Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Plans Johnny Cash Tribute Concert

Johnny Cash photo courtesy Sony Music Entertainment

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland will honor Johnny Cash during the 21st Annual Music Masters series, presented by Klipsch Audio.

The celebration—including an exhibit opening, interviews, panels, bus tour and educational programs—will honor the 1992 inductee during the week of Oct. 17-22. The Annual Music Masters concert will take place Oct. 21 at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre. A performer lineup, general tickets and event details are expected in September. VIP packages are available, starting at $300, by calling 216-515-1201 or emailing development@rockhall.org.

“We are so grateful that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is honoring Johnny Cash for the 2016 Annual Music Masters series,” said John Carter Cash. “Our father remains one of the most enduring names in entertainment history, and this recognition helps further his legacy and inspire both existing fans as well as a whole new generation of Johnny Cash fans.”

“The 21st Annual Music Masters concert will explore his many musical journeys and include performers who represent the broad range of his influence,” said Jason Hanley, VP of Education and Visitor Engagement for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “What’s so amazing about Cash is that almost every musician you ask will tell you that they love his music – from the rockabilly and country of his Sun Records recordings in the 1950s, and his outlaw image and his famous concerts at Folsom Prison and San Quentin, to his enduring love for June Carter Cash and their music work together (including the great ‘Ring of Fire”’), or his later American Recordings music that frequently saw him putting his own unique musical fingerprints on some of rocks newest sounds (like Depeche Mode’s ‘Personal Jesus’ or Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Hurt’). Fans will also be able to pay tribute to Cash and the longstanding popularity and impact of his work that lives on in our lives throughout the weeklong celebration. Music Masters is about bringing everything we do at the Rock Hall together to look at the life, music, and legacy of an artist.”

Educational programs include a keynote lecture at Case Western Reserve University. Capping off the week, on Oct. 22, fans will be able to participate in a Johnny Cash celebration at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with special guests and events exploring Cash’s impact on popular music. Cash’s million-mile tour bus,“J.C. Unit One,” is at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame through October 2016. The 40-foot ebony and silver rig transported Cash and his wife June, along with a cast of characters from 1980-2003, including the 1991 Highwayman Tour with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson.

The Annual Music Masters series, a co-production of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Center for Popular Music Studies at Case Western Reserve University, celebrates the lives and careers of artists who changed the shape and sound of rock ‘n’ roll music. Previous honorees and performers have included Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Woody Guthrie, Sam Cooke, Les Paul, Janis Joplin, Fats Domino, Aretha Franklin, Leon Russell, Everly Brothers, Graham Nash, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Smokey Robinson.