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This title offers a superb investigation of what is arguably Johnny Cashs greatest album- focusing on his enduring mythology. When Johnny Cash signed to Rick Rubins record label in 1993- he was a country music legend who- like his fellow Highwaymen Willie- Waylon and Kris- remained a fondly regarded yet completely marginalized Nashville figure- unheard on the radio and unseen on the charts. Cashs odyssey from oldies act to folk hero pivots on his first American Recordings album- a document of almost unbearable solitude and directness. It is a singular record- an instance in which a musical giant has been granted a kind of midnight reprieve- a chance to regain and renew his legend. Tony Tost illuminates the ways in which American Recordings is the crossroads where cultural- spiritual and mythic archetypes come together in the figure of The Man in Black. Ultimately- this is a guidebook to myth and mystery- a means of apprehending the stark beauty of Cashs greatest record- the sound of a man alone and fighting for his soul- one song at a time. 33 1/3 is a series of short books about a wide variety of albums- by artists ranging from James Brown to the Beastie Boys.Launched in September 2003- the series now contains over 60 titles and is acclaimed and loved by fans- musicians and scholars alike. For more information on the series and on individual titles in the series- check out our blog at our associated website....