The night five different artists played five unheard masterpieces at Johnny Cash’s house
Right now, in living rooms around the world, history is being made, and we just don’t know it yet.
Artists naturally gravitate toward one another, and bands often form close friendships. With those connections, it’s only a matter of time before a casual hangout turns into an impromptu peer review. History is full of moments when a night of socialising led to creative breakthroughs, and one such moment happened during an evening at Johnny Cash’s house.
Cash had a reputation for this kind of thing. Despite being known as a bad boy outlaw and the ultimate rebel of country, the singer was actually a very nice guy, and especially really nice to his fellow artists. Older legends can often grow bitter or shifty about the next generation, but Cash opened his arms, developing many close friendships or even mentor-like relationships with up-and-comers from the 1960s well into the 2000s when Nick Cave became one of his last protégés.
Bob Dylan was a key player, too, and Cash developed a sweet pen pal relationship right as Dylan was threatening to buckle and quit under the weight and pressure of his sudden fame. “I’ve got my own ideas about that Nashville sound, and I’d like to try it with Bob,” Cash said way back in 1965, and by 1969, he was making it happen as Dylan was living in his house.
It was January 1969, and Cash recalled, “Bob Dylan was there, he was doing his Nashville Skyline album”. But with Dylan there, Cash’s place quickly became the new hub and hangout until, one night, the place was packed with A-listers.
“Dylan was there, and [Kris] Kristofferson and Joni Mitchell and Graham Nash and Shel Silverstein,” Cash recalled later down the line about one particular night. Gathering up the brightest talents of the time in his living room, a guitar was quickly being passed around, and demos were being shared.
“That night in my house was the first time these songs were heard,” Cash said, revealing that what followed was a parade of future timeless hits.
“Joni Mitchell sang ‘Both Sides Now’. Graham Nash sang ‘Marrakesh Express’. Shel Silverstein sang ‘A Boy Named Sue’, and Bob Dylan sang ‘Lay Lady Lady’ and Kristofferson sang ‘Me and Bobby McGee’”. Talk about a powerful playlist.
There is one flaw here, however; while it might have been the first time anyone had heard Mitchell sing ‘Both Sides Now’ herself, the track was already out as Dave Van Ronk and the Hudson Dusters released it in 1967, and then Judy Collins had chart success with her version in 1968. But to give the man the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he’s telling the truth that this was the first time Mitchell put her own voice to it.
Either way, what an image. What a thing to imagine, a circle of legends sharing new songs that would become huge hits, and what a wondrous thing to know that right now, it could be happening again, with new future stars playing new future tracks we’ve yet to know but one day will.
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