The Man in Black

It's nearly impossible to express the magnitude of loss I feel this morning after the passing of Johnny Cash. His music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember; much longer than any other artist. My father used to play worn-out, warped 8-tracks of Cash in the 1970s, and his voice, lyrics, and of course, that classic boom-chicka-boom backing rhythm, have stuck to me ever since. His music never collected dust on my shelf. His unbelievable modesty was a light in today's celebrity obsessed culture. His lyrics, and personal story, are timeless, and will live with me forever.