Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
VH1 Storytellers

THE REVIEW

Two men are seated at the center of the stage. They hold guitars and are accompanied by applause. The first is dressed in black, with white hair and much experience in his eyes. The second has long hair, still blonde despite his advanced age, and a perpetual smile on his lips. The first approaches the microphone and in a low voice declares "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." The second immediately follows with "Hi, I'm Willie Nelson."

This is the epic beginning of a concert to remember, featuring two country legends who throughout their careers have often "tainted" this genre with influences ranging from folk to reggae, from rock to blues. The set list includes some songs the two perform together, and others they perform in complete solitude accompanied only by their own guitars. The tracklist is anything but predictable, alternating between monumental hits and brand-new songs. But the particularity accompanying this live performance is the chemistry between the two: Willie Nelson's improvised and melodic solos, Johnny Cash's discernible winks, the splendid blending of voices moving at clearly different tones yet united by a conscious passion for the genre and for what they are playing.

One should listen to believe to the classics Ghost Riders in the Sky, I Still Miss Someone and Folsom Prison Blues, or the incredible Crazy (performed by Nelson alone), or the new Drive On, dating back to just a few years earlier (this time it’s Cash who is alone). All this presented in the relaxing and fun atmosphere of "Storytellers" allows us to appreciate even more these two fantastic authors and enjoy a good live album that is warm, welcoming, and pleasant.