Johnny Cash-the Man in Black

THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «I Walk the Line» by Johnny Cash

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"The music to I Walk the Line came first. Cash had enlisted in the Air Force where he stayed from 1950 to 1954, mostly on assignment in West Germany. While there, he started his first band The Landsberg Barbarians. After lending his reel-to-reel tape recorder to them, he got it back with the tape on backwards. When he played it, the haunting sound that appeared intrigued him. In his autobiography, Cash wrote that it “sounded like spooky church music.”

"It was the backwards playback of guitar runs on the tape recorder that directly inspired the unique chord progressions of I Walk the Line, which otherwise is simple in structure".

"As far as composing the rest of the song, including writing the lyrics, Cash gave differing accounts. In his first autobiography from 1975, he said he wrote it in 1955 before a show in Shreveport, Louisiana. In his next autobiography from 1997, he said it was in 1956 in Gladewater, Texas. He also offered more details, saying that as he hashed out the lyrics, he hit on the phrase “I walk the line.” His tourmate (and labelmate at Sun Records) Carl Perkins encouraged him to adopt it as the song title". (Read More)
 
WoW! I didn't know this thread was about Johnny Cash. I'd scroll through the threads on the forum and I'd see "Cash Only Please". I thought it was about money so I never clicked on it.:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: I'm glad I clicked on it today.

After retireing from the military I went into over the road truck driving. It was in the early 90's while traveling on "Music Highway" I-40 about 3 AM I heard someone singing on the CB Radio. The voice sounded familiar. Some of the other truckers listening asked, who is that singing? There was no reply, he just kept on singing. This went on for about a half hour or more. Finally the one that was singing said this is "Johnny Cash, any of the truckers want any songs you like to hear'? Well, you know how some people BS over the CB radio especially truckers. None of us believe it was Cash. Some of the truckers requested songs for him to sing and I requested "I've Been Everywhere" (To listen to it, it's in my signature below, click the link) he sang it. As we got closer to Nashville, Tennessee he said over the CB that he was pulling into the truck stop to fuel up and have a cup of coffee and asked if any of us wanted to join. Running a tight schedule to get my load to the receiver on time and had very little time to spare I pulled into the truck stop anyway. As I pulled up to the fuel pumps, there it was, The JC Unit One Tour Bus. WoW! There was about 10 to 15 other trucks that followed me into the truck stop that was listening to Cash sing. We all went in for a coffee and talked a lot and had a great time. I also told him that I met Loretta Lynn in France when I was in the Navy while she was doing a USO Show onboard the USS Nashville. I got a kiss from her. He told me that women can sing her heart out. We spent about an hour in the truck stop chatting and then it was back on the road again. My load was about an hour late at the receiver, but I didn't care, I met, talked to and shook hands with Johnny Cash that early morning.
PS: If you're wondering who paid for the coffee the waitress said it was on the house. Johnny said we'll just leave you a good tip. We all did leave a good tip.;)
 
Great story, Pro! Johnny for some reason, never took delivery of the truck, below.

@ProTruckDriver
Johnny Cash Ordered This 359 Peterbilt In 1985, We Get An Exclusive Look By The Owner
 
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While Johnny Cash was known for his singing, I really enjoyed his performances as an actor. He just had this way of speaking where each word spoken was musical in his inimitable style. Dolly Parton is the same.
 
"Johnny Cash speaks frankly about his life threatening years long friendship with alcohol and other drugs and how that friendship turned into a battle for his life. Johnny Cash survived because of the love and understanding that someone offered. These are the two main ingredients of the treatment at River Park, love and understanding".

"Its Great To Be Alive" Interview with Johnny Cash
 
"There's Johnny, there's John, and there's dad." In an intimate interview with Cindy Cash, Johnny Cash's daughter shares treasured memories of her family, their farm, and the man she called "dad." Before they were ever on the road together, Cindy and Johnny were a daughter and father seemingly like any other. "This is where I learned to hunt arrowheads, to pick blackberries, we went on Jeep rides." But Cindy knows what Johnny Cash means to the world and is moved by the fans who still visit the farm in Bon Aqua to this day. Listen to Cindy's stories in her own words and experience never-before-seen footage of the Man in Black".

Johnny Cash's Heaven on Earth
 
Drummer WS Holland, the longtime bandmate and road manager of Johnny Cash, died on Wednesday (Sept. 23,2020 ) following a short illness. He was 85 years old.

No Cash m/WS Holland - Folsom Prison Blues
 
"Another installment of Cash's beloved "Ride This Train" segment, this time featuring memories, footage and songs composed during Cash's trip to Israel in the late 1960s. Features the songs "He Turned the Water Into Wine" and "God Is Not Dead." One of the best "Ride This Train" segments ever!"

"Ride This Train" to The Holy Land
 
Johnny Cash & The Carter Family Were You There When They Crucified My Lord 1962 (in sync)
 
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