We would like to add our condolences to the millions of others being offered to the family of Johnny Cash who died on Friday 12th September 2003 in hospital in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 71. He had recently suffered a stomach complaint and had spent some time in hospital.

Cash, who had a gruff, baritone voice, became an icon of American country music in the 1950s and 60's, with songs such as "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" and enjoyed UK Top 10 hits in 1969 with "A Boy Named Sue" and again in 1972 with "A Thing called Love"

Partly of Indian descent, Cash was born and raised in a shotgun shack in the cotton country of Arkansas, USA. He joined the US Air Force at the outbreak of the Korean War, where he bought a guitar and taught himself to play.

In 1955, he joined Sun Record's so-called million-dollar quartet session with Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. Several US top 10 hits followed on the Sun label, including "Hey Porter" and "I Walk the Line". For his debut in 1957 at Nashville's famous Country Music venue, The Grand Ole Opry, he appeared clothed entirely in black and eventually earned the nickname "The Man in Black".

As his career progressed, he fell victim to drug and alcohol abuse which began to affect his work. In 1965 he was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country . He later met June Carter from the legendary Carter Family whose radio broadcasts had inspired Cash during his youth. She helped him overcome his addictions and together they made a triumphant comeback, selling out Carnegie Hall and breaking the Beatles' attendance record at the London Palladium.

Cash and Carter became more socially active in the 1970s, campaigning for the Civil Rights of Native Americans and prisoners, as well as frequently working with the evangelist Billy Graham.

In recent years he had been in and out of hospital several times, suffering from bronchitis and pneumonia. His wife June Carter Cash died in May 2003.

May they Rest in Peace.