I dove way deep down in the rabbit hole to find this gem from over a decade ago, and it might be one of the coolest videos I’ve ever seen.
Known as the “Punk Rock Johnny Cash,” Jesse Morris went viral years and years ago, becoming a fixture in the Bay Area busking scene.
At first glance, you see a dude decked out in punk rock gear, looking like he came straight out of a NOFX concert, playing his guitar in what appears to be a subway station in the Mission District of San Francisco.
Not gonna lie, when I first saw this, I fully expected him to sing an acoustic version of “Bob.”
But when he started playing Johnny Cash’s 1970 hit “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” written of course, by legendary songwriter Kris Kristofferson, jaws just about dropped through the floor. He sounds JUST like Johnny.
Just a phenomenal rendition of The Man In Black.
However unfortunately, Jesse passed away in 2011. According to SF Weekly, the Bay Area busking legend made an attempt on his life back in 2011 and did not survive. At the time, he was playing with a band called Jesse Morris and the Man Cougars.
So here’s to Jesse, may he always be remembered.
“Folsom Prison Blues”
Johnny’s version:
And of course, the original writer… Mr. Kris Kristofferson:
