Johnny Cash - Artist's Choice: Johnny Cash (2003)

Another entry in the Artist's Choice series, this "mixtape" compiled from Johnny Cash's record collection offers no real surprises. Hank Williams, Glen Campbell, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins, and two Kris Kristofferson tracks all made the cut; so does a handful of religious songs from Mahalia Jackson and Red Foley & the Sunshine Boys. Surprises come in the inclusion of Roberta Flack's soulful "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and Linda Ronstadt's cover of the Eagles' "Desperado," demonstrating Cash's wide range of interests and influences. His song-by-song liner notes are a fun glimpse into the thought process behind the song selections, but ultimately the album comes off as an interesting but uneven listen. While an album of anyone's favorite songs is almost critique-proof (no matter what, the songs mean something to the person who put them together), these particular tunes in this particular context may not bring the listener back for many return visits.