Les Jones: Johnny Cash

September 12, 2003

A&E > Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash has passed away at the age of 71.

I saw Cash twice. Once as a kid at a 4th of July celebration at Neyland Stadium, and again about seven years ago at the Tennessee Theater with June Carter.

A Cash song played a part in one of my parent's biggest arguments. My dad was a huge country music fan. He played the 45 of "Ring of Fire" so many times that my mom finally took it out on the porch and smashed it. Love is a burning thing.

Cash wrote his own memorial in 1994.

No regrets, all my debts
Will be paid when I get laid
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

Posted by lesjones

Comments

>>Once as a kid at a 4th of July celebration at Neyland Stadium

That was during the World's Fair in '82, wasn't it? I had totally forgotten he sang that night. I was there too, and that was - and still is - the biggest fireworks display I've ever seen.

Posted by: Barry at September 12, 2003

I can't recall exactly when it was, but '82 would have been about right. I remember trying take pictures of the fireworks using a little disc camera (remember those?). My mom told me the pictures wouldn't come out, and by golly she was right.

Posted by: Les Jones at September 12, 2003

The only thing I remember from the night was my brother sitting on the hat of the guy next to us, who turned out to be "Big Ed", my uncle's most hated enemy in Roane County.

For some reason, after my brother sat on the hat, Big Ed proceed to launch into a long explanation of the marvels of the Tenn-Tom Waterway, and how it would revolutionize barge shipping in the southeast.

Posted by: Steve at September 12, 2003