This Friday, a new posthumous release from Johnny Cash, titled “Spotlight,” will hit the airwaves. The track features guitar contributions from Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.
“Spotlight” is the second single from Cash’s upcoming album, *Songwriter*. The album consists of demos Cash recorded over several years at Nashville’s LSI Studios in 1993. John Carter Cash, Johnny’s son, rediscovered these demos and decided to bring them to life. He took his father’s vocals and acoustic guitar tracks and enlisted musicians Marty Stuart, Dave Roe, and Pete Abbott to add guitar, bass, and drums. John Carter Cash produced the album along with David “Fergie” Ferguson.
The song “Spotlight” is infused with Auerbach’s distinctive bluesy style, reminiscent of the Black Keys’ 2021 album *Delta Kream*, which featured country blues covers. The track also showcases Cash’s signature deep baritone voice.
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Dan Auerbach expressed his excitement about working on the song, saying, “It was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to play guitar on a Johnny Cash song. Hearing his voice through the speakers in my studio sent chills down my spine. I can’t thank John Carter and Fergie enough for including me.”
In addition to Auerbach’s guitar work, *Songwriter* features contributions from country legends Vince Gill and Waylon Jennings. This album is Johnny Cash’s first posthumous release since 2014 and is set to be released on June 28. The first single from the album, “Well Alright,” was shared by John Carter Cash back in April.
Reflecting on the album’s creation, John Carter Cash said, “We went straight to the roots with the sound and tried not to overly enhance it. We built it as if dad was in the room. That’s what we tried to do. Between the both of us, Fergie and I have spent thousands of hours with dad in the recording studio, so we just tried to act like he was there: WWJCD, right?”
This release promises to be a touching tribute to Johnny Cash’s enduring legacy, blending his timeless voice with the talents of contemporary musicians.