Johnny Cash Christmas Specials

It’s a little early to be talking about Christmas, I’ll admit, but I may as well start writing my list now. Along with Seasons 2-4 of The Wire, I’d also like The Johnny Cash Christmas Specials 1976 and 1977. The Johnny Cash show ran from 1969 to 1971, and was cancelled after its second year, due to network interference. However in those two years, practically every major figure in folk, blues, bluegrass and country music featured on its stage.

A double-disc ‘Best Of The Johnny Cash Show’ DVD was released last year, which has, amongst other things, an ace performance of ‘Girl from the North Country’ by Dylan and Cash. Though there’s a bit of a delay in the restored youtube version, you can see them nodding each other in at the appropriate verses, and using eye contact to end the song, like two sean nós singers in the back of a country pub.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1JZly_jHeQ]

It also features a (justifiably) nervous mid-performance chat with Derek and the Dominoes:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttp0QN0eHqw]

Not to mention performances from Jerry Lee Lewis, Loretta Lynn, June Carter Cash, Glen Campbell, Credence Clearwater Revival and Hank Williams Jr. An audo CD of ‘The Best Of…’ is available also, which contains tracks not on the DVD, such as a super-smooth Ray Charles covering ‘Ring of Fire’:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhGZdSkX6IM]

Though Cash’s collaborations on the Christmas Specials and The Johnny Cash Show were spectacular, his collaborations hit their zenith in 1980, with the following televisual masterpiece:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5HRSmLlaiA&feature=related]