Cash, John

There was a documentary on Johnny Cash last night on television immediately followed by one on John Denver.

Both good (but not great) singers, both creators of music that sold many millions of copies and I doubt anyone who's age has reached double figures in the western world has been able to avoid hearing both of them or songs they wrote.

I enjoyed both but the one thing that hit me immediately was, compared to Denver, just how bloody good Cash was.

With Denver I realised at one point that everything he did was the same, one song pretty much blended with any other.

With Cash, the reverse is true.

Despite the same style, the same method, the same voice, most of the time the same tone each song was distinct from those either side of it.

Personally I enjoy damned near everything he produced and this program reminded me of this.

I have been, and remain, very critical of the recorded music industry, regarding it as the second biggest fraud ever committed (after fried chicken wings) but can only thank it for recording and making available the music of Johnny Cash.