His voice is like the Earth itself singing (or the male aspect of it anyway). Totally real! He had many of the then cutting edge counter culture singers on his television show in the 1960s like Bob Dylan (several times). I must admit it was AFTER Dylans motorcycle accident when he no longer had that edginess with an abandon that he had prior to it, but he was still way out there as far as Mr. and Mrs. Average American was concerned. Johnny Cash Came out strongly against the Vietnam war at a time when it was considered a given that country stars were behind the administration and supporting the War. His "Why I dress in Black" is uncompromising. In many ways he's been more of a Folk singer than Country and Western artist, yet cetainly blending the genres. He is unique. I still listen to his two live prison albums at Fulsom and San Quinten, and those guys would have been able to read a phoney a mile away. He was the real deal. My older brother once gave me a tape of Johnny Cash singing songs about Americans and American History that had an excellent song that I used to play for my students: "The Ballad of Ira Hayes," about an American Indian who was one of the flag raisers on Iwo Jima in World War 2, who died in a ditch years later, a broken alcholic. It's a testament to american hipocracy and racism. Then there was the late June Carter Cash. If you haven't seen them in their prime together singing "Jackson" you've got to see it. It's hot! They were both so hot then. Great performers, but I don't think there was all that much acting involved, there was so much realness so close and accessible. Johnny Cash has always moved me in a big way, and he still does. To jusxtapose him or Aretha "Queen of Soul" Franklin for that matter with todays shallow pop stars is certainly very telling. It's a stark and sorry contrast.