I had an epiphany - it is this: Johnny Cash is the Pink Floyd of country

[Rabrrrrrr]

A local station was playing some old Cash, solo stuff and stuff with Jerry Lee Lewis and some others, and I've been a HUGE cash fan since i was a child, and saw him in concert many times. Loved the guy - genius musician, fantastic performer, and in all aspects he towered - positively TOWERED - above every other country performer.

And tonight, listening to that show, the epiphany came: Johnny was the Pink Floyd of country, towering over everyone at a level that no one could possibly even hope to approach it; dominating the field, and commanding respect that no one else deserves.

I also liked Johnny because he never bought into the whole "country = America = being Christian = family values" bullshit. Johnny said "Fuck you!" to the corporations, he spoke of the common man's plight, he was for fairness and goodness and doing what is right, but never felt the need to wrap the flag around himself, or villify other forms of music as "satanic" or "unamerican". He never played that bullshit card. Even when Zappa was blacklisted and on the FCC's list of "if you play this guy, we will revoke your license", Johnny was happy to perform with him.

The only non-Pink Floyd quality of Johnny was that he didn't take the nihilistic depressing "everybody is fucked" approach of Pink Floyd; but in terms of status, Johnny was the Pink Floyd of country.

or, one could say, Pink Floyd is the Johnny Cash of rock.

They are the ones that are so big they defy classification and exist in a realm that is entirely their own. Louis Armstrong is also in that group.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Agreed. I just got done sobbing my way through the "Legacy" collection

that I bought MrG for Christmas. He is missed in this house. :(

[SeattleGirl]

2. Well put, Rabrrrrr

I grew up listening to Johnny, because of my dad, and I've always loved him.

[Floogeldy]

3. I disagree

Cash was not a "genius musician." He played rhythm guitar so-so and sang above average, but that's about it. He was blessed with a unique voice. Your premise also presumes that Pink Floyed "positively TOWERED" above all other rock performers. I don't think so.

This is not a knock on Johnny, who was one of the greatest, or Pink Floyd, who was one of the greatest.

Several other country performers and rock performers were/are at the level of Johnny Cash and Pink Floyd. Neither deserves respect "that no one else deserves." That is a matter of taste and context. Your opinion is considered, but not the last word, in truth.

And if Johnny didn't buy into the whole Christian - family values bullshit, he sure didn't run from it; even writing Christian songs for his last recordings.

While it is true that Johnny defied classification in his later years, being so innovative as to incorporate into his style such artists as Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, he never abandoned his country and gospel roots.

Johnny never accomplished the creativity and originality of Pink Floyd. But Pink Floyd never carried on successfully in its later life. PF fizzled out. Johnny grew as an artist and expanded.

Very few great artists have villified other forms of music as satanic or unamerican. This isn't really an issue at all.

[Initech]

4. I've been a Cash fan for a long time!

And I agree, the man, just like Zappa, was in a class all by himself. He wasnt country. He was pretty much created his own genre of music.

Seeing Walk The Line made me appreciate his music even more.