Johnny Cash now stands among the most famous politicians, trailblazers and activists of American history as he became the first professional musician to be honoured with a statue in the US Capitol. Login or signup to continue reading Congressional leaders from both parties and members of the Cash family were among the several hundred guests who gathered on Tuesday for the unveiling of the statue. They shared their memories of a man who grew up on an Arkansas cotton farm and turned a love of music into a decades-long career that gave voice to the struggles and triumphs of everyday Americans.
"Some may ask: Why should a musician have a statue here in the halls of the great American republic?" House Speaker Mike Johnson said at the unveiling ceremony. "The answer is pretty simple. It's because America is about more than laws and politics.
" Each state selects two statues to place within the Capitol. The Cash statue is the second new figure Arkansas has sent to replace two existing images that had represented the state at the US Capitol for more than 100 years. Known as the "The Man in Black," Cash was a vivid storyteller who sang with a deep voice songs like I Walk The Line, Ring of Fire, Jackson and A Boy Named Sue.
The statue depicts the singer with a guitar slung across his back and a Bible in his hand. Little Rock sculptor Kevin Kresse created the statue. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said artistic creativity is an important part of the country's growth, and Cash's "subst.