It may have taken almost 14 years, but Midnight Gasoline by Jamey Johnson is finally out, and it's absolutely worth the wait. In an interview with The Tennessean, Jamey Johnson opens up about how he pulled the new album together, including working at Johnny Cash's old cabin.
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The album has some revealing deep dives into Johnson's life, opening up about his struggles with sobriety. He's got into it with Midnight Gasoline and the long-awaited album is sure to be a hit with his fans. His process was a long and slow one, for us as much as him.
Speaking about the direction his life was taking, and his career as he reached his fifties, he noted "Not getting any more albums from performers like (Toby Keith) made me realize that my discography was incomplete and that I needed to finish what I came (to Nashville) to do." He knew he needed to pull up his boots and finish his work. Jamey Johnson found his inspiration in Johnny Cash's old cabin, of all places.
Johnson Found Solitude In Cash's Cabin
Despite having never met Johnny Cash himself, the country legends cabin is now a functioning studio. It is managed by his son, John Carter. Cash's Cabin provides exactly the kind of space that Johnson needed to record Midnight Gasoline.
As well as his newest album, Jamey Johnson used Johnny Cash's Cabin to record 40 other tracks throughout his career. He is no stranger to the place and finds his own calm and concentration there. The tranquility of the woods brings together the melodies and lyrics that make Johnson's music what it is.
"Being secluded in those woods feels so good that I bring my tour bus to sleep next to the studio" he tells The Tennessean with a smile. The love for the space is evident in his voice.
Cash's Cabin was never intended to be a studio. Instead, it was designed to be a place of rare solitude in Cash's busy life. He built it in the center of his enclosure, from beautiful hand-hewn logs. The construction was completed in 1979, with his wife June adding a few personal touches.
Now, Cash's Cabin is a music studio, playing host to people like Jamey Johnson. A multitude of famous names have stayed there, both as guests before the studio was built, and as players since. Although it may now be filled with high-tech recording equipment, the original purpose, as a space for tranquility and reflection, still has its effect.
