Johnny Cash remains a towering figure in country music years after his death in 2003 at age 71. He will always be looked up to for his exceptional singing and musicianship. His daughter, Rosanne Cash, has followed in his legendary footsteps.
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Of the many songs that Johnny wrote, one was "Tennessee Flat Top Box." (The title is about a type of acoustic guitar.) The song dropped in 1961. Rosanne evidently liked it; she recorded it too!
Per rocksbackpages.com, Johnny laughingly recalled Rosanne letting him hear her version. She was in for a major jolt. "She played it for me and I said, 'That's real pretty, honey. And I want to thank you for recording it.' And she said 'Why?' And I said, 'Because I wrote it'."
The Man in Black added, "No, she didn't know I wrote it. She sure didn't, but that's alright. I've made her listen to a lot of my old songs since then."
Johnny's Love For Music Helped Him Survive Tough Times Early In His Life
Per the outlet, Johnny experienced hardship and poverty as a young boy. He survived by relying on music, which he embraced, to help him endure the challenges. "I couldn't afford a guitar as a kid; I never had one. My mother had one when I was very small, but it was very cheap and it didn't last. My dad was a cotton farmer. We didn't have but 20 acres of land; we were very poor. We farmed with mules — I plowed with mules when I was a boy, and picked cotton by hand. Every afternoon after school I'd go directly to the fields and pick cotton till after dark. So I grew up on the cotton farm and music is what carried me through it all."
He Had Definite Ideas About Who He Wanted To Have As Guest Performers On His TV Show
Johnny wasn't always mainstream in his thinking. For example instead of having "Hollywood people" singing country songs, he wanted "people I feel comfortable around, people I can relate to." Ever the maverick, Johnny strove for authenticity. The show, which aired on ABC-TV from 1969 to 1971, was therefore a platform for some of the greatest artists in the music industry. They came from many genres.
Per the outlet, The Johnny Cash Show welcomed "the Who, Joni Mitchell, Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and Ray Charles, among others." Bob Dylan was another luminary who graced the show's stage.
