September 12, 2003 by A.S. Van Dorston

NEW YORK – Johnny Cash, a towering figure in American music spanning country, rock and folk and known worldwide as “The Man in Black,” has died, according to hospital officials in Nashville, Tenn. He was 71.

“Johnny died due to complications from diabetes, which resulted in respiratory failure,” said Cash’s manager, Lou Robin, in a press release issued by Baptist Hospital in Nashville.

The release said Cash died at the hospital at 1 a.m. EDT. He was released from Baptist on Wednesday where he had spent two weeks being treated for an unspecified stomach ailment.

Cash may be the last American artist whose music appealed nearly universally to over four generations within his lifetime. In 1969, his work accounted for 5 percent of all record sales in the U.S. Since 1994 his recordings have been as vital as ever, with a series of four American series albums produced by Rick Rubin. The strongest of those was American III, in which his strong originals are surrounded by daring covers of songs by Tom Petty, Will Oldham, and most impressively, Nick Cave’s “The Mercy Seat” in which he gave the words “And I’m not afraid to die” more weight than Cave ever imagined.

His relationship with June Carter Cash, who died on May 15, was one of the strongest and most romantic anyone’s ever witnessed. In the mid-sixties, Cash was at a self-destructive low point. Addicted on amphetamines, in trouble with the law for arsen, drug smuggling and destroying the Grand Ole Opry’s footlights, June Carter was credited by many as having saved him. Together they were a force of nature, writing music, performing, and even campaigning for rights of Native-Americans and prisoners. Once she was gone I felt his days were numbered, as his heartbreak was clear in his public appearances.

Cash did not go gently into the night. On June 21, he performed at the weekly old time and bluegrass show at the Carter Family Memorial Music Center (Carter Fold), in Hiltons, Virginia. After each song, the crowd stood and applauded.

“I don’t know hardly what to say tonight about being up here without her,” said Cash. “The pain is so severe there is no way of describing it. It’s been painful,” he said at the show’s conclusion, “but a healing thing to come back here to this wonderful place with you.” The couple played Carter Fold in June 2002 at June Carter Cash’s birthday celebrations.

His video for “Hurt” was one of the most powerful and affecting I’ve ever seen. Candid and intense, it sees The Man In Black perform the song in his home, June looking on lovingly, with no effort made to hide his age or increasing frailty. The poignancy is increased as the performance shots are cut with old images of a young and vital Cash jumping trains and striding the earth.

The video, shot by Cash devotee Mark Romanek (‘One Hour Photo’), reportedly reduced rock hardmen Zack De La Rocha and the song’s author, Trent Reznor of NIN to tears. It was nominated for 6 MTV Video Music Awards.

To see the video (get your hanky ready):

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