Friday Night Videos - A New Love

Am I getting older or do really have a great taste in music? If you ask my wife about my taste in music she would shake her head at some of it. I love all types of music, from Blues, Chopin, Disco and Easy Listening to Hard Rock you name it I have it somewhere in my collection. Bocelli to Hendrix, Abba to ZZ Top, I love music. I recently rediscovered an old favorite though thanks to a friend of mine.

Rediscovered in that my favour was rooted in nostalgia more than an actual appreciation. It started back in the early 70's when I was a wee lad. Dad loaded the family in a car and drove us down to Nashville to record an album at Superior Studios. The Studio was owned by Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys. The album was a recording of Dad and my brothers doing mostly Bill Gaither covers. While in Nashville we went to Jimmy Snow's church. Sitting in the pew that hot Sunday morning my oldest brother gave my a nudge Ianthe ribs a few minutes into the service and pointed to the back. Johnny and June Carter Cash had sneaked in to the back row. I was awe struck. They snuck out a few minutes before he service ended. Later that day we drove past the Cash home and saw the Man in Black getting into his Cadillac.

I was a Johnny Cash fan from that point on. I read his autobiography watched a couple of his movies, enjoyed his guest star role in Columbo and may have had one of his albums on vinyl. I didn't listen to him regularly though.

Fast forward to present day and my appreciation still hung on but I couldn't really get into a real fanboy conversation about Cash's material. Then Johnny passes on and the movie comes out. All of a sudden everybody's a Johnny Cash fan. I refused to jump on board the band wagon. I put my boyhood feelings aside and went on with life....until yesterday.

A buddy brought in 4 CD's for me to listen to. Three of the American recordings and the VH-1 session with Willie Nelson ( I've worn out no less than 3 copies of Nelson's Stardust). Buddy is a die hard fanboy so I only kept them over night but now I'm hooked.

Band wagon be darned, I am a Johnny Cash fan once again.

Following is a song that for better or worse brings back some memories of an emotional period in my life. I had just moved out of my house, leaving behind my two kid's and wife. In my place her new (old) man moved in. U2 had just released Actung Baby, my favourite U2 album This track was on that recording. The song was written about one of the band members divorce. The song still makes me take pause, especially in the mellow baritone's rendition.

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you Johnny Cash singing One.