Customer Reviews

Johnny Cash: The Biography

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Streissguth's journalistic approach is a refreshing contrast to the psychological blather of many biographical writers. There is a healthy balance of respect for Johnny Cash and a straightforward look at his extramarital relationships, substance abuse, and devotion to Christianity. Both the complex and simple sides of Cash are revealed through detail-rich interviews with those who knew him well. Indeed, the extensive interviews with band members, friends and family are what make this book so compelling and fresh. For instance, the interview with Rosanne Cash, his eldest daughter, helps us understand Cash's drug addition, his role as a father and the insecurities he experienced as a performer. The Man in Black has never been revealed in such color and light.

While Streissguth doesn't attempt to retell every story or dispel every fable about Cash, the book is well researched and rich with detail, including investigations that delve into the roots of well-known myths. Even life-long fans of Johnny Cash will come away with a new understanding of what pushed, pulled and propelled the singer through his life and career. If there was room on a bookshelf for only one book on Johnny Cash, this would be my pick.

First, let me say that I own and have read the 290 page "advance reading copy" of this book. Being a fan of Mr. Streissguth's previous work on Cash, especially the impressive "JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON," I anticipated a "defintive" take on Cash's life and legacy - unfortunately that simply is NOT the case. The most interesting thing about this book are the comments and recollections of the only remaining member of Cash's original band the Tennessee Two/Three, bassist Marshall Grant (legendary picker Luther Perkins passed away in 1968) who has written his own book which should be TRULY interesting coming from a man who not only witnessed but who actually contributed to forging the Cash legacy. More so than not, this biography and it's writer seem to head in the right direction by grabbing your attention then leading you nowhere. Sadly, this seems to be the pattern throughout much of book as many other interesting events from the singer's life are either left out or not properly explained in complete detail the way they should. In the end, while some interesting things do get mentioned very little is actually explained which makes this book incomplete and unimpressive. A proper telling of Cash's "complex" life and legacy, should be told in a manner that is not only scholarly, informative, and interesting, but extensively detailed in ways that are reserved for a artist of this enormous magnitude (Example: Peter Guralnick's Elvis biography LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS) and Streissguth seemed like the person who could pull it off! Unfortunately, he doesn't do that IMO. Perhaps it will take a more complete writer of Peter Guralnick's level to offer that defintive Cash biography because this one, again, totally misses the mark.

I found the book to be a great read. More than just the same rehash of his life that I have read before. Streissguth has broken new ground in his telling of the Johnny Cash story. He brings important players--such as brother Roy Cash and former manager Saul Holiff--out of the shadows, traces the roots of various Cashian myths and offers new insights throughout. Fits the bill for Cash fans and newcomers alike. Great photos, too. The following passage is an example of the new perspective that the book delivers: "Drug use became Cash's convenient sin, the one that made for a great redemption story but that had no visible victims other than himself. As long as the drug-obsessed media focused on his addiction, the story functioned as a smoke screen. Cash rarely had to deal publicly in any substantive way with questions about extramarital affairs he engaged in during the 1970s and 1980s or with the pain that he'd brought upon his wives, daughters, friends, and band members."

JOHNNY CASH The Biography... is so much more than just another `Johnny Cash' book. As I began reading it, I quickly found myself wishing that this remarkable resource had been available before I met John. I believe that it would have better equipped me to... `Understand'.

The writing is a segmented marvel of arduous research and analysis that somewhat removes the `shroud' from a life so unusual... and filled with mystery, that it has typically defied nearly all previous attempts to account. Streissguth masterfully depicts a detailed life journey of a man who, I'm convinced, was called and anointed of God to fill a deep divine purpose (of which we may never fully understand)... and unrelentingly dogged by Hell's hounds for eternal damnation. Thank God... in the end, He and John won!

Friend and Minister, Rev. Jack Shaw

While he was never one of my favorite recording artists I simply could not resist the lure of "Johnny Cash: The Biography". Certainly anyone with an interest in the history of American popular music cannot deny that Johnny Cash would have to rank as one of the most fascinating figures of the past fifty years. He was the real deal who sang about life experiences that just about all of us could relate to. Author Michael Streissguth, who had previously penned "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of A Masterpiece" offers up an intimate portrait of this highly enigmatic artist who was beloved by generations of Americans. Americans had come to admire the man who had seemingly seen and done it all!

I enjoyed "Johnny Cash: The Biography" for a couple of reasons. First of all, I had never read about Johnny's childhood nor was I aware of the circumstances that led him to Sam Phillip's Memphis Recording Service back in 1955. As a student of American popular music this book certainly helped to fill some missing pieces of the puzzle for me. Likewise, I appreciated learning more about Johnny Cash's entire recording career including his move to Columbia records in 1958 as well as his somewhat improbable but ultimately successful tenure at Rick Rubin's American Recordings label towards the end of his life. Understanding the kinds of material Johnny Cash was interested in recording helped to give me some real insight into the soul of this legendary performer. But "Johnny Cash: The Biography" covers so much more ground than simply his recording career. Michael Streissguth delves into much of Cash's personal life as well. His was a life of peaks and valleys, success and failure, personal torture and remarkable success. You will learn about his first marriage to Vivian and about his 40 year marriage to legendary country music pioneer June Carter. Pulling no punches, the auther presents heartbreaking accounts of Johnny's lifelong addiction to pills and the ramifications this had for both his family life and for his career as well. On a much more positive note, Streissguth also recalls the deeply religious and tender side of Johnny Cash that most folks rarely saw as presented through the eyes of his children and those who worked alongside him over the years. Indeed, it is hard to deny that Johnny Cash was an extremely complex individual.

"Johnny Cash: The Biography" is an entertaining and well-written book that most readers will certainly enjoy. Those who are interested in the history of country music in particular or in the history of American popular music in general are sure to garner lots of new information from this one. This is a book that managed to hold my interest from cover to cover. Highly recommended!

In classical literature, it was the Greeks who first expounded the tale of the hero with a tragic flaw. Aristotle wrote, that "[a] man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." In Michael Streissguth's "Johnny Cash: The Biography," we examine the life of a man, not a myth, who exemplified the Aristotelian morality play.

Michael Streissguth is obviously a fan of Johnny Cash, the author of "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece" and, like Marshall Grants, I Was There When It Happened: My Life with Johnny Cash" he seeks to praise while still giving an unvarnished account of the folk legend's struggles with addiction and the vagaries of a music career.

In fact, Marshall Grant's book is quoted extensively. Where Grant is abrupt, even harsh, in his description of Johnny Cash's addictions, Streissguth is gentle. Where Grant describes Johnny Cash as a stumbling addict, chemically prevented from seeing the impact of his weaknesses on his family and friends, Streissguth portrays a man all too aware of "the root of his own downfall."

Still, Streissguth does his best to soften the harsh realities of Cash's lifestyle and dependencies. It's not until page 217 that we learn of affairs Cash had in the 70's and 80's. And, even then, only in the most oblique of references.

Streissguth is even forced to admit that the saintly June Carter-Cash is not above struggling with demons of her own; on page 218 he talks about "June's demands for the spotlight and her sensational spending that had become legendary..." Streissguth refuses to go the whole way and describe June's own struggles with addiction. Streissguth gingerly describes an entire Cash clan that fought addiction in one form or another.

Despite all of these negatives, Streissguth gives the best illustrations of the true artist that Johnny Cash was. His descriptions of Cash's relationship with Rick Rubin are the finest I've ever read. They show how Johnny Cash's music rang true with an audience outside of the Nashville circuit. When you get to this phase of Cash's career, you would do well to read it while listening to "The Legend of Johnny Cash" - especially "Rusty Cage" and "I've Been Everywhere."

Johnny Cash was simply an honest man among ordinary men. Who among us doesn't have a tragic flaw? For the vast majority of us simply struggling to get by day-to-day, Cash provides the anthem for our lives.

The book was great. Definitely more in depth than that half finished movie "walk the line". A must read for all cash fans

This book does a magnificent job of showing what the life of Johnny Cash was really like.I have been a fan of Cash since the mid-fifties when he first appeared on the music scene.I was always aware of the turbelent times he went through and how he had huge ups and downs during his career. While his personal life was anything but a smooth ride;his music always seemed to soar above it all.This book goes into his personal struggles,particularly with drugs.While we all realized he fought this demon;few,if any of his many fans had no idea of his difficult his struggles really were.
As difficult as these struggles were he still managed to produce excellent music and throughout his career managed to be one of the greatest champions for the downtrodden.The fact that his fans were kept so unaware of his problems;does in no way diminish the love his fans had for him and his music;nor the great impact it had on society.
I have read several of the books about Cash and his family;but I found this the most enlightning of all.
The term Legend is often applied to Country Music personalities;but few have ever had the impact that Hank Williams and Johnny Cash had.
Hank Williams music is as relevant today as it was at his untimely death over 50 years ago and it is likely that Johnny Cash's music will have the similar staying power 50 years from now.That's what being a Lecend really means.
Musicians such as Cash give so much of themselves ,it often becomes more than they can handle.They deserve a great debt of gratitude from their fans and that's why they get it;despite their personal difficulties.
The Cash and Carter families gave us much in their great careers and we are all appreciative of their efforts.

The book was in perfect condition. It was on my doorstep a day before the expected delivery date. I was very pleased! :-)

I just finished this biography and it made me love Johnny Cash MORE, if that is possible. I always admired him, and tho the book tells all his faults, it made me admire him more. Great Book!!