Today, September 12th, marks a day of passing. Nine years ago the world lost a true legend, a titan of music, and, as his wife June Carter Cash once wrote him in song, “A good man.”
All of our thoughts go out today with the family and close friends of Johnny Cash, wishing them comfort and contentment.
Fans will remember Johnny Cash for his music, music that is essential, standard songs in America and around the globe, songs like “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk The Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “The Man in Black,” “San Quentin,” “Hurt,” “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” and “Ain’t No Grave.”
Others will remember him as a good man. An activist. A man who cared about the environment. A man who held charity concerts for the prisoners, for the police officers, for orphans, for children with disabilities, for education and for the poor. Cash was notorious for slipping one hundred dollars to a bum on the sidewalk, or a boy in ragged clothes every now and then. Yes, he was a great man.
With no boundaries attached to his music, Johnny Cash quite possibly has the largest music library of any known artist. This man recorded country, rock n’ roll, blues, folk, rockabilly, gospel and he even touched on punk and heavy metal late in life. He was never afraid of trying something new. He was never afraid of change. This kept him timeless.
And as it would seem, a new set of unreleased material is currently in the works.
In a talk I had recently with Earl Poole Ball, Cash’s pianist for many years, we discussed a few songs Cash recorded for a comedy directed by Peter Bagdanovich and starring Rob Lowe called “Illegally Yours.” The title song of the movie, “Love Is A Gambler,” has circulated via bootleg recordings for many years. But two other songs recorded for the movie, “One Wish” and “Lady of Love” have never seen the light of day. Now all three of this songs, as well as a demo version of “Love Is A Gambler” featuring Johnny Cash with his daughter Rosanne Cash, are being prepared by Lou Robin, Cash’s manager for over thirty years.
The train that is the legacy of Johnny Cash stops all around this world, picking up new passengers everyday, of every age, from every place. This train is fueled by family, friends and fans. As Cash persists to be a growing artist today, this train shows no sign of slowing down.
So show your support today and wear black, for The Man in Black.
“I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back, ‘till things are brighter, I’m the man in black.”
- Jeff Emond