Johnny Cash Birthday Bash at the Johnny Cash Museum

March 2, 2015

Nashville, TN.

Review and Photos by Butch Worrell of One Heart Photo

The Johnny Cash Museum hosted Johnny Cash's family and friends to a celebration of his life in honor of his Birthday. Bill and Shannon Miller (founders/owners) have created a museum that is so very special and did a terrific job of putting together the show. A special touch was the delicious strawberry cake, just like Johnny liked.

Tommy Cash (brother) and Joanne Cash ( “baby”sister) the headliners, were joined by Johnny Western, member of the Western Music hall of Fame and long time Cash family friend and fellow “Cash show”entertainer of 40 years, W S Fluke Holland (Johnny's drummer), and Lorrie Davis Bennett (Think Carter family here). “Branson on the Road” (Debbie Horton on lead guitar, Brian Capps on stand up bass, and Donnie Wright on Mandolin, fiddle, and acoustic guitar) with W S Fluke Holland on drums not only did a terrific job of serving as house band for all those performing, they performed at Friday nights opening reception.

The other performers were; Rex Allen, Jr. Jimmy Title, The Girls of the Johnny Cash Museum (Kaylee Rose, Amber Ritchie, Angela Dodson, Annaclaire Wilbanks Tadlock, Galena Bergquist), David Ferguson, Chance Martin, and Bob McNurlin.

They covered Johnny's career in song from the early years on. An especially poignant moment was W S Fluke Holland's rendition of “That Ragged Old Flag”. But it was not just the Music, the stories that Tommy Cash, Joanne Cash, Johnny Western and Fluke Holland told painted a portrait of Johnny the man. Tommy had everyone laughing at his remembrance of Johnny teaching him how to swim....

“ I thought he would set me in the water by the bank of the river and let me splash around. But carried me out on the bridge and just threw me off!! Good thing I got out of the bag”. Joanne's story of Johnny laying in the hospital bed and asking her “Baby (as in Baby sister), do you think people will remember me when I'm gone” brought tears to your eyes. But it also made you chuckle at the idea of the world ever forgetting Johnny Cash. The “Man in Black”, who's music, presence and legacy will continue to resonate down through the years and will never be forgotten. The finale of course, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"