Original photograph of Johnny Cash recording "Heavenly Highway Hymns" in the studio

N.p. N.p., Circa 1961. Vintage borderless photograph of Johnny Cash singing in a recording studio holding his beloved mother's hymnal, singing "Heavenly Highway Hymns." Circa 1961, with a provenance sticker on the verso. Photograph attributed to Leigh Wiener.

The photograph was likely taken during the recording of Cash's seventh studio album and second Gospel album, "Hymns from the Heart," released in 1962, preceded by the 1959 album, "Hymns By Johnny Cash."

The posthumous box set "Unearthed," released in 2003, included the disc "My Mother's Hymn Book," an acoustic album of Gospel songs. Cash was quoted in the accompanying booklet, "My mother had an old book called 'Heavenly Highway Hymns.' She used to sit and play those songs in it—old church songs, country gospel songs, dozens of them—all the way through, over and over in her lifetime. My mother loved that book. It's mine now, and its kind of dog-eared and ragged, a little bit like I am, and I love that book too."

9.5 x 6.5 inches. Light edgewear, else Near Fine.

[Book #170568]