Johnny Cash

Those that know me personally know that one of my All time Favorite Musical Artists, whom is also one of my alter egos, is the one and only Johnny Cash.  'The Man in Black', as he was called, overcame various odds throughout his life.  One of the most extreme odds he overcame was growing up poor.  Raised by cotton farmers in Arkansas during the Great Depression, Johnny Cash and his family encountered various obstacles.  The family farm was flooded on at least two occasions.  Cash learned the ethics of hard work at a young age and how to apply them to the most dire circumstances.  However, Cash would experience severe tragedy when his older brother Jack was killed in a grisly saw mill accident.  In fact, Jack Cash was almost cut in two.  Johnny Cash had become close to his brother Jack before the incident and he felt great guilt over his death.  Evidently, Cash's father was away that morning, but he and his mother, and Jack himself, all had a strange sense of foreboding about this day.  This caused his mother to urge Jack to skip work and go fishing with Johnny.  Jack insisted on working that day since the family needed money.  The tragedy, of course, not only affected the family emotionally, but financially as well.  Johnny Cash would end up joining the military.  However, he soon found that it wasn't a good fit for him, despite the prospects of giving him a better life.  Johnny Cash, of course, would become a successful musician in both the country and rock genres as evidenced by him being inducted into both the Country Music and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   Cash's rough economic background during the Great Depression fueled his songwriting. Of course, with success comes hardships including drugs, alcohol, divorce and bad business deals.  Cash would divorce his first wife before marrying June Carter, the woman who he said years earlier he would marry one day.  Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash would die months apart in 2003 leaving a mark on the music industry that will last forever.

In some ways, Johnny Cash also overcame the odds of being able to appeal to people of all ages, race, sex, social status and political affiliation. Musicians in the genres of country, rock, blues, R&B, and gospel can all claim Cash as an influence.  His influence is still felt today among modern musicians.  I remember reading in his Autobiography how he and his son went to a Metallica concert in the 80s and enjoyed it.  He even met Ozzy Osbourne.  In addition, he literally 'Walked the Line' in reference to his political beliefs.   He met every U.S. President from Nixon to George W. Bush and never espoused one particular belief.  At his funeral in 2003, Al Gore and Hank Williams Jr. were in the same building.

My Friends! I've Said It Before and Ill Darn Sure Say It Again!! THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER JOHNNY CASH!!!