Rex Nelson: The Johnny Cash Economy Moves Forward

We’ve reported several times on efforts being made to tap Arkansas’ tourism potential as it relates to Johnny Cash and the legacy of his music.

Cash was born in Kingsland (Cleveland County), but grew up in Dyess (Mississippi County) before vaulting to international fame as a singer and entertainer.

Rex Nelson, who blogs regularly at his Rex Nelson’s Southern Fried.com web site, has harped on how the state could benefit greatly by highlighting its Cash heritage and promoting his relationship and musical connection to Arkansas.  Here’s the refresher, which includes a link to an in-depth Talk Business article on the subject by John Brummett and a video of Cash performing at Cummins Prison in the late 1960’s.

Nelson now reports that a concert has been set for August 4th in Jonesboro to benefit Cash’s childhood home, a big step in the right direction for making this musical tourism fantasy a reality.

Mark your calendar for Aug. 4.

That’s when it appears a concert will be held at the Convocation Center on the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro to bolster efforts to restore the site of the former Dyess Colony in Mississippi County.

Among those who will be invited to perform at this or future festivals are Kid Rock, Ronnie Dunn, Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard and Travis Tritt.

Proceeds from the August concert will be used to supplement the work already being done by Arkansas State and the National Trust for Historic Preservation at Dyess.

You can read more at Nelson’s blog at this link. And if you want a music fix from the above-referenced Cash concert at Cummins, here is a video from the performance. Cash and the crew sing "Daddy Sang Bass," an old gospel tune that also seems to recount his formative childhood years in Dyess with his mother, father, and brother.