The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash passd away today at 71, which I have always thought is much too young of an age to die. It should come as no surprise that I, just like most Americans, am a Cash fan.

The man drew a lot of respect from the music community itself, not just fans of particular genres and sub-genres. I'll probably hear about the metal community's reaction tonight when I goto a metal show with a metal friend; she told me that when Johnny's wife died, they were sad. First thought that crossed my mind was based in logic, "Why do metal fans care that Johnny Cash's wife died?" He's not a metal artist, never has been. But it doesn't matter, he's Johnny Cash. That's good enough for most people.

He's earned a lot of respect over the years, and he's done a lot of great songs over the years. And, if it even matters in his case, he still proved that his music had commercial viability, even at the age of 71. When country stations stopped playing his music, alternative stations started, introducing a new generation to the legend.

Be it metal, county, punk, hardcore, or even power violence (not only is that a genre of music, but it's one of my favorites!), there's going to be a lot of sad musicians and fans today. No matter what one liked to listen to, everyone had respect for the man.