For Immediate ReleaseSeptember 24, 2024Contact: Taylor Haulsee Speaker Johnson Honors Country Music Legend Johnny Cash in U.S Capitol Statue Dedication WASHINGTON — Today, Speaker Johnson hosted an unveiling ceremony for a statue depicting country music legend Johnny Cash, the first musician to be honored with a statue in the United States Capitol. Speaker Johnson was joined by Leader Jeffries, Members of Congress, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and members of the Cash family, including his daughter Rosanne and sister Joanne. Speaker Johnson said Johnny Cash “gave a voice to the struggles of the people who were downtrodden and marginalized, who were hopeless and forgotten.” As the native son of Arkansas, Cash spoke up – and sang about – the forgotten men and women of America. He reminded all Americans that they matter and were made in the image of God. The statue, sculpted by Kevin Kresse of Arkansas, will stand in Emancipation Hall for decades to come.   Click here to watch the ceremony Read Speaker Johnson’s full remarks below: To my colleagues in Congress, Governor Sanders, the Cash Family, to the sculptor – Kevin Kresse – it’s my pleasure, as Speaker of the House, to welcome you all to the Capitol today in what is a remarkable occasion. Today, we have the pleasure of recognizing the first musician to be honored with a statue here in the Capitol. Johnny Cash was a man who embodied the American spirit in a way that few could. He was an everyday man who loved to fish and who suffered the pain of loss. He was the son of southern farmers and of the Great Depression. Americans related to him, so families across the country invited him into their radios and record players. Because this Man in Black sung of the tragedies of life and of the difficulties that Americans faced, he actually provided Americans hope. Of course, he was amazing man who loved his family deeply, as evidenced by the fact more than a hundred Cash family members are with us today. And as I recently learned, I have the privilege of counting myself among them. I believe the technical term is that I am his “half-fifth cousin, four times removed,” but I’ll let someone else do the math. My great-great grandmother Lizzie was a Cash so that’s how I snuck in, but it’s good to be among family today. As you all know, it’s a long process to get a statue here to the Capitol and there are so many people to thank for their role in the process. The Arkansas State Legislature drafted the bill and Governor Hutchison signed it. Governor Sanders has helped us get it here. The Cash Family and the Cash Family Trust has spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about this project. And the sculptor Kevin Kresse…you’ll see that he done an excellent job. This is actually the third statute of Johnny Cash that he has made, so we’re very grateful for his hard work. I always enjoy the times when we get to unveil a statue here in the Capitol. I find that the men and women on display in this building speak to where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going as a nation. Some may ask — why should a musician have a statue here in the halls of the great American Republic? The answer is pretty simply. It’s because America is about more than laws and politics. Our nation is one that’s comprised of the stories of the American people. American democracy is about the American people All of this is about “We, the people,” and Johnny Cash gave a voice to the struggles of the people who were downtrodden and marginalized, who were too often forgotten and hopeless. When we forgot about the factory line worker – there was Johnny Cash… singing about the fella who built a car “Once Piece at a Time.” When we had forgotten about our troops…there was Johnny Cash—the man in black, remembering the hundred thousand who died for that “ragged old flag.” When we forgot about the Native American – there was Johnny Cash… reminding us of the “petrified but justified Apache Tears.” When we forgot about the farmer – there was Johnny Cash…singing the how the floodwaters were “Five Feet High and Rising.” And when we forgot about the prisoner – there was Johnny Cash…doing what no one else would, singing at Folsom Prison. When American leaders weren’t speaking about these forgotten men and women, Johnny Cash was. He was reminding us that these people matter, and that they too were made in the image of God. And they are part of the American story. So it’s only appropriate that we have a statue in these hallowed halls, reminding us that America, and our Capitol, are places where the voices of the people really matter. And being in country music, Johnny Cash had a special connection to Louisiana. Shreveport, my hometown, just south of the Arkansas state line. My buddies from new Orleans accuse me of being a South Arkansas, but that’s another thing. Shreveport is famous, as the Cash Family probably known, for the Louisiana Hayride, where Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Two regularly performed at. One of the most famous shows in the history of the Hayride was on New Year’s Eve, 1955. The lineup was, listen to this, Elvis Presley, Johnny Horton, George Jones, David Houston, with Special Guests Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two. Ticket prices were 60 cents for adults, and 30 cents for children. Little did that audience know how great of a deal they got that day. And thanks to the help from some Hayride historians, we were able to find this photo of Johnny Cash performing that night, New Year’s Eve 1955, at the Hayride… And this is him at the Hayride, and you won’t be able to it, but on TV look later. It’s really neat. Then, look at this, they found a photo of him standing backstage; this is Johnny with Elvis in 1955. Pretty awesome history. Of course, we would be remiss if we only reflected on his music, and not mention his deeply held faith. It’s been referenced here a few times already. His is a story of redemption. It’s a story of struggle and of pressing ahead. It’s a story of love for family and a deep and growing faith. He sung the hymns of old and wrote new songs about the goodness of God. He wanted people to have the same joy and faith in Christ that he had found. Several months ago, we were able to unveil a statue of Billy Graham, and many of you know, Johnny Cash and Billy Graham were very close personal friends. Johnny even performed at several of Reverend Graham’s crusades. And today, as you’ll see in just a second, Johnny Cash and Billy Graham are two of only three statues here in the Capitol that are holding a Bible. I think that is symbolic and should remind us of the importance of faith in American life. ### |
