THE Johnny Cash Roadshow is fronted by award winning singer/songwriter Clive John.
Clive has been writing songs since he was 19 releasing seven albums of his own material. Clive’s most recent album called ‘The Spirit’ was released in 2011. The album was Nominated as Best British & European Country Album in that year and the title track ‘The Spirit’ was awarded the Best Song of the Year. Since then Clive John has been too busy with The Johnny Cash Roadshow to return to original music.
Clive started out as a solo act playing half original music and half cover versions. His love of country music came from his mother, originally from Monaghan, she introduced him to all the country music legends of the 60s and 70s.
But it was when Clive got a gift of a Cash double album from a friend that the singer really started to understand that Johnny Cash was so much more than another country music crooner, he told Limerick Post this week.
“As soon as I heard the album I instantly connected. I just loved the persona, the voice and the attitude. I got really into it. People were saying you sound more like Johnny Cash than Johnny Cash does, so I began enjoying and playing his songs. I got a band around me and we played a show of Johnny Cash songs in 2005 just as the ‘Walk the Line’ movie had re-ignited people’s interest in Johnny.
“The atmosphere was amazing and it gave me the passion to build the show and the video backdrop. I’ve got a brass section with me full time with the whole band singing harmonies with me. It is a big production now that has played sold out shows all over Europe.”
Johnny Cash’s career spanned six decades from his early recordings at Sun Studios (‘Walk the Line’, ‘Folsom Prison Blues’) to the American Recordings sessions with Rick Rubin that produced four albums, including Cash’s eerie interpretation of ‘Hurt’ by Nine Inch Nails.
Clive John’s show incorporates all these moments and many more (‘Boy named Sue’, ‘The Ring of Fire’, ‘Cocaine Blues’, ‘Jackson’).
What is it about Johnny Cash that still brings the ‘house full’ signs to Clive’s live show? This concert sees audiences return to his performances multiple times and is regarded by many who saw the real thing in the 70s and 80s as being even as good as the original Johnny Cash.
“I think it is more of a cult following. But I think it is as large as a cult following can be. Over the years we have been getting our own fans.
“The youngsters got onto him as well. They could see that he was a rebel, he took drugs and he had issues with alcohol. The youngsters could see he wasn’t just a country and western singer.
“He was a rock ‘n’ roll badass and people found that quite sexy and cool again.”
The show also features Jill Schoonjans as June Carter, Amanda Stone and Louise Masters as the Carter Sisters along with the ‘JC Horns’. While Clive’s singing, looks and the backing band recreate the raw energy of an original Johnny Cash roadshow, he does not “pretend” to be the man in black.
“I don’t try to be Johnny Cash, I try to capture the essence of him. I’ve seen other guys put this deep voice on and they sound like John Wayne instead of Johnny Cash. I try to keep it natural and be myself whilst nodding very much towards him. I think that’s more respectful.”
It is also the only show to be endorsed by the Cash family. Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne Cash was touched by Clive John’s representation of The Man in Black, stating, “Clive’s resemblance is uncanny.”
Johnny Cash’s granddaughter Caitlin Crowell also witnessed The Johnny Cash Roadshow She is the daughter of country stars Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell. She caught Clive John’s show in Manchester and met with the singer afterwards and said, “you sound just like my granddaddy”
“[The show is] absolutely authentic to the point where it felt as if it wasn’t a tribute.”
The Johnny Cash Roadshow comes to University Concert Hall on Sunday January 15. Tickets from 061 331549 / www.uch.ie.
