The sound of Johnny Cash

[18 August 2007]

By Roger Ryan

Johnny Cash was very fortunate in that he had a lot of things going for him.

First off was his catchphrase, the greeting he used to open his shows. All he had to say was: 'Hello, I’m Johnny Cash', and he immediately had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Then there was that voice. Some would say he continually sang out of tune, but be that as it may, he had a distinctive and easily recognisable voice that appealed to the masses.

Equally as important as each of the above was the 'sound' that Johnny Cash had. Originally created by Luther Perkins on lead guitar and Marshall Grant on bass who were the Tennessee Two, they later became the Tennessee Three with the addition of W.S. (Fluke) Holland on drums who joined them from the Carl Perkins Band. Together they created a sound that helped to launch Johnny Cash on a career that was to take him to all corners of the globe and to gather every honour that the music world could bestow on him.

Following the death of Luther Perkins in a fire at his home in 1968, Johnny was on the lookout for a replacement guitar player. As fate would have it, in late 1968 Johnny was to get his guitar player when a shy young man named Bob Wootton was invited on stage by June Carter. Two members of the band had missed their flight and Johnny needed a guitar player for the concert. Bob eagerly took to the stage and following the show Johnny knew he’d found his man, and there and then invited Bob to become a member of the Tennessee Three, a job he held down until Johnny died over thirty years later.

Of course Johnny Cash’s music wasn’t exactly new to Bob Wootton. From a very young age, Bob fell in love with Johnny’s music and from the moment he got his first guitar he learned all Luther’s licks and Johnny’s songs. One day his mother called him into the room and asked him: 'What are you doing on the radio?' She was convinced that the singer she was listening to on the radio was her son Bob and not Johnny Cash, so similar were their voices.

Bob spent over thirty years as a member of the Johnny Cash Show, providing that unique and distinctive sound, singing harmony vocals, and also singing solo numbers, as well as playing stand-in for Johnny in all his TV and movie appearances. Throughout all that time Bob became very close to Johnny and June. Bob said: 'If it weren’t for June, I’d never have got my chance to join the Johnny Cash Show'. Bob became a member of the Cash family and Johnny always treated him like his brother.

Following Johnny’s death, Bob decided to hang up his guitar as he felt life on the road would never be the same again without the Man In Black. Thankfully, fate intervened, and following an appearance at a special tribute show, Bob’s interest in performing again was revitalised and the rest is history. Johnny’s sister Joanne said: 'If anybody should carry on the legacy of Johnny Cash it should be Bob. He is the best qualified to do so and Johnny would approve.'

Because of Johnny Cash’s strong ties with Ireland, Bob decided that Ireland would be the ideal country to launch his solo career. And how true that turned out to be. Bob has already been to Ireland with his show on no less than five occasions now and each time his popularity has grown and grown.

And the good news for his Irish fans is that Bob is heading to Ireland in September for his 6th tour. This time ‘round he will be accompanied by his wife Vicky, and his daughter Scarlett. Vicky is a singer/songwriter very much in the Carter family mould, while Scarlett is considered to be one of the most promising young singers on the U.S. circuit. Each show will be complemented by the outstanding Off The Cuff Band.

The show will play the following dates in Ireland before heading off to Scotland:

September 16th The Moat Theatre, Naas, Co. Kildare

September 17th The Iveagh Theatre, Bambridge, Co. Down

September 18th Burnavon Theatre, Cookstown

September 19th Market Place Theatre, Armagh

September 20th Millenium Forum, Derry

September 21st Strule Theatre, Omagh

September 23rd Millford Inn, Donegal

September 24th Clonmel Park Hotel, Clonmel

September 25th Baltimore Harbour Hotel, West Cork

September 26th Ashbourne Hotel, Meath

September 27th Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone

September 28th Iontas Theatre, Castleblaney

September 29th Sky Venue, Portlaoise

September 30th Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo