Rosanne Cash

Country of origin:

U.S.

Type of music generally:

Contemporary folk/country/pop

Status:

Most recent release, She Remembers Everything (2018)

See also:

Rosanne Cash's site

Wikipedia's entry on Rosanne Cash

Comparisons:

Mary Chapin Carpenter

Covers/own material:

Own, cowriting

General comments:

Seems everyone has a list of some songs that are perfect. I would add "Seven Year Ache." (rlovejoy@comcast.net)

Comments on live performance:

I only saw part of Rosanne Cash's set at the Americana festival at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and yet I still remember her telling stories between songs (she was performing the entire The River & the Thread album, in order) and moving to the music of her band with her eyes closed, so serenely. She's an engaging performer, and I hope to see her again. (Summer 2014, JoAnn Whetsell)

Recommended first album:

The Wheel or 10 Song Demo

Recordings:

• Rosanne Cash (1978)
• Right or Wrong (1979)
• Seven Year Ache (1981)
• Somewhere in the Stars (1982)
• Rhythm & Romance (1985)
• King's Record Shop (1987)
• Interiors (1990)
• The Wheel (1993)
• 10 Song Demo (1996)
• Rules of Travel (2003)
• Black Cadillac (2006)
• The List (2009)
• The River & the Thread (2014)
• She Remembers Everything (2018)

The Wheel

Release info:

1993—Columbia

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Rosanne Cash—guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals, harmony vocals, backing vocals

Guest artists:

Mary Chapin Carpenter—backing vocals
Bruce Cockburn—gut string guitar, harmony vocals
Marc Cohn—gut string guitar, harmony vocals
Steve Gaboury—organ, piano
Charlie Giordano—accordion
Zev Katz—bass, acoustic bass
Patty Larkin—backing vocals
John Leventhal—bass, guitar, harmonica, harmonium, keyboards, mandolin, organ, percussion, piano, electric piano
Tom "Bones" Malone—harmony vocals
Tommy Malone—gut string guitar, harmony vocals
Dennis McDermott—drums, percussion
Catherine Russell—backing vocals
Lincoln Schleifer—bass
Steuart Smith—guitar, acoustic guitar
Benmont Tench—keyboards, piano
Frank Vilardi—drums, percussion

Produced by:

Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal

Comments:

As for The Wheel, it is great! A beautiful, haunting album. (rlovejoy@comcast.net)

Wonderful. (neal)

10 Song Demo

Release info:

1996—Capitol

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Rosanne Cash—acoustic guitar, piano, vocals

Guest artists:

Larry Campbell—acoustic guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals
John Leventhal—acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, keyboards, percussion
Lincoln Schleifer—bass guitar, percussion

Produced by:

Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal

Comments:

My first Rosanne album, though I've always liked what I've heard from her. Some very good songs, and a very pleasant album overall. Not a great album, but a very good album. Recommended for those who like the country folk side of ecto, with strong lyrics, guitar playing and vocals. (jjhanson@att.net)

I've only heard one song, "Western Wall", but it got to me so much that I literally had to pull off to the side of the road until it was finished. The CD is definitely on my "must get eventually" list. I'd love to know how she came to write that song.... (jzitt@humansystems.com)

Rules of Travel

Release info:

2003—Capitol—CDP 7243 8 37757 2 9

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Rosanne Cash—vocals, guitar (10)

Guest artists:

John Leventhal—guitars (1-9, 11); bass (1, 2, 4-7, 10, 11); keyboards (1, 2, 4, 5, 8-11); percussion (1, 3, 4, 9, 11); drums (2); Wurlitzer (3); organ (7); 2nd guitar (10)
Shawn Pelton—drums (1, 4-7, 9, 11); percussion (4, 5, 7)
Craig Northey—hand drum (1)
Sheryl Crow—harmony vocal (1)
Dennis McDermott—drums, percussion (3)
Zev Katz—bass (3); upright bass (8)
Doug Petty—organ (3)
Tony Kadlek—flugelhorn (3, 5, 8)
Larry Farrell—trombone (3, 5, 8)
Steve Earle—vocal (3)
Catherine Russell—background vocals (4)
Johnny Cash—vocal (5)
Danny Louis—organ (6)
Rick DePofi—tenor saxophone (6)
Matt Keeler—drums (8)
Teddy Thompson—harmony vocal (8)
Michael Rhodes—bass (9)

Produced by:

John Leventhal

Comments:

This is a really solid album in the country/folk flavored pop vein. (JoAnn Whetsell)

Black Cadillac

Release info:

2006—Capitol—0 9463-48738-0 2

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Rosanne Cash—vocals

Guest artists:

Bill Bottrell—guitar and 12-string guitar (1); e-bow guitar (3); mando cello, bouzouki (5); acoustic guitar (5, 7, 9); electric guitar (7, 9); background vocals–chorus (11)
Brian MacLeod—drums (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11); background vocals–chorus (11)
Dan Schwartz—bass (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11); background vocals–chorus (11)
Jose Hernandez—trumpet (1)
Benmont Tench—Wurlitzer piano (1, 9); organ (1, 3-5, 7, 9, 10, 12); piano (3, 5, 7, 9, 11); background vocals–chorus (11)
John Leventhal—dobro (2); guitars (2, 6, 8); percussion (2, 4, 6, 8, 10); electric guitars (4, 10, 12); background vocals (4); keyboards (4, 6, 8); mandolin (6); bass (8); 12 string guitar (10); piano (10, 12); acoustic guitar (12)
Shawn Pelton—drums (2, 4, 8, 10)
Michael Rhodes—bass (2, 4, 6, 10, 12)
Kevin Breit—mandolin (2); acoustic guitar (4, 10, 12)
Catherine Russell—harmony vocal (2, 4)
Charlie Drayton—drums (6, 12)
Bruce Fowler—trombone (11)
Albert Wing—tenor sax, clarinet (11)

Produced by:

Bill Bottrell (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11); John Leventhal (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)

Comments:

A truly excellent album that I think will always stand as one of the high points of Rosanne Cash's career. Sonically, it's bolder than Rules of Travel; her voice is stronger too. Lyrically many of the songs deal with love and loss in the wake of her father's death. (JoAnn Whetsell)

The List

Release info:

2009—Manhattan Records

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Rosanne Cash—vocals, guitar (10)

Guest artists:

John Leventhal—guitar (1-6, 9-12); organ (1-3, 6, 9-11); bass (2); mandolin (2); percussion (3); Wurlitzer piano (4, 9); dobro (6); all instruments except bass clarinet (7, 8); harmonica (10); tic-tac bass (11); harmonium (12)
Tim Luntzel—upright bass (1)
Joe Bonadio—drums (1, 3-6)
Shawn Pelton—drums (2, 9-11)
Larry Campbell—fiddle (2)
Bruce Springsteen—vocal (3)
Jenny Scheinman—fiddle (4)
Curtis King, Kenny Williams, James D-Train Williams—background vocals (4, 9)
Rick DePofi—horns (5); bass clarinet (8); piano (10)
Elvis Costello—vocal (6)
Chelsea Crowell—harmony vocal (7)
Jeff Tweedy—vocal (8)
Zev Katz—upright bass (9-11)
Rufus Wainwright—vocal (11)
The Mels—strings (11)

Produced by:

John Leventhal

Comments:

When she was 18, Johnny Cash gave his daughter Rosanne a list of 100 essential country songs. She's given us twelve of them in the form of this album. Some of the songs I was already familiar with; some are new to me. All seem to have been given thoughtful, loving, and, for the most part, successful readings. Overall it's a mellow, sometimes somber, affair, drawing out the sadness in many of the lyrics.
     It took me a while to appreciate this album, but I'm glad I gave it several close listens. (JoAnn Whetsell)

The River & the Thread

Release info:

2014—Blue Note— 602537559114

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Rosanne Cash

Guest artists:

John Leventhal—guitar, bass, mandolin, organ, celeste, electric sitar, percussion, drums; string arrangement (1, 6, 8); harmony vocal (4)
Shawn Pelton—drums (1, 6, 7)
David Mansfield—violin, viola (1, 6, 8)
Amy Helm—background vocals (1)
Tawatha Agee, John James—background vocals (1, 5, 7)
Catherine Russell, Curtis King—background vocals (1, 2, 5-7)
Tabitha Fair—background vocals (1, 2, 6)
John Paul White—harmony vocal (3)
Dan Rieser—drums (4, 9-11)
Tim Luntzel—bass (4); upright bass (6, 8, 9, 11)
Jake Leventhal, Rick DePofi—background vocals, percussion (4)
Derek Trucks—slide guitar (7)
Dave Eggar—cello (8)
Jon Cowherd—Wurlitzer piano (9, 11)
Cory Chisel—harmony vocal (9)
Larry Farrell—trombone (10)
Gabe Witcher—fiddle (10)
Rodney Crowell, Amy Helm, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Tony Joe White—The Master's Choir (10)
Allison Moorer—harmony vocal (11)

Produced by:

John Leventhal; Rick DePofi, co-producer

Comments:

This reminds me a lot of Aimee Mann, even though the melodies are a little bit more mellow. I recommend listening to the Sound Opinions episode where Rosanne Cash explains a lot about the history of these songs. Rating: 60/100. Best tracks: "The Sunken Lands," "World of Strange Design," "A Feather's Not a Bird," "Tell Heaven." (raschee@gmail.com)

An excellent mix of folk, rock, country, blues, gospel... the musical styles of the South that the album explores. One of my two favorite albums of 2014. (JoAnn Whetsell)

Further info:

Rosanne Cash is also an author, see her books/essays page on her site for more info. She has released one video, Interiors Live (VHS, 1991)

Compilation work includes:

• "Broken Freedom Song" on Johnny Cash's album Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me (1974)
• "Innocent Eyes" on Michel Berger's album Dreams in Stone (1982)
• "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" on Acoustic Christmas (1990)
• "Carrie" on 'Til Their Eyes Shine: The Lullaby Album (1992)
• "I Count the Tears" on Till the Night Is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus (1995)
• "River" on Spirit of '73: Rock for Choice (1995)
• "Save the Country" on Time and Love: The Music of Laura Nyro (1997)
• "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" on Tammy Wynette: Remembered (1998)
• "Manic Depression" on Searching for Jimi Hendrix (1999)
• "Fair and Tender Ladies" on the Songcatcher soundtrack (2001)
• "I Still Miss Someone" on Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash (2002)
• "The Winding Stream" on The Unbroken Circle: The Musical Heritage of The Carter Family (2004)
• "Loving Him Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" on The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (2006)
• "The Unfaithful Servant" on Endless Highway: The Music of The Band (2007)
• "Biloxi" on Quiet About It: A Tribute to Jesse Winchester (2012)

Collaborations include:

• "If It Weren't for Him" with Vince Gill on his album The Things That Matter (1985)
• "It's Such a Small World" with Rodney Crowell on his album Diamonds & Dirt (1988)
• "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" with Johnny Cash and The Everly Brothers on Cash's album Water From the Wells of Home (1988)
• "One Step Over the Line" with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and John Hiatt on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's album Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two (1989)
• "Women" with John Stewart on his album Bullets in the Hour Glass (1992)
• "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin on Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (1993)
• "The Way We Make a Broken Heart" with John Hiatt on his album The Best of John Hiatt (1998)
• "Who's Dreaming Who" with Jules Shear on his album Between Us (1998)
• "I Found Love" with Earl Scruggs on his album Earl Scruggs and Friends (2001)
• "Fooba Wooba John" with Dan Zanes on his album Family Dance (2001)
• "Seven Year Ache" with Trisha Yearwood on her album Inside Out (2001)
• "Wildwood Flower" with Charlie Haden Family & Friends on Haden's album Rambling Boy (2008)
• "Closest Thing" with Patty Larkin on her album 25 (2010)
• "Got You Covered" with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings on their album Kings and Queens (2011)
• "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" with Willie Nelson on his album To All the Girls... (2013)
• "I Ain't Got No Home" and "Pretty Boy Floyd" with John Leventhal on Woody Guthrie at 100! Live at the Kennedy Center (CD/DVD, 2013)

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