by Hannah Curtis

Created on: September 23, 2009   Last Updated: September 26, 2009

There are new celebrities and star performers created and discovered every day, and today's society hold them up as role models because of their prestige and wealth. They automatically became inspirational, and people to look up too. Society demands harsh expectations on them; they are expected to be perfect, and the news press then slaughters them for any failing, mistake or show of vulnerability that is found in their private lives. I do not agree that every star, performer or celebrity is inspirational just because they can sing, kick a football, or act; it is the individual person which inspires admiration and respect.

The star performer who will be discussed in this article is the renowned Johnny Cash. His voice and music is not to everyone's taste, however it is not his talent alone which makes him an inspirational figure in my eyes. It is the great man himself and what he did with his fame and connections. I believe he epitomises honesty, humility and humanity. He was far from perfect; having left his first wife to marry June Carter, and he frequently took drugs as was common amongst entertainers during his time. He fought the addiction nearly all his adult life, being successful at times and unsuccessful at others. However he did not hide his addiction from the public, from his fans. His books and the film made on his life whilst he was still alive, addressed his addictions, troubles, human failings and the darkness of his character.

He never claimed to be perfect, but he proudly proclaimed to be Christian, making it publicly known after he had beaten his initial drug problem and got together with June. He wrote a great deal of his music throughout his life, and a common theme was gospel, and his own style of Christian music. He had grown up listening to his mother singing gospel music in the fields where the family worked day to sundown. John Cash was never ashamed of where he came from or his background, despite his fame and wealth. He never lost his childhood connection to the land, and another popular theme in his music was songs of the soil. He was a strong character, and was not afraid of defying society. He was the man dressed in black who spent a great deal playing his music to prison inmates. This was a real great Christian act, giving them pleasure and raising awareness of the conditions inside the prisons.

His voice was far from perfect, and as many of my acquaintances disliked him, as liked him. It may have been rough and raw, but he had

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