Johnny Cash - Water from the Wells of Home (1988) | Album Review

 Johnny Cash - Water from the Wells of Home (1988)

Johnny Cash – Water from the Wells of Home (1988): Complete Album Guide

Water from the Wells of Home is a heartfelt country album by American music icon Johnny Cash, released in 1988 on Mercury Records. The album stands out as one of Cash’s most emotionally rich late-career projects, built around themes of reflection, legacy, friendship, and the passage of time.

Featuring an extraordinary lineup of guest artists — many of whom were admirers of Cash — the album functions as both a musical homecoming and a tribute to the relationships that shaped his life and career.

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📀 Album Overview

• Album Title: Water from the Wells of Home

• Artist: Johnny Cash

• Release Year: 1988

• Label: Mercury Records

• Genre: Country, Country Folk

• Producer: Jack Clement

• Recorded: 1987–1988, Nashville, Tennessee

• Length: Approximately 41 minutes

The album’s title reflects its emotional core — revisiting the past, honoring roots, and drawing strength from memory and connection.

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🎵 Tracklist

1. Water from the Wells of Home

2. Little Man (with Randy Travis)

3. I’m My Own Grandpa (with Hank Williams Jr.)

4. Little Girl Lost (with John Carter Cash)

5. Still Within the Sound of My Voice (with Rosanne Cash)

6. Two Old Army Pals (with Willie Nelson)

7. Ballad of a Teenage Queen (with Rosanne Cash)

8. As Long as the Grass Shall Grow (with Paul McCartney)

9. The Old Rugged Cross (with Jessi Colter)

10. That Old Time Feeling (with Waylon Jennings)

This unique tracklist blends new material, re-recordings of classics, and spiritual songs — each enhanced by meaningful collaborations.

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🎸 Album Credits & Personnel

Lead Artist:

• Johnny Cash – lead vocals, guitar

Producer:

• Jack Clement

Featured Guest Artists:

• Randy Travis – vocals

• Hank Williams Jr. – vocals

• Rosanne Cash – vocals

• John Carter Cash – vocals

• Willie Nelson – vocals

• Paul McCartney – vocals

• Jessi Colter – vocals

• Waylon Jennings – vocals

Musicians:

• Bob Wootton – guitar

• Marty Stuart – guitar, mandolin

• Earl Poole Ball – piano

• Hargus “Pig” Robbins – piano

• Mike Leech – bass

• Joe Allen – bass

• W.S. Holland – drums

• Kenny Malone – drums

• Pete Drake – steel guitar

Backing Vocals:

• June Carter Cash

• The Carter Family singers

This star-studded lineup reflects Cash’s influence across generations and genres.

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🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia

🎤 Paul McCartney Collaboration:
Former Beatle Paul McCartney appears on As Long as the Grass Shall Grow, making this one of the few collaborations between two of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

👨‍👧 Family Affair:
Cash recorded duets with both Rosanne Cash and his son John Carter Cash, giving the album a deeply personal and generational dimension.

🤠 Outlaw Reunion:
Two Old Army Pals reunites Cash with fellow outlaw country legend Willie Nelson, while That Old Time Feeling features longtime friend Waylon Jennings.

🎼 Blending Humor and Heart:
Tracks like I’m My Own Grandpa bring humor, while songs such as Water from the Wells of Home and Still Within the Sound of My Voice provide emotional depth.

📀 Late-Career Highlight:
The album is widely regarded as one of Cash’s strongest late-1980s releases and a precursor to the critical acclaim he would later receive in the 1990s.

Johnny Cash Full Discography

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