As a teen, I was fortunate to grow up in the ’60s and see the beginnings of the new music brought about by the Beatles and all those other groups in the “British Invasion,” and the American groups that followed. Still, though, being a denizen of the mountains of Western North Carolina, my musical tastes were greatly influenced by country music, especially since my mother loved it and it was constantly on the radio, or on the TV, such as The Porter Wagonor Show or The Wilburn Brothers Show, things she constantly watched.

And in my pre-teen years, it was on such shows that I was introduced to many new, up-and-coming stars who later on became some of my favorite performers. But out of all of ’em, there was one who spoke my language and fired my imagination with his music, he who came to be known as The Man in Black: Johnny Cash.

The sign that caught my attention to a place that was meant for me to see.

I first became acquainted to him, though, on a record album mom bought me for Christmas. It was a compilation album of folk songs called Hootenanny ’64. On this album was a couple of Cash cuts, The Chain Gang and Going to Memphis. It was Going to Memphis that caught my ear. Before the song began, Johnny recited a dialogue in that deep voice of his that began with, “Come along and ride this train to_____. And that’s the name of the concept album, Come Along and Ride this Train. I’m unsure if all the songs begin with an opening dialogue, telling the story and background of the song and the destination of the train, but I’ll soon know because I found it available at Amazon in a four CD set which I’m going to snatch up.

My introduction to Johnny Cash, before he even came to be called “The Man in Black”.

But that began my love of Cash and his music which grew over the years. He had so many great hits. And he became know as one of the “outlaws,” a group of artists rebelling against the slick production, popular structures, and commercialization of the Nashville sound. Other members of this genre included more of my favorites, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. And later, Johnny got together with Willie, Waylon and Kris Kristofferson, forming an “outlaw” group called The Highwaymen, releasing three great albums.

Near Ryman Auditorium, an ad for the Country Music Hall of Fame, featuring a collaboration between Bob Dylan and Johnny.

But another union Johnny created was his marriage to June Carter of the famed Carter family, pioneers of the country music genre. And over the next thirty five years they became legends. But June died in 2003, followed by Johnny’s death only four months later, something that is not uncommon between couples who were so close together.

In the museum, a collection of Johnny’s #1 hits.

It was on our recent trip to Nashville that I got to revel in my love of Johnny Cash. While walking down the street touring the famous Music Row, on a side street I saw a sign: Johnny Cash Museum. What an experience that was! It was a wonderful plethora of Cash memorabilia and I was in heaven.

It’s sad, though, that Johnny and June are now both gone. And just recently Merle Haggard passed away. Soon, all those great pioneers of the country music I learned to love while growing up will be gone. And the new age of the Nashville sound just doesn’t appeal to me; most of it sounds like either rock and roll or pop music, with few artists following in the footsteps of their ancestors. But at least I still have my fantastic record collection to relive my memories of a wonderful era.

More of our Nashville trip here:

“Walking the Floor…” of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop

Weekend in Nashville, Tennessee

The Original Home of Real Country Music: Ryman Auditorium

Music Row, Nashville