Not sure what I can tell you about Johnny Cash that Joaquin Phoenix hasn’t already taught you. Presumably, at this late date, there is no need to run down The Man In Black’s CV — walked the line, shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, swallowed enough trucker speed to stay five feet high and rising for the better part of the 20th Century, fell into a burning ring of fire, woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold his head that didn’t hurt, etc. — but let us be clear: Johnny Cash remains a towering figure of American music, “a walking contradiction, partly fact and partly fiction,”* who’s grown more powerful in death than he ever was in life. His songbook is sacred and deathless and comprises the better part of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible of Americana. His music is, above all things, folk music, which means it’s built to last and made to be shared, reverse-engineered and remade in your image, not his. He could not ask for a more fitting pairing to spread his outlaw gospel than Roseanne Cash, sweetheart of the alt-country rodeo and keeper of her father’s flame, and Ry Cooder, bottle-neck guitar wizard and high lonesome conjurer of the spacious skies, amber waves of grain and purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain. Together they will be performing the songs of Johnny Cash at the Met Philly on Sunday November 3rd. We have a pair of tickets to give away to some lucky Phawker reader. To qualify to win, you must be signed up to our mailing list (see right, below the masthead). Trust us, this is something you want to do. In addition to breaking news alerts and Phawker updates, you also get advanced warning about groovy concert ticket giveaways and other free swag opportunities like this one! Send us an email at Phawker66@gmail.com telling us you are signed up to our mailing list along with the answer to the following Johnny Cash trivia question: Where in Arkansas is the birthplace of Johnny Cash? Email your answer to Phawker66@gmail.com along with your full name as it appears on your photo ID and a mobile number for confirmation. Put the words I WALK THE LINE in the subject line. Good luck and godspeed!
*quoth the bard Kris Kristofferson
CASH & COODER PLAY JOHNNY CASH @ THE MET PHILLY SUN. NOVEMBER 3RD