In februari 1969 sloten Bob Dylan en Johnny Cash zich twee dagen op in een studio in Nashville, waar ze elkaars liedjes zongen, jamden met rockabilly-icoon Carl Perkins, in spontane covers als “Mystery Train” en “You Are My Sunshine” en schreef Perkins zelfs het deuntje “Wanted Man” dat Johnny Cash slechts een week later zou debuteren in de gevangenis van San Quentin. Hun duet op “Girl From The North Country” verscheen later in april op de LP “Nashville Skyline” van Bob Dylan evenals geselecteerde nummers uit de sessies die in de loop der jaren in de bootleg-wereld waren gelekt, maar veel van dit materiaal is nergens eerder gehoord.

Dat zal veranderen op 1 november met de release van Bob Dylan’s ft. Johnny Cash “Travelin’ Thru, 1967–1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15”. Het pakket met drie cd’s besteedt anderhalve schijf aan de legendarische Johnny Cash-sessies, maar het bevat ook opnames van de John Wesley Harding-sessies van 1967 en Nashville Skyline-sessies die nooit zijn gebootlegged, samen met een paar Johnny Cash covers opgenomen voor “Self Portrait” in 1970, de soundtrack van Bob Dylan’s optreden in 1969 bij The Johnny Cash Show, en selecties uit Bob Dylan’s 1970 opnamesessie met bluegrass topper Earl Scruggs en zijn familieleden.

Tracklist:

Disc 1:

October 17, 1967
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
John Wesley Harding sessions
01. Drifter’s Escape – Take 1 (Alternate Version)
02. I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine – Take 2 (Alternate Version)

November 6, 1967
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
John Wesley Harding sessions
03. All Along the Watchtower – Take 3 (Alternate Version)
04. John Wesley Harding – Take 1 (Alternate Version)
05. As I Went Out One Morning – Take 1 (Alternate Version)
06. I Pity the Poor Immigrant – Take 4 (Alternate Version)
07. I Am a Lonesome Hobo – Take 4 (Alternate Version)

Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Charlie McCoy: bass
Kenneth Buttrey: drums

February 13, 1969
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
Nashville Skyline sessions
08. I Threw It All Away – Take 1 (Alternate Version)
09. To Be Alone with You – Take 1 (Alternate Version)
10. Lay Lady Lay – Take 2 (Alternate Version)
11. One More Night – Take 2 (Alternate Version)
12. Western Road – Take 1 (Outtake)

February 14, 1969
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
Nashville Skyline sessions
13. Peggy Day – Take 1 (Alternate Version)
14. Tell Me That It Isn’t True – Take 2 (Alternate Version)
15. Country Pie – Take 2 (Alternate Version)

Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
Kelton D. Herston, Norman Blake, Charlie Daniels, Wayne Moss (10 & 12): guitars
Bob Wilson: piano, organ
Peter Drake: steel guitar (13-15)
Charlie McCoy: bass
Kenneth Buttrey: drums

DISC 2

February 17, 1969
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
The Dylan-Cash Sessions
01. I Still Miss Someone – Take 5
02. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right/Understand Your Man – Rehearsal

February 18, 1969
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
The Dylan-Cash Sessions
03. One Too Many Mornings – Take 3
04. Mountain Dew – Take 1
05. Mountain Dew – Take 2
06. I Still Miss Someone – Take 2
07. Careless Love – Take 1
08. Matchbox – Take 1
09. That’s All Right, Mama – Take 1
10. Mystery Train/This Train Is Bound for Glory – Take 1
11. Big River – Take 1
12. Girl from the North Country – Rehearsal
13. Girl from the North Country – Take 1
14. I Walk the Line – Take 2
15. Guess Things Happen That Way – Rehearsal
16. Guess Things Happen That Way – Take 3
17. Five Feet High and Rising – Take 1
18. You Are My Sunshine – Take 1
19. Ring of Fire – Take 1

DISC 3

February 18, 1969
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
The Dylan-Cash Sessions
01. Studio Chatter
02. Wanted Man – Take 1
03. Amen – Rehearsal
04. Just a Closer Walk with Thee – Take 1
05. Jimmie Rodgers Medley No. 1 – Take 1
Based on Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas), The Brakeman’s Blues (Yodeling the Blues Away), and Blue Yodel No. 5 (It’s Raining Here) written by Jimmie Rodgers
06. Jimmie Rodgers Medley No. 2 – Take 2
Based on Waiting for a Train, The Brakeman’s Blues (Yodeling the Blues Away), and Blue Yodel No. 1 (T For Texas) written by Jimmie Rodgers

Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar
Johnny Cash: vocals, guitar
Carl Perkins: guitar (08, 10, 02, 04-06)
Bob Wootton: guitar
Marshall Grant: bass
W.S. Holland: drums

May 1, 1969
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Live on The Johnny Cash Show
Originally broadcast on ABC-TV, June 7, 1969
07. I Threw It All Away
08. Living the Blues
09. Girl from the North Country

Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar
Johnny Cash: vocals, guitar (09)
Norman Blake and Charlie Daniels: guitars
Peter Drake: steel guitar
Bob Wilson: piano
Charlie McCoy: bass
Kenneth Buttrey: drums

May 3, 1969
Columbia Studio A, Nashville, TN
Self Portrait sessions
10. Ring of Fire (Outtake)
11. Folsom Prison Blues (Outtake)

Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar
Fred F. Carter, Norman Blake: guitars
Charlie Daniels: guitar (11), bass (10)
Bob Wilson: piano
Peter Drake: steel guitar
Charlie McCoy: harmonica (10), bass (11)
Kenneth Buttrey: drums
Delores Edgin and Dottie Dillard: background vocals

May 17, 1970
The Home of Thomas B. Allen, Carmel, New York
With Earl Scruggs
12. Earl Scruggs Interview
13. East Virginia Blues
14. To Be Alone with You
15. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance
16. Nashville Skyline Rag

Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar
Earl Scruggs: banjo
Randy Scruggs: acoustic guitar
Gary Scruggs: electric bass