The DVD pipeline has been filled with worthy Johnny Cash titles since his death in 2003, but Cash for Kenya is a little different. Yes, we get “Ring of Fire” (twice!) and “Folsom Prison Blues,” but this 1991 gig was held in a Pennsylvania church as a favor to Cash's friend the Rev. Jack Shaw, who planned to build a hospital in Kenya (construction is apparently finally underway, with proceeds from DVD sales helping out). Cash's spiritual side is on display here as he talks about his faith, while also serving up tunes like Thomas Dorsey's “Peace in the Valley” and Cash's own “The Man in White” (told from the point-of-view of St. Paul). In addition, Cash for Kenya boasts a Carter family presence, as wife June Carter Cash and her sisters Anita and Helen (all in fine voice) perform several songs—”The Wabash Cannonball,” “Keep on the Sunny Side,” “Lonesome Valley,” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” all written by their father, clan patriarch A.P. Carter—that represent the very heart of country music and have been standards for decades. Add to that some of Cash's hits from his Sun Records era, such as “Get Rhythm” and “Five Feet High and Rising” (very appropriate for Johnstown, site of the famous 1889 flood), and this intimate 18-song eclectic offering (presented with DTS 5.1 and PCM stereo audio options) makes for a nice addition to the Cash canon. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Cash for Kenya: Live in Johnstown, PA
(1991) 60 min. DVD: $14.99. Universal Music Group (avail. from most distributors). Volume 24, Issue 2
Cash for Kenya: Live in Johnstown, PA
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