I got a lot of e-mails last week when Johnny Cash died. People know that I'm a big fan, and I appreciate their sentiments. I first discovered him in about 9th grade, I'd happened upon an LP version of his soundtrack for the obscure early-70's film I Walk the Line starring Gregory Peck and Tuesday Weld. (I've since tried in earnest to locate this film, but it was never released on video). Regardless, the soundtrack is a goddamn jewel, containing at least half a dozen great songs that I've never seen elsewhere (and I've seen hundreds of compilations, boxed sets, etc). Great stuff. Well, that record set the hook and after that I started to pay attention to classic country music. I was raised on a little bit of Hank Jr., Kenny Rogers, and other early-80's stars, but had never really paid country music any mind. From Johnny I expanded to eventually like all the classics, from early roots incarnations (Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers) right up to overproduced late-70's schlock (in the best possible way) like George Jones and CW McCall.
I haven't cared much for Johnny's later work (American Recordings); I can appreciate the intensity and quality of his voice, but most of the song selections were ill-fitting and just strange coming out of his mouth. I'd known his health was failing for years now and his death came as no surprise to me, so I'm not sad about it. I celebrate his life and thousands of good songs and that's plenty to remember him by. Ryan, Ogaz and I got to see him perform in Minneapolis in about 1998, he gave an incredible show including a version of "Orange Blossom Special" that nearly brought down the walls. An amazing individual, gifted songwriter, and spokesman for the downtrodden and marginalized, he kept it simple but always made it beautiful.
Posted by pj at September 17, 2003 09:02 AM