1958 Demos For Cash

10"-LP of 6 songs Mize wrote for Johnny Cash! While not a household name, Bakersfield, California's Billy Mize was nominated for 23 Academy of Country Music Awards between 1965 and 1973. He won several, including Most Promising Male Vocalist in 1966 and Television Personality of the Year in 1965, 1966, and 1967. Mize was a pioneer on the Bakersfield music scene that spawned Buck Owens & Merle Haggard. His first major national appearance as an artist came when DECCA released his "Who Will Buy The Wine" in '55. Here, for the first time, are the demos of all six songs that Billy Mize wrote for Johnny Cash. They were recently rediscovered in a garage among several nearly-forgotten recordings, and provide a fascinating snapshot of a regional West Coast country star showing off his skills for writing songs that were strategically targeted to a specific artist.