Johnny Cash ‘The Life in Lyrics’ Book Arrives

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A book relating the story of the Man in Black, as revealed by his lyrics and rare photographs and ephemera, Johnny Cash: The Life in Lyrics, was published November 14, 2023, in a lavishly illustrated edition authorized by the Cash estate. (It’s available to order in the U.S. and in the U.K.)

According to a press release, Johnny Cash is “one of the most beloved and influential country music stars of all time, having composed more than 600 songs and sold more than 90 million records. He received 29 gold, platinum and multiplatinum awards for his recordings and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.” Cash was born on February 26, 1932. He died at age 71 on September 12, 2003.

This is the first time Cash’s 50 years of songwriting have been collected anywhere, according to the announcement. The book includes the lyrics to 125 songs and the stories behind them. “Perhaps more than any other American artist,” says the release, “he spoke to the soul of the nation as well as to the triumphs and challenges of his own life. These pages explore Cash’s range as a poet and storyteller, taking readers from his early life and first successes through periods of personal challenge, activism, and faith. The result is a profound understanding of Johnny Cash as a man and an artist, as well as the American story he helped shape.”

The 384-page book, whose publication commemorates the 20th anniversary of Cash’s passing, includes rare visual material in addition to remembrances from Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, and “family historian” Mark Stielper.