Johnny Cash Called Elvis Presley the Greatest Performer

Johnny Cash, known for his deep voice and defiant persona, became one of American music’s most influential figures with songs like "One Piece At A Time," "I Walk The Line" and "Ring of Fire." Yet when asked near the end of his life whom he considered the best performer he had seen, Cash answered simply: "Elvis Presley." Elvis’s stature was already well established after his 1968 comeback special.

By the time of his tragic death in 1977 he had become one of the best-selling solo artists ever, with seventeen number-one singles, eight number-one albums, seventeen top-ten films and three Grammy Awards. Cash and Presley were friends who had both spent time at Sun Records.

Cash’s son noted they worked side by side and went in different artistic directions, but that Cash always appreciated and loved Elvis. On The Late Late Show, when Craig Ferguson asked who was the best performer Cash had seen, he praised Presley’s rhythm, singing and showmanship: "He had a lot of rhythm, he was a very good singer and a fabulous performer.

United States

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