Product Description

Country music singer-songwriter Johnny Cash is an icon to people of all ages the world over. In Cash's first ever authorised biography, Steve Turner sifts the man from the legend and presents an unflinchingly honest picture. "The Man Called Cash" follows the star on his stumbling journey from the cotton fields of Arkansas to the drawing rooms of presidents, and through a career that took him from the heights of popularity, fame and wealth to the depths of insecurity, addiction and despair. Out of these tensions Cash created a haunting music that has influenced every subsequent generation. Given unprecedented access to friends, family and colleagues, Turner has been able to get close to the heart of the iconic performer known as the Man in Black.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #246483 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
'In this highly readable biography, Steve Turner viidly captures the remarkable story of Johnny's life, from beginning to end - a life marked by repeated struggles and successes Johnny Cash comes alive in this book, and you will be a better person for having read it' Billy Graham 'Turner has produced a magisterial portrait of an American legend The result is not just one of the music books of the year, but a major achievement in the craft of biography' Nigel Williamson, Uncut 'Magnificent a masterful biography, parts of which are moving to the point of tears and the rest of which does what all good biographies of musical greats should do: send you scrambling to dig out the records' Irish Independent 'Looking back on his extraordinary life and career, that near-legendary status, like this ultra-sympathetic and well-written biography, seems no more than he deserves' Mail on Sunday

Q
‘An invaluable addition to the writing on this most contradictory of musical titans’

NME Best of 2005
‘A pill-popping, drunk genius strung out on the twin American dreams of self-destruction and Jesus. Incredible’

Customer Reviews

The life and love of a man in print
When I picked up this copy of Steve Turner's biography of The Man In Black I thought I knew everything there was to know about the great man but I was wrong. Turner tells Cash's story with vivid description, powerful emotion and great wisdom of the man and keeps it fast paced and informative - very much so that it keeps the reader enthralled and clinging to the book with both hands, face dug in. It remains honest and looks into Cash's three great loves in his full life - Love, Faith and Music but a great chunk of the book is about Cash's demon and foe - his drug and alcohol abuse. The story begins near the end of Cash's life and tells breifly his emotions and mindset when he lost his true companion in life June Carter and yet still wanted to continue producing his true LOVE in life - Music until his death in September 2003. Cash began his life as a humble man in Arkansas and died a Humble man.
Turner, with the help of many of Cash's relatives, friends and colleagues, has produced a real heartwarmer that had me in tears at points. I urge anyone who has a love of music or faith to buy this book or even if you have struggled with the evil of addiction at one time or another.
This book is a rollercoaster ride of Cash's soul and it has made me view the Man in Black in an even higher light!

John R Cash

RIP

Now robed in white
Before I read this biography I had only read the author as a poet not as writer on popular music. His poetry is great and so is this biography.. It is an outstanding piece of Christian writing about an exceptional singer.

Cash grew up in Bible belt Arkansas. Formative influences were a dominating drinking father, a godly mother and an elder brother who died young in a tragic accident with a circular saw.

After military service in Europe Cash who maintained a moral life married and soon knew fame as a country singer. Travel away from his wife, adultery and amphetamines led to divorce and nearly to suicide. Returning to faith he studied theology, was ordained, married again and continues at the top of his musical world. I do wonder if Cash had been better integrated into a church that could have nurtured and protected him, he might have ben spared his second round of addiction. But after he was injured by a kick from a pet ostrich drug addiction and alcoholism returned. He nearly lost his family but again Christ was his rescuer from substance abuse, though it took double bypass surgery to get him separated from cigarettes. Riches had not protected him from himself, but his faith now did for the rest of his life even when his beloved wife died .

Cash had revered and feared his dysfunctional father. He never spoke ill of him but his father never praised him until he was famous and never verbally expressed love. Asked in 1979 how he's like to be remembered in 100 years, Cash simply said, 'I'd like to be remembered as a good daddy'.

Bur Cash will be remembered as a great song writer and singer. "Johnny Cash was a saint who preferred the company of sinners," says Bono. Turner tells of him in the company of Elvis, Dylan, McCartney , Jackson and all, but above all as a man who has real faith. Without it he would undoubtedly have died young like Elvis.

A great Christian biography, warts and all from an author who really understands his subject. Now the Man in Black is robed in white.