Johnny Cash’s Orange Blossom Special Back On Vinyl!

Country and Americana music legend Johnny Cash was already a superstar when he released his 21st album, Orange Blossom Special, in 1965. Recording with producer Don Law and backed by the Tennessee Two – guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant – Cash knocked out a dozen inspired performances. Guest appearances by Nashville greats like saxophonist Boots Randolph, pianist Floyd Cramer, guitarist Norman Blake, and harmonica wizard Charlie McCoy helped flesh out the album’s sound.

The importance of Orange Blossom Special in the evolution of Cash’s career is often understated. The previous year’s Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian, featuring songs written by Cash and Peter La Farge, solidified the singer’s status as an activist and supporter of Native American rights and signaled a populist turn by the popular country star. With Orange Blossom Special, Cash began turning to songwriters outside of the Nashville machine, including three songs by Bob Dylan on the album – “It Ain’t Me Babe,” “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” and “Mama, You’ve Been On My Mind,” which had yet to be recorded by Dylan. By mixing traditional country, folk-rock, and modern country, as represented by Harlan Howard’s “The Wall,” Cash’s expanded stylistic palette would become a major influence in the creation of Americana music.    

Exhibit Records has reissued Cash’s Orange Blossom Special on lovely 200 gram vinyl as a special, numbered limited edition album. Remastered from the original master recordings, and presented in an old-school gatefold jacket with liner notes, historical information, and rare photos, the “Box Car Series” version of Orange Blossom Special includes a tiny replica of the actual railroad boxcar that appears on the album cover, foil-stamped with a unique edition number. Exhibit Records is earning a reputation for releasing high-quality vinyl LPs across a diverse range of musical styles, from Cash and Maria Muldaur to the Dillards and Trini Lopez. Find out more on the Exhibit Records website.

Side One:
1.  Orange Blossom Special  
2.  The Long Black Veil  
3.  It Ain't Me Babe  
4.  The Wall 
5.  Don't Think Twice, It's Alright 
6.  You Wild Colorado  

Side Two:
1.  Mama, You've Been On My Mind  
2.  When It's Springtime In Alaska (It's Forty Below)  
3.  All Of God's Children Ain't Free  
4.  Danny Boy  
5.  Wildwood Flower  
6.  Amen