He may have cultivated an outlaw image of being tough as nails, but the Man in Black actually had a heart of gold. And this video proves it.
Back in 1991, Johnny Cash was in Australia while touring with The Highwaymen, the supergroup featuring Cash along with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson.
One fan in Adelaide, Australia bought one of the first tickets to see the show, calling himself one of Johnny Cash’s biggest fans. But unfortunately, by the time the show rolled around, Keith Flemming was too sick to attend, diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and confined to his bed in the hospital on the night of the show.
But Cash’s mother Carrie had also passed away from cancer just months prior to the show. And when he heard that Keith was unable to attend the show, he decided to take the show to him.
Cash showed up in Flemming’s hospital room to surprise the man, introducing himself despite needing no introduction:
“Good morning Keith, how you doing? Johnny Cash, glad to see you.”
And Cash then played a private show, right there at Keith’s bedside in the hospital, performing hits like “Folsom Prison Blues” as well as the prayerful “Why Me, Lord,” a song originally written and recorded by his fellow Highwayman Kris Kristofferson.
Flemming laid in his hospital bed listening to the performance, taking it all in with his eyes closed – clarifying that he wasn’t asleep by “reminiscing” as Cash sang.
And when the visit was over, Cash had one final message for Flemming:
“I just want you to know that it was good I could be here to come and see you. I’m glad I could before I have to catch a plane. I’m sorry you couldn’t make the concert last night. I’ll be praying for you. God bless you.”
He may have been the Man in Black, but he still had a heart of gold.
@dimestoreradio Johnny Cash grants an Australian fan’s dying wish. #johnnycash #dimestoreradio ♬ original sound – Dime Store Radio
