S.O.D. "Man In Black" by Johnny Cash

2/20/2015     This is a Johnny Cash – Johnny Cash song as Cash wrote, produced, plays and sings the song about himself.  One good thing about Johnny Cash songs is that you never have to go back and read the lyrics because you can always understand what he's saying and this is one worth listening to.  After talking with members of his audience at a Vanderbilt University concert he was inspired to write the song and afterwards received a standing ovation for it.  Cash is one of the most influential American musicians in history and influenced other artists in the genres of rock 'n roll, blues, rockabilly, folk and gospel.  He has been inducted into the Country Music, Gospel Music, and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame.  

     While in the Air Force as a radio operator, he was the first person to pick up the news of Joseph Stalin's death.  By accident in 1956 Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley all ended up in the same studio and had an impromptu jam session.  The surviving music from this was released under the title "Million Dollar Quartet".  Cash admits in his autobiography he was the furthest one from the microphone and singing at a higher pitch trying to blend with Elvis.   Cash made several TV and film appearances and lent his voice to quite a few voiceovers.  He even had his own TV show at one point called The Johnny Cash show.

     John was a charitable man performing free prison concerts and never asking anything in return for the kindness he showed throughout his life.  In 1965 he began his quest as a Native American activist and had many accomplishments in both music and humanity.  In 1966 the Seneca Nation's Turtle Clan adopted him as one of their own.  He performed benefits in 1968 at the Rosebud Reservation near the landmark of the battle at Wounded Knee to help raise money to build a school for Native American children.  Cash died in 2003 at age 71 less than four months after his wife June's death.  Please check out "Man in Black".