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Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Johnny Cash has touched on a broad spectrum of music in his 50-year career. These audio samples from "The Essential Johnny Cash" trace his influence through the years. This a new collection issued on Columbia/Legacy on the occasion of his 70th birthday. The songs are presented in rough chronological order and include everything from folk to gospel to a duet with Bob Dylan.

	Johnny Cash, shown in a 1985 performance, is a charismatic entertainer who has influenced fok, country, rock and gospel. Click here for a photo gallery of his career. (Ron Frehm, Associated Press)

"Hey Porter" was recorded at Sun Records, the same label that represented Elvis Presley, and first appeared on "All Aboard the Blue Train." (1963)

"I Walk the Line" appeared on "Johnny Cash With His Hot and Blue Guitar" 1957) and was his first No. 1 hit on the Country and Western charts.

"Ballad of a Teenage Queen" was recorded in 1958 for "Johnny Cash Sings the Songs that Made Him Famous."

"I Still Miss Someone" was recorded in 1958 and appeared on "Ring of Fire." (1963)

	Listening to Johnny Cash music samples These mp3 audio samples are from "The Essential Johnny Cash," a 36-song package that for the first time links his four decades of recordings on the Sun, Columbia and Mercury labels. The disc was released this month. Visit the following sites to download players for Windows or Mac machines to listen to the file: Real Player Microsoft Windows Media Player WinAMP

"Orange Blossom Special" is the title song from the 1965 album.

"Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)" was recorded with the Carter Family and appeared on "Ring of Fire." (1963)

"Folsom Prison Blues" was recorded live in 1968 at the California penitentiary and includes the Man in Black's classic introduction at the beginning of "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison."

"Daddy Sang Bass" first appeared on "The Holy Land." (1969)

"Girl from the North Country" features Cash singing a duet with Bob Dylan, an interesting match of voices, and appeared on the Dylan album "Nashville Skyline." (1969)

"A Boy Named Sue" was No. 1 on the country charts, peaked at No. 2 on the pop charts and was obviously a big hit with this captive audience on "Johnny Cash at San Quentin." (1969)

"Ragged Old Flag" was the title song for a 1974 album.