How About That Tribute To Johnny Cash ........

[jwells393]

I thought it was great !

[Brewboy]

Yeah!...Highpoints for me were Paisleys behind the nut bend lick and Alison and Dwight singing "If I were a carpenter"-chills baby!

[Geo]

I thought it was great !

Me too! Some terrific performances and several
were just steller.

Even our cats were were glued to the screen and all ears.

[dmkozak]

I understand CBS wanted to take advantage of the ACM people who were in New York, I also understand they wanted to promote the "Walk the Line" film, but I was dissapointed with number of actual Johnny Cash songs and the people "recruited" to sing them.

Couldn't Jerry Lee Lewis have talked about the Sun years? (I did like his singing of Cash songs.) Couldn't Kristofferson talked about his times with Cash? Couldn't Kristofferson have sung more Cash songs and fewer Kristofferson songs?

And, what about Willie? (I would have rather spent an hour watching the Johnny/Willie acoustic live special from VH1.)

P.S. There was an interesting article in yesterday's Atlanta paper about the death of the once-popular county music in New York the night of November 15. How pop stars like Paul Simon and Elton John oversaw the death of many entertainers they did not know. How a city the size of New York could be WITHOUT A SINGLE COUNTY MUSIC RADIO STATION, and still host the Academy of County Music awards was beyond the author.

[dhdfoster]

I missed BP, what did he play?

[Aen]

I kinda wish i had seen that, but i feel a little lame about this whole Cash thing.

I've never owned a single johnny cash albumn, and i never even heard his music until he covered "Hurt" and ofc ourse now i think he's pretty cool, and i'm really excited to see the movie...

does that make me lame?

[WallyArms]

The show was hit and miss, but it was worth watching for U2's performance alone - the best of the show in my opinion - of course I am a U2 fan :D (but I had never heard that song - anyone know what it's on?)

Dwight and Alison was the other highlight for me. I also enjoyed Brad Paisley, but focused on his guitar work so much that I didn't remember what song he played after it was over...

I could have done without Kid Rock, and as much as I have liked Kris Kristoferson over the years I have a hard time listening to him these days...

[jlrich]

Originally Posted by Brewboy

Yeah!...Highpoints for me were Paisleys behind the nut bend lick and Alison and Dwight singing "If I were a carpenter"-chills baby!

The camera got a great shot of the bend, and Alison & Dwight was the best performance to me.

Originally Posted by dhdfoster

I missed BP, what did he play?

Folsom Prison Blues

Originally Posted by WallyArms

The show was hit and miss, but it was worth watching for U2's performance alone - the best of the show

I thought the U2 performance was pretty good also.

Originally Posted by dmkozak

I understand CBS wanted to take advantage of the ACM people who were in New York,
Academy of County Music awards was beyond the author.

Actually the CMA's

If you think about it, out of all the "Icons" from the Sun Records era, Jerry Lee Lewis is the only one left.

[Kingpin]

Originally Posted by Brewboy

Yeah!...Highpoints for me were Paisleys behind the nut bend lick and Alison and Dwight singing "If I were a carpenter"-chills baby!

Those were my faves too. :D
What was up with the live sound though? The same cavernous vocals and mix that plagued the CMAs too. Was Phil Spector in on the production???

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by dmkozak

I understand CBS wanted to take advantage of the ACM people who were in New York

I'm pretty sure that Wednesday's show came from the Left Coast.

I just checked out a copy of JC's "Legend" box set from our local library. 4 cds. It does a pretty good job of covering his career and would be a good starting point for somebody who wants to know more.

Agreed that BP did a fine job on Folsom Prison Blues - but he may have played a few too many notes for my liking. There's nothing like the way Luther Perkins picked it bare back on that "Live" album.

To me the two best songs of the night were "I Still Miss Someone" by Martina McBride and "Ring of Fire" by Sheryl Crow. I saw June Carter Cash do that song with autoharp, mandolin, and fiddle once upon a time. Great song.

I still don't get U2. I've tried. I've failed.

[halouis]

I didn't see it, but they shoulda had Mike Ness/Social Distortion there. As a rocker, he/they were way more connected to Johnny Cash than the likes of Elton, U2 and many others.

[nasonm]

To have a legend like Jerry Lee on and have him perform with Kid Rock is such a poor idea in my mind. I got chills when I saw Jerry Lee on stage.

If you have someone like The Killer on stage you give him the spotlight....if you're going to put another star on stage to play with him, make it someone with some clout/talent/credit...someone like Vince Gill for instance.

I think it was a great diservice to the Killer having to share the stage with Kid Rock.

**For the record I am not a old geezer, I just feel that it was a lame attempt of connecting the old rebel with the new "rebel" image of Rock.

Originally Posted by halouis

I didn't see it, but they shoulda had Mike Ness/Social Distortion there. As a rocker, he/they were way more connected to Johnny Cash than the likes of Elton, U2 and many others.

Honestly as much as I agree with you...you have to admit that Mike Ness will most likely never be on network television....he's just too cool to be recognized by a network liek CBS.

[gls500]

I was really impressed.

I even liked what Montgomery Gentry did, even though I'd normally put them on my short list of people that need to be deported.

[halouis]

Originally Posted by nasonm

...Honestly as much as I agree with you...you have to admit that Mike Ness will most likely never be on network television....he's just too cool to be recognized by a network liek CBS.

yeah i know i know. I saw SD a few weeks ago. man such a killer show and as Ness said, they've been covering Ring of Fire since the mid 80's.

[WallyArms]

Originally Posted by halouis

I didn't see it, but they shoulda had Mike Ness/Social Distortion there. As a rocker, he/they were way more connected to Johnny Cash than the likes of Elton, U2 and many others.

I agree that Social Distortion should have been there - of all the versions of "Ring of Fire" that I have heard, they do it best (and that includes the original ). I expected Sheryl Crow's version to be better than it was...

As for U2, they had recorded that song with Johnny Cash, so they were connected....

[pohorsky]

I recorded it cause I was busy last night,
It seemed that Sherrel Crow's song was a little too high for her voice. Also, Jerry and Kid Rock together, just shoot me. Dump Kid Rock. It was so bad IMHO that I FF it past it. Brad was great as usual, first time I heard Nora Jones - loved it great voice. Of course D-Wight Yoakum and Alison Krauss. Kris and Foo Foo or whatever they are, who the heck are they. Whoever they are, what was up with the guitars, no bass whatever. I know that in the old days there was little bass in country, but this had even less bass than those. BTW, if any of y'all want to listen to Johnny Cash Music, http://johnnycash.com/
There are a bounch of his hits that you can listen to free.

[Skully]

I'm pretty sure that Wednesday's show came from the Left Coast.

The tribute was taped at the Pantages Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. (where I saw Cash right after "American Recordings" came out) on October 26th or thereabouts.

[ruger9]

Man, I thought it sucked.

Brad was good, Alison & Dwight were best in show IMHO, I always enjoy Kris (the man never could sing!)

I felt like the whole wasn't a tribute to Johnny Cash- it was just a big commercial for the movie "Walk The Line" DISQUISED as a "tribute."

If it was a tribute, where was Willie? Where was J. Cash's son? How about Marty Stuart? Sorry- I don't buy it. It was a commercial. I hate to be so cynical about this stuff, but it just seems to keep getting worse & worse, year after year...

[Caper]

I thought it was a great show over all, I liked the duet of Dwight and Allison. I tuned in a few minutes too late, missed Brad Paisley, but saw U2, excellent as usual, I thought Nora was amazing as well.

[Skully]

I felt like the whole wasn't a tribute to Johnny Cash- it was just a big commercial for the movie "Walk The Line" DISQUISED as a "tribute."

That's what it was made to be. Whether or not it managed to properly honor the man, I can't say, because I didn't see it.

[Joel66]

I certainly wasn't blown away. Some performances I watched, and paid attention to. Some performances I remember seeing but my ears must have blocked out the sound because I don't remember hearing them.

I would have liked Brad's performance of Folsom Prison Blues better if he'd have done it in 'E' instead of 'G'......'cos then I could steal that bend.

I liked Kris but as soon as Dave Grohl started singing.....my ears must have blocked out the rest.

Dwight and Allison were great.

Sheryl Crow.....I enjoyed it.

I love Jerry Lee.
I love Kid Rock.
I hated their version of "I Walk The Line". It was a trainwreck. I know......my band has at least one trainwreck every weekend.
I saw them paired up once on "Whole Lotta Shakin" and it rocked.


Now for my complaints.

Yes, it seemed like a commercial for the film. I'll most likely go see the film tomorrow night if I can shake, or subdue, this coughing (I don't want to distract other film-goer's). And honestly, I'm expecting to hate it. Joaquin Phoenix (?) does his own "singing". I've heard bits and pieces of him doing different songs......I'm not impressed at all. He was on Letterman the other night and they showed a clip of "Cocaine Blues"......it sounded more like a parody to me. (IMO)

Complaint #2:

How hard could it be for anyone to actually learn the lyrics to the song they were performing. I sat here and shook my head in disbelief at flubs and stumbles by performers as they read the lyrics from the prompter. If you're there to pay tribute to Johnny Cash by singing one of his songs.......learn the damn song that you're doing.


I know, they all have busy schedule's and blah blah blah. I reckon it's just one of my pet peeve's.

Oh yeah one more complaint, and someone already touched on this. How in the world can you have a "Johnny Cash tribute" without Marty Stuart, Hank Jr, and Willie?

Mind you, yes, I'm a major Cash fan. I have been since I was born (as far as I'm told). If it weren't for Cash and Luther.....I probably wouldn't play guitar. I just think it's wrong to get up there and not know the song. I could have gotten up on that stage and easily done 30 Cash songs, at least, and not needed a tele-prompter.
Of course the downside is that no one would want to see me do it and CBS wouldn't foot the bill.

Time to put my soapbox away......it seems to be gathering frost.

Joel

[red57strat]

I caught the tail end of Folsum Prison Blues! One of my favorite songs! And Paisley playing it too!
Damn!

Dwight Yokum and Alison Kraus were great.
He backs up female singers wonderfully.

I thought I Walk The Line was awful!

I enjoyed Kristofferson. My wife complained that he can't sing.
I'd rather hear a creative person sing than a factory made robot lip sync!

[Tim Armstrong]

Where was:

Roseanne Cash
John Carter Cash
Marty Stuart
Willie Nelson
Nick Lowe
Carlene Carter
Rick Rubin
Cowboy Jack Clement

And for crying out loud, why Kid Rock?

I still enjoyed it, but it could have been sooooooo much better!

Tim

[JohnK24]

I thought it blew away the CMAs...Allison and Dwight were amazing together,