On the "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" tribute album, who did "You Never Knew My Mind'?

On the "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" tribute album, Chris Cornell performs "You Never Knew My Mind." The song sets previously unpublished Johnny Cash writing to music and became one of Cornell’s final solo recordings.

The track reflects a musical connection between the two artists. Cash had recorded Cornell’s Soundgarden song "Rusty Cage" for his 1996 album "Unchained." Decades later, Cornell wrote music and additional lyrics around Cash’s poem, creating "You Never Knew My Mind" for the 2018 project "Forever Words."

"Forever Words" is a collection built from Cash’s poems, lyrics, and letters, with different performers turning those writings into completed songs. Its contributors include Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Alison Krauss, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, and Brad Paisley. Because the album is a multi-artist tribute rather than a conventional Johnny Cash studio album, listeners sometimes attribute the song to Cash himself; the credited performer is Chris Cornell.