Saluting the Man in Black
By Staff
Leada Gore, Editor
My 6-year-old nephew, Collier, was sitting at the breakfast table the other morning when he burst into song: "My name is Sue. How do you do?"
My brother told us this story as we gathered at his house for a birthday party for my other nephew, Isaac, who is 9, and their mom, Ieleen.
Apparently, both boys have decided they like Johnny Cash. I have no idea where this came from.
"Johnny Cash?" I asked Isaac. "What made you start liking Johnny Cash?"
He just shrugged his shoulders and went off humming "Folsom Prison Blues."
My guess is he heard an older child listening to the Man in Black and thought it would be cool to do so, too. Now, his I-Pod contains not only Johnny Cash but other country entertainers as well.
The strange thing is, neither of their parents listen to country music too much. When I was young, about the only music you could listen to was your parent's music. There was no such thing as portable CD players or I-Pods. We had one stereo in our house and it was the large console type that doubled as some strange sort of furniture.
The speakers were covered in brown cloth and it was a wooden color, though I doubt it was constructed of anything even remotely organic. It didn't matter to me, though. I loved to play my mom's records and pop in one of the 8-tracks the music-by-mail service delivered to our house once a month.
Mom had Elton John, Abba and Neil Sedaka. Dad had Dolly Parton albums, including some with Porter Wagoner. There was even an "Elvis: Live from Hawaii" album stuck down in its original sleeve.
My favorite album was the Statler Brothers. I would listen to them over and over and knew all the words to their songs. Years later, I was thrilled when I found that record in CD form. I still have it, though I keep it hidden lest someone think I'm more than a little strange.
Even back then, I doubt I would have been considered very cool rocking out to "Susan When She Tried" while the other kids were listening to The Doobie Brothers, but that's OK. You didn't take your music with you in 1976. If you couldn't tune into it in the car (and on an AM station, mind you) or listen to it in your house, you didn't have many choices.
I guess that's OK.
And I guess it's also OK that Isaac and Collier have decided to forego "Kids Bop Volume 202" for Johnny Cash. I have to admit, though, it's weird to hear a 6-year-old burst into "Ring of Fire."
Especially when they're wearing Superman pajamas.
