Sheryl Crow Releases Johnny Cash Duet “Redemption Day”

Nine-time Grammy award winner Sheryl Crow duets with the late, great, Johnny Cash on her newest release of “Redemption Day.” The track originally appeared on her Grammy-winning, triple-platinum self-titled album in 1996. The new take on the song as a duet is the lead single from her forthcoming album slated for late summer this year.

The inspiration behind the writing of this song was when Crow visited Bosnia with then-First Lady Hilary Clinton. “I’d never been anywhere even close to a war-torn area,” Crow expresses in a recent press release. She visited military bases and even played for troops while there, but when she returned home, the news was covering the devastating genocide that was taking place in Rwanda. This lead to the writing of such an eye-opening song about the motivation and reality of war.

In 2003, Cash took a strong liking to the song and wanted to record it himself. “He asked a lot of questions about different lines and what I meant,” she recalls in a recent press release. “He didn’t want to put his voice to the song without being able to believe it, heart and soul.” Cash’s version of the song was intended to be the key track for his next album, but he died later that year. The song didn’t see the light of day until 2010 when posthumous American VI: Ain’t No Grave was released.

Crow also released the chilling music video for the song earlier last week during an event at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee. The music video shows the singer on the piano in a beautiful field which is quite the contrast to the images of past horrific moments in history that flash across the screen. The visual features archived videos of Cash himself. A stand-out scene is a young boy who serves as the portrayal of all children. He’s watching the harrowing news on the television while trying to understand what’s happening himself.

Cash is one of several duet partners featured on Crow’s forthcoming album. Additional collaborations include Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, and St. Vincent. Fans can catch Crow this summer at Pier 17 on July 28th and at Bethel Woods Center For The Arts on July 29th. For tickets click here.

To keep up with Sheryl Crow, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Redemption Day” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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