Johnny Cash, With His Hot & Blue Guitar!, 1957
Label: Sun
Producer: Sam Phillips
Johnny Cash had been cutting his teeth on the country music circuit for two years by the time his debut long-player finally hit record store shelves in the fall of 1957, and it also served as the first LP to be released by Sam Phillips’ legendary Sun Records. With Elvis Presley’s contract now sold to RCA Records, the Man in Black was the logical artist to launch with. With already revered classics like “I Walk the Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues” under his belt, he was undeniably Sun’s heaviest hitter and would remain so until (and after) his defection to Columbia in 1959. Hot & Blue is not one of those typical debut records of the time period, where an artist is still struggling to find his own voice underneath a slew of covers and a handful of mild hits. Cash’s signature boom-chicka-boom sound is well in-tact from the get-go and on full display, thanks to both Phillips’ non-invasive production and the support of Cash’s comrades in The Tennessee Two (the great Luther Perkins on lead guitar and Marshall Grant on bass). But it is Cash who undoubtedly leads the way throughout this endearing and thrilling musical ride, confidently armed with his authoritative vocal presence and simple yet creative lyrical prose. The results make for an album that remains track-for-track, one of the strongest debuts of all time in any musical genre.
The set opens in spirited fashion with an outstanding version of the Leadbelly classic, “Rock Island Line”. Again, regardless of whether the source material was his own or a cover, Cash leaves his indelible sonic and vocal mark on everything he touches. Unsurprisingly, “Line” proves to be the perfect fit for Johnny and his sidemen, thanks both to the raw storytelling nature of Cash’s delivery, and the chugging, sparse train sound of Perkins’ and Grant’s instrumental palate. Their pace picks up feverishly as the story climaxes to absolutely sizzling results. Talk about efficiency; it’s difficult to imagine another line-up in music history that was able to do so much musically with so little time. This track immediately sets the album on course, and Cash & company don’t look back.
Juxtaposing the electric Leadbelly offering, Cash does a 180 with the mournful standard, “I Heard That Lonesome Whistle”. He digs deep into the lowest gallows of his voice, splendidly expressing the harrowed despair of the song’s story, which fittingly ends with a prison term for the protagonist and foreshadows material found later on the album. Other faithful but inventive covers abound throughout, including “The Wreck of the Old ’97”, another tragic train tale that Cash brings urgently to life, and Jimmie Skinner’s “Doin’ My Time”, one of music’s timeless prisoner laments. Once again proving the diverse reach of his musical identity, Cash also dives head first into the gospel songbook with “I Was There When It Happened”, introducing a spiritual side that would also forever be a defining pillar of his catalog. Legend has it that a performance of this song almost sunk Cash’s first audition with Phillips, before he broke out “Folsom Prison Blues”. The fact that it remained on the record is a testament to Cash’s steadfast confidence and conviction in his artistry. It should be no surprise that it works just fine sitting side by side with jail house tales given country music’s trademark affliction for combining Saturday night damnation and Sunday morning redemption.
As tantalizing as each of the aforementioned covers may be, it is Cash’s pen that ultimately provides the highlights of the album. “Cry, Cry, Cry”, one of his initial hits from 1955, finds his signature sound in its glorious infancy and remains a reminder that Cash was as much a purveyor of the new rockabilly sound as he was 50s honky tonk. It goes without saying that the 1956 smash, “I Walk the Line” is not only a cornerstone of this album, but of Cash’s entire career. It possesses what may be the greatest instrumental arrangement the Tennessee Two ever collectively put down on record. Lastly, there is “Folsom Prison Blues” itself, quite simply one of the greatest musical stories ever recorded. Every component of that particular single connects. The booming depths of Cash’s voice. The vivid imagery of the shooting in Reno and the resentment said gunman feels for the rich folks in the dining car. And of course, bringing it all together is Perkins’ iconic picking solo. “Folsom” alone would make this album worth seeking out. The fact that this masterpiece is supported by an entire record of songs worthy of surrounding it is impressive to say the least, and truly amazing considering it’s the content of a debut record.
It’s been argued over the years whether Johnny Cash was a stronger singles or album artist. The outcome of that argument certainly depends on the particular time frame you’re discussing, with his concept-heavy period of the mid 60’s being nearly untouchable by any other country artist. As far as the early stages of his career, he was on point in both mediums, with Hot & Blue setting the bar high from the get-go. From top to bottom, it offers a generous helping of all the emotions and musical qualities that would make his career such a hallmark in both country and rock circles. After six decades of incomparable artistic achievement, this album remains essential, not only because it was Johnny Cash’s first, but also because it remains one of his best.
Listen on Apple Music: Johnny Cash- With His Hot & Blue Guitar!, 1957
Track Listing
- “The Rock Island Line” (Traditional)
- “I Heard That Lonesome Whistle” (Jimmie Davis/Hank Williams)
- “Country Boy” (Johnny Cash)
- “If The Good Lord’s Willing” (Jerry Reed)
- “Cry! Cry! Cry!” (Cash) *Single Release- 1955
- “Remember Me” (Stuart Hamblen)
- “So Doggone Lonesome” (Cash) *Single Release- 1955
- “I Was There When It Happened” (Davis/Fern Jones)
- “I Walk the Line” (Cash) *Single Release- 1956
- “The Wreck of the Old ’97” (Traditional)
- “Folsom Prison Blues” (Cash) *Single Release- 1956
- “Doin’ My Time” (Jimmie Skinner)
The 706 
I’ve been a Johnny Cash fan since I was a kid. He stands taller than any other country artist, past or present.