# American V: A Hundred Highways

Professional ratings :
| Aggregate scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 82/100 |
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| NME | 9/10 |
| Pitchfork Media | 7.8/10 |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Slant Magazine | |
| Entertainment Weekly | A− |
| The Guardian | |
American V: A Hundred Highways is a posthumously released studio album by Johnny Cash. It was released on July 4, 2006, by American Recordings. As the title implies, it is the fifth entry in Cash's American series. Like its predecessors, the album is produced by Rick Rubin. It was Cash's first No. 1 album in 37 years. It was certified Gold on August 18, 2006, by the RIAA.

## Background

As with the other albums in the American series, the album includes covers and originals. The originals on this album are "I Came to Believe" and "Like the 309", the latter of which was the last song Cash wrote before his death in 2003. Recorded on August 21, 2003, "Like the 309" was the next-to-last song Cash ever recorded; the last being "Engine One-Forty-Three" which was produced by John Carter Cash and released on the 2004 compilation album The Unbroken Circle: The Musical Heritage of the Carter Family. The album takes its name from a lyric on the track "Love's Been Good to Me" by Rod McKuen.

### Previous recordings

Three songs on the album are updated versions of songs previously recorded by Cash.
* "Help Me" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1973 album "The Gospel Road".
* "I Came to Believe" was previously recorded by Cash in the 1980s during the recording sessions that would ultimately result in the posthumous 2014 release Out Among the Stars.
* "I'm Free from the Chain Gang Now" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1962 album The Sound of Johnny Cash.

## Chart performance

American V: A Hundred Highways peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 with 88,000 copies sold in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It was Cash's first No. 1 album since 1969's Johnny Cash at San Quentin.

## Personnel

Cash engineer David "Fergie" Ferguson (assisted by Jimmy Tittle) and Rubin oversaw the completion of the recordings. Other musicians on the album include keyboardist Benmont Tench and guitarists Mike Campbell, Smoky Hormel, Matt Sweeney and Jonny Polonsky.
* Johnny Cash – vocal, guitar
* Laura Cash – fiddle
* Dennis Crouch – bass guitar
* Smokey Hormel – guitar
* Pat McLaughlin – guitar
* Larry Perkins – guitar
* Jonny Polonsky – guitar
* Randy Scruggs – guitar
* Marty Stuart – guitar
* Matt Sweeney – guitar
* Benmont Tench – organ, piano, harpsichord
* Pete Wade – guitar
* Mac Wiseman – guitar
* David Campbell – string arrangements

### Production and technical staff

* Martyn Atkins – photography
* Christine Cano – art direction, design
* John Carter Cash – executive producer
* Lindsay Chase – production coordination
* Greg Fidelman – mixing
* Paul Figueroa – mixing assistant
* Dan Leffler – mixing assistant
* Vlado Meller – mastering
* Rick Rubin – producer, liner notes
* Mark Santangelo – mastering assistant
* Jimmy Tittle – assistant engineer

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 50,000$^^$ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Gold | 20,000$^^$ |
| Germany (BVMI) | Gold | 100,000$^^$ |
| Ireland (IRMA) | Gold | 7,500$^^$ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 100,000$^^$ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000$^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||