CENTRESTAGE SALUTES JOHNNY CASH

04 July 2014
CENTRESTAGE SALUTES JOHNNY CASH

Johnny Cash fans are in for a treat as Centrestage brings its tribute to the popular rockabilly, country, blues, folk and rock n roll icon in their show ‘Walk the Line’, taking place at Old Grey in PE from 16 to 19 July before heading to the Guild Theatre in East London at the end of the month.

The universal Cash phenomenon which remains popular today was given a shot in the arm with the release of the 2005 film also entitled Walk the Line, which documented the rise to fame of the controversial and influential singer-songwriter.

Two sides of the enigmatic, rebellious legend are presented in the show by long-time Cash fans Hugo Kleinhans and Lionel Hunt, the latter returning to the Centrestage fold after having played ‘The Man in Black’ spectacularly in a segment of an earlier production The Good The Band and the Ugly.

Both are ideally suited to emulate the deep bass baritone Johnny Cash vocal timbre – and both are superb acoustic and electric guitarists too.

Special guest artist, vocalist and keyboard player Megan Du Toit features in a Centrestage Production for the first time as Cash’s second wife, long-time love interest and oft-times singing partner June Carter. Megan is well known to the Port Elizabeth audiences for her role in the group Cottonfields as well as a very talented songwriter and vocalist in her own right

The double bass features in the second consecutive Centrestage show, having come to the fore in their last show The Mumford Revolution.

This time Andrew Warneke gets to play the upright fretless instrument which was so central to the late nineteen fifties Tennessee Three rockabilly sound, completed by Devon Van Rooyen on drums.

The show takes in some 38 classic Cash songs, including hits played in his famous free prison concerts such as Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, Get Rhythm, Boy Named Sue, I Got Stripes, San Quentin and Folsom Prison Blues.

Duets include the likes of the popular Jackson, It Aint Me Babe, Long Legged Guitar Pickin Man, I Got A Woman and Times A Wastin’.

Covers done in his own inimitable style include I Won’t Back Down, 16 Tons and Solitary Man, whilst Cash’s association with other top country names in their supergroup The Highwaymen also spawned new renditions of hits such as Mama Don’t Let Your Little Baby Grow Up to Be A Cowboy, The Gambler, Me and Bobby McGhee, On the Road Again, Help Me Make it Through the Night and Ghost Riders in the Sky.

A fifties rockabilly salute depicting the popular sound of the time during Cash’s early tour days is also likely to prove extremely popular.

Lionel Hunt, well known nationally as a top-notch Elvis impersonator, comes in from his home in Port Alfred for the performance.

Walk the Line promises to both replicate and reinterpret the Johnny Cash songbook which is still particularly loved by audiences everywhere.

Tickets for the Old Grey performances, which start at 19h30, can be purchased through Computicket at R120 or R110 for 8 or more.

The Guild Theatre performances take place on Thurs 31 July and Fri 1 August and can also be booked through Computicket at the same prices and starting times.