Cash In Concert 1997

It will be obvious to anyone reading this blog (and I know some people do) that I love country music. And mostly I love the singers that came to prominence in the 50s and 60s. But the one I love most is Johnny Cash. I saw him singing live once, in 1997. He was touring in Europe and played one night in England at the Royal Albert Hall. I ended up with 4 tickets because of being keen to get the best seats that I could. On the night, Jewel was his support act but I’m afraid that my friend and I didn’t go to see. We just wanted to see Johnny and if possible to see him arrive. We went for a drink at the Albert Hall’s bar and then went to wait outside to see if we might actually see him coming in. It was April and at the hour of evening when it is starting to get dark... and it wasn’t too warm, but I was shaking with excitement over the prospect of seeing my childhood hero. I was hoping that he would still be in good singing voice. He was then in his mid-60s and I knew his health wasn’t too good. But when he arrived, I wasn’t quite prepared for how frail he looked. He was a tall man but now a bit stooped and his hair was thinning and greying. He moved very slowly, and didn’t speak but signed a few autographs before going into the Hall. My friend and I went in and took our seats and both of us were excited and apprehensive. My friend said that he hoped very much for my sake that Johnny’s voice was still good, because it meant so much to me and he too loved the man and wanted to hear him singing well. And we could see that he wasn’t the big strong looking man that he had once been. But when he came on stage, he bounded on like a 20 year old and said “Hello I’m Johnny Cash” and realised that he could save his energy for the performance and that he was going to be all right. I can’t remember now what song he stated with, but I think it was Folsom Prison Blues. His son John Carter Cash was performing with him and his wife, June…And his voice was as good as it ever had been. Strong, resonant, powerful and tuneful. I don’t think I have ever seen such a wonderful concert. I can remember many of the songs, Lefty Frizzel’s’ Long Black Veil, Big River, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Jackson (with June)….<