Although struggling with addiction throughout his time in the spotlight, Johnny Cash never let it get in the way of his music as he released dozens of albums. Selling over 90 million albums during his career, the singer often showcased his talents across genres like country, blues, gospel, and even rock and roll. Gaining the title “Man in Black”, the hitmaker passed away at 71 back in 2003. With a new album hitting shelves on June 28, his son, John Carter Cash and former bandmate Marty Stuart discussed what it was like to work with the legendary singer.
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Recalling his time with Cash, Stuart insisted, “Johnny Cash could cough better than most people could sing — even his cough had character to it.” Spending a great of time with the singer over the decades, his fellow bandmate continued, “Whether he was conducting an interview or doing a press conference or acting in a movie, I went everywhere with him. He was my best friend and I watched everything. For me, the real classroom was behind the scenes.”
Johnny Cash Continues To Entertain After Passing Away In 2003
As for the new album, Songwriter, John shared how it included 11 songs, which Cash recorded as demos back in 1993. While sitting on the songs for a long time, John insisted, “I’ve always tried to follow dad’s wishes. It made no sense to him to release these recordings so, for a long time, it didn’t make sense to me. The person he was hardest on was himself. Looking at these (Songwriter) recordings helps bring up the beauty and the strength he never lost.” He added, “There is no such thing as a Johnny Cash demo.”
Taking fans on a journey into Cash’s past, John explained the mastery of his father. “When he held the microphone or stood in front of one to sing and play guitar, his voice was masterful. And there is absolutely no lack of brilliance in his voice on these recordings. That being the driving force, we simply built on it.”
Cash released his last album back in 2002 called American IV: The Man Comes Around, which marked his 67th studio album. And while passing away over 20 years ago, his music continues to entertain fans all over the world.
(Photo by RB/Redferns)
