American icon and music legend Johnny Cash passed away early today. The stated cause of death was complications from diabetes, but we ought not dismiss the obvious: his wife of 35 years, June Carter Cash, passed away earlier this summer.

Cash’s career spans decades, and includes a myriad of collaborations of the type typified by his last recording contract, with Rick Rubin. In the sixties, he worked with Bob Dylan on Nashville Skyline; his ’69 – ’71 TV show included guests such as Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Louis Armstrong. Another famous guest on that program was Merle Haggard, who first saw Cash from the audience at Cash’s 1958 San Quentin show. Over four decades, he had 48 singles on the Billboard pop chart and won 11 Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award and the 1998 Country Album of the Year. CNN notes that “it’s said that more than 100 other recording artists and groups have recorded ‘I Walk the Line,'” and it’s easy to believe.

At 48 (in 1980), Cash became the youngest living inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1992, he added the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to his accomplishments. Two years later, his relationship with Rick Rubin began, and he entered a sort of creative renaissance. Rubin stated he wanted Cash to sing and record whatever he wanted, and Cash obliged, including new recordings of his own work as well as almost shocking reinterpretations of songs by Soundgarden, U2, Danzig, Depeche Mode, and Trent Reznor. What could have been jokes — “old country artist does hard rock and roll” — turned out to be startling and affecting, thanks no doubt to Cash’s inimitable baritone and style.

Last year, Sony put out a previously unreleased recording of a 1969 show at Madison Square Garden. Along with Cash, it includes performances by Carl Perkins, the Carter Family, the Statler Brothers, and others; he’s at the height of his power and popularity. It’s been in heavy rotation at Nogators HQ for several months. It’s a fine piece of work, and of course, it begins the same way he started all his concerts: “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” We here at Nogators believe you might enjoy it, too.