) is a collection of rare songs single B-sides and more home demos, covering all the styles from spiritual music to secular music, country folk styling's .The sound quality is a bit variable but generally very good and surprisingly good given the age of some of the music and the equipment which must have been used to capture the demos.I guess this is aimed more at the big Johnny Cash fan rather than the casual fan. For me this is a great set, 50 plus tracks of music from someone who I only discovered from his American recordings, and is a good insight into the music of the man in black.

I waited for this to come out as I really liked volume 1. I was disappointed with the first cd on volume 2(somebody else could absolutely love it), it isn't something you can sit down and just listen to as there isn't much music but cd 2 is fantastic. I really love it and am constantly playing it. I would certainly recommend it but if you are a Cash fan you probably wouldn't need the recommendation.

A must if you have vol 1 .great music and addition to collection.

Nice cd. Good seller

Double album de plus de deux heures, voilà un bon investissement car la force de ce double disque est de se focaliser sur les bonnes périodes de Cash, soit un CD entier sur ses débuts, puis le second sur les dix premières années chez Columbia, ce qui nous évite ses périodes de flottement ou carrément de vide artistique. Ca démarre avec 15 minutes d'un enregistrement radio de 1955, son assez fruste, mais on est tout de suite transporté ailleurs. Suivent des démos, enregistrées seul à la maison, de quelques-uns de ses premiers morceaux, dont quelques standards du répertoire du monsieur. Savoureux d'entendre ces versions intimistes. Des chutes de chez Sun, toujours très agréables à écouter, viennent compléter le premier CD. Pour le second, ce sont essentiellement des singles (faces A ou B), non présents donc sur les albums, quelques morceaux jamais sortis de projets avortés et quelques autres démos (très bonnes). Ca s'écoute sans problème, souvent anecdotique dans le corpus de Cash mais jamais déplaisant, avec quelques excellents trucs ("The Folk Singer", par exemple, très très bon). Clairement pour les fans au final, mais l'auditeur lambda peut y aller car, comme il est dit plus haut, c'est principalement les débuts du grand homme et parmi ses meilleures périodes.

Schönes Album von Johnny Cash mit tollen Liedern, perfekt um die CD-Sammlung zu vervollständigen! Ein wirkliches Muss für jeden Fan!

E' un cd come gli altri 3 volumi bootleg,se sei un fans di Johnny Cash ti piaceSecondo me il migliore di questi 4 volumi è il primo

Ce genre d'album ne peut toucher que les inconditionnels de Johnny Cash. Il est tout de même très intéressant de découvrir des démos de titres qui deviendront de grands succès comme "I walk the line, Get rythm, Country boy" et beaucoup d'autres.Il y a dans ce bootleg n°2 des titres assez connus dans des versions différentes, et puis il y a cette voix magique.Georges.

mon mari est content en tant que fan de country de cet achat. il le conseille aux amateurs de country et surtout fan de johnny cash

Wer Johnny Cash sammelt, sollte auch diese CD besitzen - nicht grandios, aber gut!. Neueinsteiger solltennicht mit dieser CD anfangen.

vaut surtout pour le caractère historique évoquant une époque révolue au point où l'on se demande si cela a vraiment existé. Témoignage intéressant. Suite du premier volume, les 2 se valant.