In the weeks following the September 12 death of country music legend Johnny Cash, a wide variety of publishers have scrambled to fast-track Cash-related re-releases and new products that will appeal to his diverse audience. Well-known to both country music fans and Christians because of his public professions of faith, Cash also found a new generation of listeners with his 1994 American Recordings series, which recast him from a self-described "Nashville has-been" to a hip icon. But how long will Cash's legend keep demand strong? To find out, PW checked in with key accounts and publishers.
At Virgin Entertainment Group, Vince Szydlowski, senior director of product, said his 23 megastores will stock all of the Cash books coming out in the next few months. At most stores, the mass market edition of Cash (Harper San Francisco, 1997), the autobiography he wrote with Patrick Carr, was already a steady seller before it was mentioned in obituaries in the New York Times and the Associated Press, causing a "2,000% sales spike." "Although the current level of sales is temporary, we expect to see strong sales on Cash books through next year," said Szydlowski. "Johnny's passing has prompted people to learn about his life, and all the acclaim given his last album, his video and the upcoming tributes will only add to the interest."
Borders will also stock numerous Cash books and recordings at its 425 stores, said media book buyer Brian Armbrustmacher. So far, Cash, which was reissued in trade paperback on October 1, has sold best.
At the time of Cash's passing, several publishers already had tributes well underway, prompted by the singer's ill health and an upcoming biopic of Cash's early days in Memphis, Walking the Line (Fox 2000), planned for 2004. Among them is Thomas Nelson's Rutledge Hill Press division, which pushed up publication of the tribute Ring of Fire to November 1. Compiled by USA Today Nashville correspondent Brian Mansfield, the 96-page hardcover book-and-CD package retails for $14.95 and includes contributions from such diverse musicians as Dolly Parton and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, 45 black-and-white photos, and a CD single of the title song. The first printing was increased to 90,000 based on enthusiasm from retailers, according to associate publisher Bryan Curtis. Meanwhile, Nelson's Bible division has accelerated its re-release of The Johnny Cash Spoken Word New Testament, a digitally remastered 16-CD collection that will arrive in stores by Christmas with a first printing of 25,000 copies.
Relevant Books (dist. by Strang Communications), the up-and-coming publisher of pop Christian books, also pushed up publication of The Man Comes Around: The Spiritual Journey of Johnny Cash by music journalist Dave Urbanski. The trade paperback became available on November 1 with a first printing of 12,000 that was supported by large orders from national and regional chains, said publicity and marketing manager Summer Scott.
Meanwhile, Random House has cancelled its instant book-and-CD package, Johnny Cash in His Own Words: A Farewell Conversation with Mari-Lynn Evans and Holly George-Warren, due to permisisons issues. Touted as Cash's "last filmed interview," it had been scheduled for publication on December 2.
Though Crown's Cash (May 2004) is an obvious latecomer to the fold, the house is banking on the cachet of Rolling Stone magazine to propel the 100,000-copy first printing. The book, which grew out of the magazine's cover salute to the icon, will include original essays by the magazine's writers, tributes from popular musicians, more than 100 photographs and a foreword by Cash's daughter Rosanne Cash. Senior v-p and publisher Steve Ross compared the book to the 1999 Tupac Shakur tribute compiled by the editors of Vibe magazine and published by Three Rivers, which performed very well despite hitting the market quite some time after the artist's death (although that book didn't face as much competition as Cash will).
Of all the titles, the one that would probably please Cash most is Harper San Francisco's trade paperback reissue of his own novel, Man in White (1986). That book, about the life of the apostle Paul, sold more than 75,000 copies in hardcover and 30,000 in paper before it went out of print. It returned to stores on October 15 with a printing of 25,000 copies.
