Christ, through all of the keening and lamentation of late, I almost forgot to tell you about my latest, greatest news! Guess whose sweet, darling, psychic husband bought her THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT OF ALL TIME?
Yeah. That’s right. Mine.
Get ready.
With my acquisition of this priceless treasure, I can now retire the poor Live From San Quentin album cover I have had hanging up on my living room wall for the past ten years.
Keep holding.
I’m so excited I could just piss.
Wait for it.
Direct from ebay…here it is — probably the most perfect and extraordinary gift I have ever received:
“American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support.”
JOHNNY CASH Original Unchained FINGER poster *RARE*
It’s the ULTIMATE in CASH memoribilia!! INVESTMENT QUALITY POSTER RARITY!!
The picture says it all. Below you will see the original Billboard Magazine ad as it first appeared. Soon after, American Recordings printed some up as posters and distributed them to various record stores in very limited quantities. I used the ad for illustration to avoid any damage to this poster.
From the “Unearthed” Liner notes:
“The ad struck a resonant chord with Johnny’s fellow musicians. Like the 1969 San Quentin prison concert where the “bird” photo came from, it was the perfect gesture of defiance, of an individual squaring up to the establishment and its arbitrary, hard-hearted rules. Suddenly, the American offices were deluged with requests for copies of the adfrom artists, most of whom bristled at their treatment by the music industry. It got to the point where American had posters made of it, because every day another musician or recording studio would call up with a request. (Ironically, even executives at Warner Brothers Records proudly displayed framed copes of the ad in their offices). And Willie Nelson posted it in his tour bus, with no end of travelling bands following his lead.”
Classic Cash, and a “must have” for any fan. The perfect conversation piece (I’ve had one framed for years!).
This is the infamous promo-only poster for the Johnny Cash album “Unchained” Grammy win. It features the CLASSIC Jim Marshall “finger” photo.
It measures 11 X 17 inches and reads “American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support.”
As you know, he was virtually ABANDONED by Nashville throughout the “American Recordings” era yet still continued to win Grammy after Grammy.
Please note, this is not a reproduction. It is the real and impossible to find, 11×17 original promo poster issued by the record company and still in MINT CONDITION.
And just in case you were wondering, the photo is one taken of Cash back in 1969 while he was performing for the inmates at San Quentin Prison in California. Right before he stepped out onto the stage, the photographer asked him if he had any message for the warden before he went on. As the story goes, THAT was his fucking message.
And THAT…was why I loved him so.
It will be mounted and framed like the great work of art that it is…and will hang in a place of great honor and reverence in our new home.
I just may be the luckiest girl alive.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, My Darling Rupert.
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