The official, comprehensive archive of Johnny Cash’s writing, with 526 lyrics spanning his 55 years of genre-defining writing: a “journey through the mind and soul of one of America’s greatest storytellers” (Eric Alper)
Johnny Cash remains one of the most prolific and influential songwriters in American history. In a voice like no other, his words and melodies speak to the soul of the nation—capturing the complexities of American life and the wonder of the human condition.
This definitive volume, fully authorized by the Cash estate, spans the entire arc of his extraordinary career, from the earliest compositions penned in poverty amid the glow of youthful ambition, through the moments that defined him as an inspiration to generations, to the final songs of devotion written near the end of a life filled with pain, success, hardship, and joy. With unprecedented access to Cash’s personal writings, this work presents newly-discovered, essential compositions, alongside never-before-seen handwritten pages that offer readers a rare and intimate look into his process and poetic mind.
Organized to reflect the eras in which they were crafted, with an introduction by his son, John Carter Cash, and incisive reflections by historian Mark Stielper, these songs trace Cash’s evolution as an artist and a cultural icon through periods of struggle, transformation, activism, and tests of faith.
What emerges is an unprecedented portrait of Johnny Cash—a timeless American artist who never stopped searching for truth in rhythm and rhyme.