I have never been a big fan of Johnny Cash, which in some circles brands me as a heretic. I didn’t enjoy hearing him sing. No one ever credited him with being a skilled musician, and he likely would not have argued the point. I did not agree with so many musicians, critics, and fans who thought his song lyrics were profound. There were a few that rose to the occasion, but most of them were rather simple. Many of his fans and even a few biographers have painted him as a scholar — I have my doubts. I also thought the whole “man in black” persona was rather cheesy and contrived.

I do, however, recognize the impact he had on so many other musicians and entertainers. It is amazing how many people in the industry collaborated with him, especially later in his life. He helped launch the career of Kris Kristofferson, one of the best songwriters of popular music in the 20th century. I know Cash is a bit of a legend in the entertainment world, a reputation he spent a good deal of time cultivating. He was certainly a man of conviction, and on multiple levels.

Johnny Cash was also very close to evangelist Billy Graham, and the minister apparently admired the entertainer for his public testimony about his faith. Cash devoted much of his creative output to gospel music, often times at the risk of falling out of favor with record labels, producers, television executives, and some of his fans. He loved deeply, believed passionately, and endured incredible heartache and pain at times, including the physical kind. I don’t think he was as much of an outlaw as he portrayed himself to be or as the media depicted him. But he was definitely an outlier.

Most people who know anything about him understand that Johnny Cash had his share of flaws: addictions, infidelities, mental instability. He was also plagued with constant inner struggles. He was a troubled soul who clung to the faith of his Christian upbringing, even though it seemed impossible for him to follow a righteous path. The vices always seemed to get the best of him, even by his own admission. I suspect guilt played a huge role in his religious convictions, especially the death of his brother at a young age and the fact that his father blamed him for the unfortunate accident that took his brother’s life.

In the context of 20th century music, Johnny Cash is a name that is as immediately recognized as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, or Willie Nelson. He is indeed a legend, a celebrity who crossed multiple genres in the world of entertainment. I have recently started performing a Johnny Cash song in my solo shows. The one I selected is “Ring of Fire,” which has one of the most complicated and imbalanced rhythms of any song ever written in American popular music. I certainly don’t play it in the odd time signature that was produced in the studio. I doubt very seriously if I could even come close. Hmmm. Maybe old Johnny’s music wasn’t as simple as I once thought.