‘Walk the Line’ goes to vinyl
t’s a big month for soundtracks as Craft Recordings has announced the vinyl debut of the best-selling LP to the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic, ‘Walk the Line.’ Due out July 21, the album features original recordings from the Academy Award-winning film, with fiery performances by actors Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, and production by the legendary T Bone Burnett.
Stepping into the boots of one of music’s most iconic figures, Phoenix delivered a collection of Cash’s most memorable songs on what ended up being a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack. Rather than sourcing Cash’s original masters, director James Mangold took a fresh approach to the music by appointing the legendary producer Burnett, who previously worked on the soundtrack to ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ and helmed albums for the likes of Elvis Costello and John Mellencamp.
Burnett navigated Phoenix and his fellow cast members through new recordings of classic country and rockabilly tunes. Phoenix’s performance captures the same rawness and power that made “The Man in Black” an undeniable force, while Reese Witherspoon brings the songs of June Carter, who she played in the film, alive. With the addition of classic country and rockabilly covers by Tyler Hilton, Johnathan Rice, Shooter Jennings and Waylon Payne, ‘Walk The Line’s’ original soundtrack recording serves as a lively tribute to some of American music’s most legendary figures.
Following its original release in 2005, the album made quite a splash — peaking at the top spot on the Billboard soundtrack chart, No. 3 on the country albums chart and No. 9 on the Billboard Top 200. The title not only garnered a 2007 Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack, but was also certified platinum by the RIAA.
‘Walk the Line’ getting its release on vinyl some 12 years after coming out for the first time is one more indication that the format once considered dead in the water is back in a big way and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.