Johnny Cash left a seriously hefty musical canon behind when he passed in 2003, and his music and influence show no sign of diminishing. This wonderful book is a fitting testament to that legacy, told through his songs and the most essential Cash-related must-have since the Unearthed box set.

From nearly 700 songs in his canon, Johnny Cash: The Life In Lyrics covers 125, with the artist’s soulful, spiritual storytelling shining brightly through. “Gospel music and the Bible first inspired my father’s creativity,” writes son John Carter Cash in the introduction, while the prime mover behind this book is historian and Cash family friend Mark Stielper, who has documented Johnny’s life for over four decades.

With plenty of background information to be gleaned amidst good quality and well chosen photographs, The Life In Lyrics is generously sized, its layout uncluttered. It feels like a labour of love, one in which Cash’s lyrics get to breathe, jump off the pages, shake you by the shoulders, make you think and reach for your heart and soul. Lonesome To The Bone or Tear Stained Letter are just a couple of examples that ought to make the reader want to dig deep, to digest the aural glory of these songs.