Book review: Johnny Cash: The Life, by Robert Hilburn
When he died on September 12, 2003, Johnny Cash was one of the most influential singers in the United States, embraced by audiences across musical genres despite his country roots.
by Robert Hilburn
Little, Brown
4 stars
Steve Weinberg
When he died on September 12, 2003, Johnny Cash was one of the most influential singers in the United States, embraced by audiences across musical genres despite his country roots.
After four years of research, Los Angeles Times music writer Robert Hilburn found Cash's life was more complex than he had imagined.
Hilburn faced a classic biographer's dilemma: if the primary reason for a subject's fame is artistry, does it matter to the millions of fans whether the artist is also a drug addict and a breaker of marital vows and a frequently inattentive father, among other flaws? Evaluating Cash's life offstage was especially complex because he was a devout Christian, a husband who loved his wives, a father who loved his children, a loyal friend to many less fortunate than himself.
The result of Hilburn's wrestling with his subject's life and with his own moral compass is perhaps the richest biography of a musician I have ever read.
The insights into the business side of popular music are every bit as educational and enthralling. Furthermore, Hilburn knows how to organise a life in print skilfully, usually following chronology, but departing from it when useful.