Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways

Yes, I am one of the multitude that pushed this CD to the top of the Billboard charts on the week it was released. Since then I've listened to it over and over again. It has rarely left my CD player. This is an amazing album. Sure, Cash's voice is a little ragged and some of the songs sound unfinished, but that's all part of its charm. The main reason this album is so good, though, is the raw, unfiltered emotion that Cash pours into every syllable that comes out of his mouth. This is a career-defining performance from a man who's best years were long passed.

Just how powerful is this album? Well, one morning, last week, at work, I let a friend borrow the CD to give it a listen. That very same day, over lunch, that guy travelled to Best Buy and bought ALL the Cash American Recordings CDs, including the Unearthed boxset, and the Legend boxset.

Johnny Cash was a wonderful man and an incredible artist. There is a catalog of work stretching back 50 years that proves that time after time. American V easily stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best of the past work.