Johnny Cash 1932 - 2003

Johnny Cash, the Man in Black, passed away early this morning due to complications from diabetes that caused respiratory failure. Johnny was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, in 1932 and learned to play guitar during a time in the US Air Force and eventually made it to Memphis, Tennessee where he would launch his musical career. Johnny’s wife, June Carter-Cash, passed away earlier in May which makes this a very difficult year for the Cash family. Read the full story HERE.

Some of my earliest childhood memories were sitting in the back of the family car as the eight-track churned out Johnny’s raspy tales of the common man fighting against diversity as I looked out the window with the Maine woods passing beside. I think we had all the Johnny Cash eight-tracks and vinyl when I was growing up. Live from Folsom Prison was one of my favorites and ‘A Boy Named Sue’ would crack up my brother and I every time the dusty needle would find the groove on the console stereo. His purist, minimalist, yet powerful approach to his music would always set him apart in my mind from other musicians and group him into a class with other legendary minstrels like John Hartford, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg, Hank Williams Sr., Elizabeth Cotton and many other fine artists.

S. Remington – Editor
PhreshWater.com
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