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  #1  
Old 01-22-2020, 01:57 AM
Crazyguitardj Crazyguitardj is offline
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Default Johnny Cash - Legendary Style

What is something you love about His playing style? What is a little known fact about the way he played?
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Old 01-22-2020, 04:41 AM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Huge influence on my rhythm playing. (Inspired me to want to bass strum and mimic the rhythm of a train in a huge amount of stuff I do).
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Old 01-22-2020, 05:45 AM
Murphy Slaw Murphy Slaw is offline
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Loved everything about the guy.

Right place, right time...
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:42 AM
zeeway zeeway is offline
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When I was in college in the early sixties, the guy next door played Johnny’s original Sun Records album every evening. Through the thin walls, I became a Johnny fan. I still love the alternating bass guitar and his booming bass voice. I still know the words to most of those songs, and hardly a week goes by that I don’t walk the line...
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Old 01-22-2020, 07:12 AM
foxo foxo is offline
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He influences my singing more than anything. Click the Soundcloud link in my signature if interested.
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Old 01-22-2020, 07:33 AM
Goat Mick Goat Mick is online now
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Johnny had a simple straight forward style that just worked. It's like he lived and breathed a simple groove that was perfect for what he did. Regardless of the writer, after Johnny did a song it was his and everyone else was doing a cover of the song. Even if it was the original artist.
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:06 AM
Goodallboy Goodallboy is offline
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I didn’t ever notice his playing style, as I was too focused on his song delivery and vocal performance. This may be the first discussion of his playing style that I’ve seen.
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:10 AM
llew llew is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goat Mick View Post
Johnny had a simple straight forward style that just worked. It's like he lived and breathed a simple groove that was perfect for what he did. Regardless of the writer, after Johnny did a song it was his and everyone else was doing a cover of the song. Even if it was the original artist.
I agree Mick...once he sang it...it was his!
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:41 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Johnny was the voice, the image, the words...but the guitar was Luther.
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Old 01-22-2020, 10:41 AM
folkmusikfan folkmusikfan is offline
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Been watching his show on cable reruns. Couple things stick out for me, amateur can though I am. Most obvious is his use of different guitars during a show. His famous black one or a slot head dread, both gorgeous in looks and sound. Also he seems to frequently strum above the sound hole, sometimes by several frets. Scares me every time he'd sling one of those beautiful guitars over his back by the strap.
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Old 01-22-2020, 10:49 AM
frankmcr frankmcr is online now
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Possibly little-known is the fact that Johnny was into "folk music" long before ol' Bob appeared on his TV show. For one thing, Johnny & June were guests on Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest show . . . Johnny does literally "take his shoes off & set a spell", Pete seems a tad bit ill at ease.
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Old 01-22-2020, 10:50 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by folkmusikfan View Post
Also he seems to frequently strum above the sound hole, sometimes by several frets. .
This is a classic "old country" trick for vocalists who play the guitar, softens things up when you sing so that too much guitar isn't bleeding into the vocal mic.
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Old 01-22-2020, 10:54 AM
dennism dennism is online now
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When I was a little kid, I wore out the LP of his Folsom Prison record. I hadn't heard it for maybe 40 years and this Christmas my wife got me a vinyl repop of it. I still remembered every word of every song. He has/had incredible charisma. As I listened to it, I realized that the reason I play and sound like I do owes more to this record than anything else.
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Old 01-22-2020, 11:00 AM
Crazyguitardj Crazyguitardj is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont View Post
Johnny was the voice, the image, the words...but the guitar was Luther.
Very true. I was referring to the general style.
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Old 01-22-2020, 11:52 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont View Post
This is a classic "old country" trick for vocalists who play the guitar, softens things up when you sing so that too much guitar isn't bleeding into the vocal mic.
Also, that D-45 was probably pretty boomy. If he was accustomed to recording with it, just-barely-touching-it was probably the right amount.
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