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American Morning

Johnny Cash Dies From Complications Due to Diabetes

Aired September 12, 2003 - 07:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also, from Nashville, Tennessee, another star, the legendary Johnny Cash has died at the age of 71. Cash was known as the "Man in Black," famous for hits like, "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Sunday Morning Coming Down."
His wife, June Carter Cash, died this past May at the age of 74.

Johnny Cash now dying from complications of diabetes.

Jamie Reese (ph) is with us now, WTVF, at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

Good morning there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning, Bill.

Johnny Cash died here at Baptist Hospital in Nashville around 2:00 this morning. His manager says the "Man in Black" died from complications from diabetes, which ultimately resulted in respiratory failure.

Johnny Cash was 71 years old, and recently he had been in and out of the hospital for complications from pneumonia and stomach problems. In fact, he was just released from this hospital earlier this week, and family members had told us that he had seemed to have been improving before this very sad announcement this morning.

Johnny Cash's manager has asked that fans pray for the Cash family to find some comfort in this difficult time.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but we do expect some announcement later today.

Reporting live in Nashville, Tennessee, I'm Jamie Reese (ph).

Bill -- back to you.

HEMMER: Jamie (ph), thank you very much.

Quite simply, Johnny Cash was a legend.

Sean Callebs now with more on the life of the "Man in Black."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNNY CASH, ENTERTAINER (singing): I hear the train a coming. SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Johnny Cash spent the five decades making music with his sobering blend of baritone and guitar.

Born in 1932, Cash grew up on an Arkansas cotton farm singing Baptist hymns. But Johnny wasn't born with that voice.

CASH: I was a high tenor until I was 17, and I was cutting wood one day with my father with a cross cut saw, I came home that afternoon and my voice dropped immediately.

CALLEBS: He picked up guitar during a stint in the Air Force and released his first single in 1955. Fame came quickly with songs such as "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Ring of Fire," a love song he co-wrote with his second wife, June Carter Cash.

By 1969, "The Man in Black" was the best-selling recording artist alive, even outselling the Beatles.

He won 11 Grammys, along with a Grammy legend and lifetime achievement award.

CASH: If legend fits, I'm very happy with it.

CALLEBS: But it wasn't always sunny skies. In his autobiography, Cash spoke frankly about the demise of his first marriage and long-term drug addiction.

Despite his admittedly self-destructive behavior, the father of five kept making music, collaborating with the best in his field and maintaining the affection of fans, attracted by his soulful lyrics and straight-up style.

Whether he was singing about a love gone bad or a life ill-spent, Johnny Cash was admired by generations of fans for simply telling it like it is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Much more on Johnny Cash and John Ritter throughout the morning here on this AMERICAN MORNING, so stay tuned for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired September 12, 2003 - 07:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also, from Nashville, Tennessee, another star, the legendary Johnny Cash has died at the age of 71. Cash was known as the "Man in Black," famous for hits like, "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Sunday Morning Coming Down."
His wife, June Carter Cash, died this past May at the age of 74.

Johnny Cash now dying from complications of diabetes.

Jamie Reese (ph) is with us now, WTVF, at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

Good morning there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning, Bill.

Johnny Cash died here at Baptist Hospital in Nashville around 2:00 this morning. His manager says the "Man in Black" died from complications from diabetes, which ultimately resulted in respiratory failure.

Johnny Cash was 71 years old, and recently he had been in and out of the hospital for complications from pneumonia and stomach problems. In fact, he was just released from this hospital earlier this week, and family members had told us that he had seemed to have been improving before this very sad announcement this morning.

Johnny Cash's manager has asked that fans pray for the Cash family to find some comfort in this difficult time.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but we do expect some announcement later today.

Reporting live in Nashville, Tennessee, I'm Jamie Reese (ph).

Bill -- back to you.

HEMMER: Jamie (ph), thank you very much.

Quite simply, Johnny Cash was a legend.

Sean Callebs now with more on the life of the "Man in Black."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNNY CASH, ENTERTAINER (singing): I hear the train a coming. SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Johnny Cash spent the five decades making music with his sobering blend of baritone and guitar.

Born in 1932, Cash grew up on an Arkansas cotton farm singing Baptist hymns. But Johnny wasn't born with that voice.

CASH: I was a high tenor until I was 17, and I was cutting wood one day with my father with a cross cut saw, I came home that afternoon and my voice dropped immediately.

CALLEBS: He picked up guitar during a stint in the Air Force and released his first single in 1955. Fame came quickly with songs such as "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Ring of Fire," a love song he co-wrote with his second wife, June Carter Cash.

By 1969, "The Man in Black" was the best-selling recording artist alive, even outselling the Beatles.

He won 11 Grammys, along with a Grammy legend and lifetime achievement award.

CASH: If legend fits, I'm very happy with it.

CALLEBS: But it wasn't always sunny skies. In his autobiography, Cash spoke frankly about the demise of his first marriage and long-term drug addiction.

Despite his admittedly self-destructive behavior, the father of five kept making music, collaborating with the best in his field and maintaining the affection of fans, attracted by his soulful lyrics and straight-up style.

Whether he was singing about a love gone bad or a life ill-spent, Johnny Cash was admired by generations of fans for simply telling it like it is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Much more on Johnny Cash and John Ritter throughout the morning here on this AMERICAN MORNING, so stay tuned for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.