"Unchained, also known as American II: Unchained", is the second album in Johnny Cash's American Recordings series, released on November 5, 1996. Produced by Rick Rubin, it is Cash's 82nd overall album. The album received a Grammy for Best Country Album, and Cash was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his rendition of "Rusty Cage."
Unlike his first album with Rubin, which featured only Cash's voice and guitar, Unchained includes backing from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, along with guest appearances from Marty Stuart, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and members of Fleetwood Mac. The album focuses primarily on cover songs, featuring three of Cash's own compositions alongside tracks by artists such as Jude Johnstone, Tom Petty, Spain, Soundgarden, and Beck. It also includes a cover of Hank Snow's classic "I've Been Everywhere."
Cash's version of "I've Been Everywhere" gained notable recognition, being used in Choice Hotels commercials from 2003 to 2009 and a USPS commercial from 2021 to 2022. He also recorded new versions of songs from earlier in his career, including "Country Boy" and "Mean Eyed Cat." The album was recorded over six months at Sound City Studios with engineer Sylvia Massy.
