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Here’s some events that happened on July 26:

July 26, 1969 – Johnny Cash released the single, ‘A Boy Named Sue’, a song written by Shel Silverstein. Cash was at the height of his popularity when he recorded the song live at California’s San Quentin State Prison at a concert on February 24, 1969. The song tells the tale of a young man’s quest for revenge on a father who abandoned him at 3 years of age and whose only contribution to his entire life was naming him Sue.

July 26, 1986 – Peter Gabriel went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Sledgehammer’, a No.4 hit in the UK. The song’s music video has won a number of awards, including a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards, and Best British Video at the 1987 Brit Awards. Gabriel was also nominated for three Grammy Awards. As of 2011, ‘Sledgehammer’ is the most played music video in the history of.

July 26, 2017 – A jury awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties for the use of songs he produced in two Cirque du Soleil shows and the ‘This Is It’ documentary. Jones filed suit in 2013, asking for $30 million.

*July 9, 1958 – Johnny Cash signed with Columbia Records, where he would remain for the next 30 years releasing over 60 albums.

*July 9, 1983 – Wham! went to number 1 on the UK album chart with their debut release ‘Fantastic!’, which went on to spend 116 weeks on the chart.

*July 9, 1995 – The Grateful Dead gave their last concert with leader Jerry Garcia at Chicago’s Soldier Field.  Jerry died of a heart attack a month later while in drug rehab.

Johnny Cash – October 1959

Johnny Cash’s estate was approached by an advertising company asking for permission to use “Ring Of Fire” on an ad for hemorrhoid cream. The request was refused.

I’m pretty sure you’ve seen it.  It’s been around forever and people have been doing it in front of the camera ever since.  Jim Marshall, who took the photograph in 1969 at Cash’s San Quentin Prison performance, asked Cash to do a shot for the warden.  Then Cash flipped the finger and Jim took the photo.  I love hearing the stories behind the photographs.

Yes, after 6 years of him dying, he’s putting out his last album on February 26th which would be his 78th birthday.  The albums called ‘American VI: Ain’t No Grave and is the final of recordings done with Rick Rubin.  There’s some songs written by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson and a song previously done by Bob Dylan.

“Sam Phillips always encouraged me to do it my way, to use what ever other influences I wanted, but never to copy … that was a great rare gift he gave me: believe in myself, right from the start of my recording career… if there hadn’t been a Sam Phillips, I might still be working in a cotton field” – Johnny Cash

A while back I had written about Snoop Dogg being the Executive Producer on Johnny Cash’s new reworked album.  Strangely enough some of the tracks are remixed by Alabama 3, Pete Rock and Snoop himself.  Well ‘Johnny Cash Remixed’ has finally released on June 15th.  There is also a CD/DVD package that will have the DVD showing the documentary about the making of the album.

OK I’m actually strangely excited about this. On June 15th the album Johnny Cash Remixed is coming out and its going to be produced by Cash’s son John Carter Cash along with Snoop Dogg. I know sounds nuts. Some of the remixes will come from Alabama 3, The Heavy, Buck 65 and more. Snoop is actually going to rap over a remix of “I Walk the Line” and Pete Rock will be hittin up “Folsom Prison Blues”. There will also be a DVD that documents the entire process. Check out a sample.