I Walk the Line

Amp settings (as recorded)

The recording

Recorded on April 2, 1956, at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, with producer Sam Phillips. The track features the 'Tennessee Two'—Johnny Cash on rhythm guitar, Luther Perkins on lead guitar, and Marshall Grant on upright bass. Perkins' signature 'boom-chicka-boom' sound was developed by palm-muting the bass strings on his Fender Esquire to minimize unwanted resonance and create a steady, percussive rhythm complementary to the bass. The song's unique quality arose from the recording process, where tape machine vari-speed was sometimes used for pitch and tempo, and the distinctive slapback echo was a result of Sun Studio’s classic acoustic room processing.