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Johnny Cash was a legendary figure in American music. I\u2019ve mentioned him previously in comments to articles at TAH, as well as featuring one of his late-career collaborations in this article<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n And yeah, that means I\u2019m about to go on another music-related walkabout. You\u2019ve been forewarned. <\/p>\n But if you read on, I think you’ll get a chuckle out of this one. (smile)<\/p>\n . . .<\/b> <\/p>\n From his beginnings in the mid-1950s to the early 1970s, Johnny Cash was one of the biggest names in country music as well as one of the most successful. He also had substantial crossover appeal on the pop music scene of the day, and hosted his own TV show on ABC for a while (1969-1971).<\/p>\n But his career \u2013 and his relationship with the music industry \u2013 wasn\u2019t always \u201csmooth sailing\u201d. From the mid\/late 1970s to the early 1990s, Cash\u2019s career as a significant recording artist appeared to be winding down if not over. His popularity waned, and he was even dropped by two recording companies because of poor sales (Columbia in the mid-1980s and Mercury in 1991). <\/p>\n However, two chance meetings then occurred that were instrumental in changing his career for the better. <\/p>\n In early February 1993, Cash was in Dublin, Ireland, on tour. While there he met with members of U2. (He\u2019d previously met Bono and Adam Clayton of U2 in 1988.) This chance meeting led to Cash recording the lead vocal for the tune \u201cThe Wanderer\u201d on U2’s 1993 album Zooropa<\/u> during his stay. And later that same month, Cash met with Rick Rubin of American Recordings in Santa Anna, California.<\/p>\n The two events set in motion Cash\u2019s late-career resurgence. U2\u2019s Zooropa<\/u> stayed on the charts for months and was also a hit with the critics \u2013 and \u201cThe Wanderer\u201d was a big part of that. Next, Cash\u2019s first two albums on Rubin\u2019s American Recordings label were critically acclaimed (even if not as successful on the charts as U2’s smash). <\/p>\n In fact, both of Cash\u2019s first two albums with Rubin (1994’s \u201cAmerican Recordings\u201d and 1996’s \u201cUnchained\u201d) received Grammy Awards. The former received the Grammy Award for \u201cBest Contemporary Folk Recording” for 1994; the latter received the Grammy Award for \u201cBest Country Album\u201d for 1997.<\/p>\n Still: there was a problem. Cash’s new American Recordings albums – though critically acclaimed – just weren\u2019t getting much airplay. Most of mainstream country radio simply wouldn\u2019t play Cash\u2019s new material; the Nashville country music establishment didn’t seem to care about it, either. Both appeared to consider Cash’s music, and Cash, “pass\u00e9” and not worth airtime.<\/p>\n So in early 1998, Rick Rubin decided to see what he could do to change the situation. He chose to do so by thanking the Nashville music establishment on Cash\u2019s behalf. But first, a bit of background is in order.<\/p>\n . . .<\/b><\/p>\n During his heyday, Cash developed a rather well-deserved reputation as a rebellious and somewhat unpredictable individual. He also was perceived as identifying strongly with the outcast elements of society – which appears to have been an accurate reading of his personality. Cash recorded a Grammy-nominated (it didn’t win) album titled Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian<\/u> that highlighted historical wrongs done to Native Americans. Further, two of his most famous (and most critically-acclaimed) albums were recorded at shows performed for prison inmates in California prisons: Folsom and San Quentin.<\/p>\n While at San Quentin in 1969, during pre-concert activities noted popular music photographer Jim Marshall took a series of photographs of Cash documenting the visit. One of those photos has become famous \u2013 but only after it had remained virtually unknown for close to 20 years.<\/p>\n Marshall has stated<\/i><\/a> that the photograph in question was taken in response to Marshall telling Cash, \u201cJohn, let\u2019s do a shot for the warden,” during a photo shoot prior to the show. Other accounts indicate it was taken when a fed-up Cash’s vented his frustration with a TV crew that had accompanied him and his party to film the concert for a BBC TV documentary. Either account is consistent with the photo’s content.<\/p>\n Assuming Marshall’s account is correct, if you know anything about Cash\u2019s history you can probably guess what happened. Cash complied, non-verbally showing just what he thought of authority figures in general. <\/p>\n Given the sensibilities of the day (late 1960s), the photo remained mostly under wraps for years. Bootleg copies appeared on occasion (as did unauthorized merchandise featuring it without Marshall’s permission as copyright holder). But it doesn’t appear to have ever been officially released until publication of the first book covering Marshall’s work in 1997<\/i><\/a>. <\/p>\n In any case, Rubin learned of the photo and obtained a copy. In early 1998 Rubin created an ad based on the photo as a way to \u201cthank\u201d the Nashville music establishment for their support of Cash\u2019s recent work. <\/p>\n Ruben then told Cash that he wanted to run the ad in a major trade publication, and showed the ad to Cash. He asked Cash’s permission to do this.<\/p>\n Cash reputedly had misgivings about the proposed ad, as did some in his family. By one account, Cash even approached Billy Graham – with whom he was friends – for his take on the matter. (Graham reportedly didn\u2019t tell Cash what he should do, saying only that he wouldn\u2019t judge Cash either way.) <\/p>\n Cash eventually gave his go-ahead. And in Billboard Magazine\u2019s March 14, 1998 issue<\/i><\/a>, Rubin’s full-page ad appeared.<\/p>\n A Bowderized version of the ad appears below. (The original might be considered NSFW at some places, and I don’t want to get anyone viewing this article in trouble accidentally.) However, a scan of the uncensored original may be viewed here<\/i><\/a>).<\/p>\n Running the ad cost $20,000. The publicity it created for Rubin and Cash \u2013 as well as he satisfaction I\u2019m sure they got from running it? Priceless. (smile)<\/p>\n If there\u2019s ever been a better sarcastic \u201cThank you for your support\u201d in history, I\u2019d love to hear of it. IMO this one\u2019s damn near impossible to top.<\/p>\n . . .<\/b><\/p>\n That\u2019s all for today. Walkabout complete; enjoy the rest of your day\/weekend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Johnny_Cash_American_Records_Ad_Billboard_1998_edited.jpg\")
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