I Miss Johnny Cash

[Arkie John]

I Miss Johnny Cash


It seems like he was always there in the radio waves and on the TV. His deep baritone voice always grabbed me in a way that was unique. He said one time in an interview,

 

[JB(MS)]

The first song I learned to play on a guitar was Folsom Prison Blues, but I never cared much for Johnny Cash or his music. Maybe because of an incident that happened when I was 12 years old. Amory, MS was the pants capital of the world and the kingpin of the pants industry was Coy Glenn. He owned several garment plants in MS and Al, his headquarters and main plant were here in Amory, as was his residence, and most of the other plants shipped the pants they made here to be distributed.

Glenn was a multi-millionaire and pretty much had his way. In November or December of 1955 he threw a big party at the National Guard Armory here in town and had Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley as entertainment. My father had just started driving a truck for Glenn and being a big, rough and strong man Glenn paid him to be one of the bouncers, except he called them "custodians". Amory was dry, as was most of MS at that time, but Glenn had a trailer load of all kind of liquor brought in by Shumpert Truck Lines, parked the trailer at the Armory and the city police guarded it for him.

I was only 12 but went along to help clean up afterward, a cousin the same age as me also went to help clean up but wound up being a bartender. Elvis didn't drink anything as far as I know but two thirds of the people there were at least partially drunk and Cash and Perkins were so drunk by the time it was over the could barely stand up and neither of them could carry a tune. I didn't like their music much before then but afterward I never cared for either of them. A falling down, staggering drunk has always disgusted me, and that's basically what they were by the time it was over. I saw in later years that Cash, Perkins and Elvis being here for that party was listed as personal appearances, guess it could be called that but the only person who paid any money out was Glenn. I've heard that first impressions are lasting impressions, could be as the way they were that night is how I've always percieved them.

 

[Royal]

I went to a county fair in Davisburg Michigan once and Charlie Daniels was the headliner. We all paid to get into the fair and his show waa part of it.

There was a small crowd, maybe a hundred or hundred and fifty. What the heck, it was Davisburg Michigan, after all. What did that fat sucker expect.

He got up and made some stupid comment about the small crowd. Was it OUR fault? Heck, WE WERE THERE!! He sang about ten minutes or so and then just walked off the stage. The crowd was not big enough.

Well we paid our money and got screwed by that lardazz and every time I hear him sing I think about what a small person he really is.

I used to like his music but will not listen to it on purpose now.

 

[Ron J]

Till i saw Jerry Lee Lewis in person at the Music Theater in Beverly. He was the most arrogant SOB i ever seen perform.Like he didn't want to be there. I had the pleasure of seeing Roy Orbison perform 3 different times.That guy could perform! I miss Roy the Boy!!

 

[david(tx)]

for getting straightened out and getting off drugs."ring of fire"is the song of his i most remember.

 

[Arkie John]

...and really stuck on myself. You probably wouldn't even allow me on the forum. But, I gotta admit, even I would have made myself sick now if I could somehow peer through a time warp and examine the young John Garrett. Come to think of it, it DID happened once, when I found a sack full of old letters I wrote to my first wife when I was goin' through boot camp and (later) overseas in the Navy. I gotta tell you, some of my thoughts and actions back then made me ashamed when I read them. I'm glad they never went public.

I think one has to look at the person and their life--overall, if one wants a true picture of a person. Johnny Cash was certainly no saint, especially in his up-and-comin' years. I think I touched on that. But I believe if you honestly look at his life before and then after he got straight, you'd see a miraculous difference in him.

I look at lots of performers and despise their lifestyle and their politics, but I can't get over their music, James Taylor, John Denver, the Fab 4 and Neil Young all come to mind. To enjoy the music I have to separate the people from it. Their music has always spoke to me even though some of their habits and their politics have always sucked (just my opinion). I can't dismiss their music if I don't care for them personally. If I do, I cheat myself.

I remember Elvis' later years. He was fat, he was blerry-eyed from a drug-induced fog, forgetting his lyrics, unable to hit the high notes of his early years and just laughing about it. But if you really want to know what he did, you can't just dwell on the late performances. You gotta look at all of the picture.

Johnny Cash was a h3ll-raiser 24 karat when he was young. But he had a "u" turn in his life--just like me. That's it! Maybe that's why I like him and his music so much. He was man enough to realize he was wrong and did something about it that influenced his whole life and the people around him. It definitely gave him 25 more years of performing.

Well, I reckon I'll get off my soap box. I miss the ole boy that got drunk on imported illegal booze at Armory, MS, that night in '55. (He was how old? Naw, none of us ever did anything like that [uh hum]) I miss the man that pulled himself up by his bootstraps and turned his life around with the help of an all-knowing and forgiving God. No one can deny him that. I miss the man whose box is now loaded on the 309.


aj

 

[Arkie John]

...as you can tell, I could use some help here!

aj

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

My preference was always Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Neil Young, Harry Chapin, Corole King, Janis Ian and the sort. Never really listened to too much country so I didn't feel qualified to state an opinion, music wise, but I agree with you about him turning his life around. I admire that in anybody that finds the courage to put their feet on the right path.

 

[Terry B]

Most of the big timers were heavy drinkers. Look at Merle, George, and most of the other male country singers that we recognize by their first names. Some of these exceptionally talented singers with unique unmistakeable voices are somewhat bored with life in general at times, and drugs and/or booze takes the edge off. On the other side of the coin, some of them actually have inferiority complexes or other personal hangups that they must constantly overshadow when performing. Johnny Cash was one of my heros from the beginning to the end. The Statlers were my favorite country group. They regrettably retired.