**Johnny Cash – Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town (1987): Complete Album Guide**

Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town is a vibrant country album by legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, released in 1987 on Mercury Records. The album represents one of Cash’s strongest and most energetic releases of the late 1980s, blending traditional country storytelling with modern production and a renewed sense of creative confidence.

Coming after his transition from Columbia to Mercury, this album marked a commercial and critical rebound for Cash. It delivered one of his biggest late-career hits and showcased collaborations with contemporary artists, proving that the Man in Black remained a powerful and relevant voice in country music.

📀 Album Overview

Album Title: Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town
Artist: Johnny Cash
Release Year: 1987
Label: Mercury Records
Genre: Country, Country Rock
Producer: Jack Clement
Recorded: Mid-1980s, Nashville, Tennessee
Length: Approximately 36 minutes

This album is especially remembered for its title track duet with Bruce Springsteen, which became a major hit and introduced Cash to a new generation of listeners while reaffirming his status as a country icon.

🎵 Tracklist

Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town (with Bruce Springsteen)
Straight A’s in Love
Hard Way
I Will Dance with You
That Old Wheel (with Hank Williams Jr.)
Let Him Roll
Strawberry Cake
I’m Ragged but I’m Right
I Love You Tonite
After All

This diverse tracklist balances story-driven ballads, upbeat country rockers, and heartfelt collaborations, making the album one of Cash’s most accessible releases of the decade.

🎸 Album Credits & Personnel

Lead Artist:

Johnny Cash – lead vocals, guitar

Producer:

Jack Clement

Featured Guest Artists:

Bruce Springsteen – vocals on Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town
Hank Williams Jr. – vocals on That Old Wheel

Musicians & Session Players:

Bob Wootton – lead guitar
Marty Stuart – guitar, mandolin
Earl Poole Ball – piano
Hargus “Pig” Robbins – piano
Mike Leech – bass
Joe Allen – bass
Kenny Malone – drums
W.S. Holland – drums
Pete Drake – steel guitar

Backing Vocals:

June Carter Cash
The Carter Family singers
Additional Nashville session vocalists

This talented group helped give the album a polished yet roots-driven sound that balanced tradition with contemporary country production.

🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia

🎤 Bruce Springsteen Collaboration:
The title track, Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town, was co-written and performed with Bruce Springsteen, becoming Cash’s biggest hit in years and peaking high on the country charts.

🎸 A Late-Career Comeback:
The album is widely seen as the start of a career resurgence for Cash in the late 1980s, paving the way for later critical acclaim and his 1990s revival.

🤠 Hank Williams Jr. Duet:
That Old Wheel, a duet with Hank Williams Jr., became another fan favorite and radio hit, highlighting Cash’s connection to both traditional and modern country audiences.

🎼 Produced by a Sun Records Veteran:
Jack Clement, who worked with Cash at Sun Records in the 1950s, returned as producer, creating a full-circle moment in Cash’s career.

📀 Strong Chart Performance:
The album reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, making it one of Cash’s most successful releases of the decade.

🎵 Blend of Old and New:
The album features both classic country covers and modern songwriting, showing Cash’s ability to honor tradition while staying current.

Johnny Cash Full Discography

Download Johnny Cash Albums from Amazon

More Albums:

Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash With His Hot And Blue Guitar! (1957)

Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash Sings The Songs That Made Him Famous (1958)

Johnny Cash - The Fabulous Johnny Cash (1958)

Johnny Cash - Songs of Our Soil (1959)

Johnny Cash - Ride This Train (1960)

Johnny Cash - Blood, Sweat and Tears (1963)

Johnny Cash - Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian (1964)

Johnny Cash - The Holy Land (1969)

Johnny Cash - The Johnny Cash Children's Album (1975)