June Carter Cash - Keep On The Sunny Side: Her Life In Music

Published Monday 7th November 2005
June Carter Cash - Keep On The Sunny Side: Her Life In Music
June Carter Cash - Keep On The Sunny Side: Her Life In Music

STYLE: Country
RATING 5 5 5 5 5
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 14263-10254
LABEL: Columbia/Legacy 519504
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 2
RRP: £16.99

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

A two CD anthology being a tribute to the legend who, after her golden years with country music's pioneers the Carter Family, found another hugely important role as Mrs Johnny Cash. June, who died just months before The Man In Black in 2003, didn't do much recording during the three and a half decades with Johnny (just three albums) but with a smattering of recorded guest appearances with Johnny (not to mention as acts as diverse as Homer & Jethro and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) there's more than enough stuff in the archives for the compilers to assemble a handsome package. CD one offers 20 tracks from the early years, ranging from a squeaky voiced child doing her "Oh Susannah" crowd pleaser with the Carter Family through to various solos she recorded with Columbia Records in the '50s. CD two takes us into more recent territory and includes the whole of 1975's 'Appalachian Pride' album. There are some highlights on the second disc, including a haunting duet with Jerry Henly on "Once Before I Die" and a stirring, almost a cappella version of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". But too often this is an album more for musical historians than today's country fans. Disc one is crammed with exceedingly dated cornball material while the country matriarch's more recent tracks show up the deficiencies of her voice, which wobbles and slips from the note too often for comfort. So, despite Mojo magazine eulogising this compilation, in truth it's a release strictly for hardcore Cash collectors and nostalgists who go misty eyed for a bygone age of country music.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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