Throughout
his career, Johnny Cash has been depicted―and has depicted himself―as a
walking contradiction: social protestor and establishment patriot,
drugged wildman and devout Christian crusader, rebel outlaw hillbilly
thug and elder statesman. Leigh H. Edwards explores the allure of this
paradoxical image and its cultural significance. She argues that Cash
embodies irresolvable contradictions of American identity that reflect
foundational issues in the American experience, such as the tensions
between freedom and patriotism, individual rights and nationalism, the
sacred and the profane. She illustrates how this model of ambivalence is
a vital paradigm for American popular music, and for American identity
in general. Making use of sources such as Cash's autobiographies,
lyrics, music, liner notes, and interviews, Edwards pays equal attention
to depictions of Cash by others, such as Vivian Cash's publication of
his letters to her, documentaries and music journalism about him, Walk the Line,
and fan club materials found in the archives at the Country Music
Foundation in Nashville, to create a full portrait of Cash and his
significance as a cultural icon.
No comments:
Post a Comment