Marshall Grant, the bassist of Johnny Cash's original backing duo, the Tennessee Two, has died at the age of 83. Grant also served as road manager for Cash and his touring show company.
Rosanne Cash, Johnny's daughter, tweeted:
- Marshall Grant, original of Johnny Cash & The Tennessee Two, died lst nt. Grateful I was w/ him last 2 days. Boom Chicka Boom, old friend.
- So grateful I was w/ Marshall Grant last 2 days of his life. He was my 'back-up dad'. Lot of bass players owe him a debt.
- He was meant to be on Jonesboro show Thurs; came to rehearsal. Played his bass on stage 1 last time, with so many friends.
- Marshall used to say 'if you want the REAL story, ask ME!'. Truth.
Grant recorded with Cash from 1954 until 1980, which means he probably played bass on Cash's covers of Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind," "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," "Mama You Been On My Mind," "One Too Many Mornings," "Wanted Man," "Country Pie," and "It Ain't Me Babe," according to Dylan Covers.
It was originally reported that Grant played with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, W.S. Holland, and Bob Wooten, in 1969:
18 February 1969
5th Nashville Skyline session, produced by Bob Johnston.
1-2. One Too Many Mornings
3-4. Mountain Dew (Bascom Lamar Lunsford/Scott Wiseman)
5-8. I Still Miss Someone (Johnny Cash/Roy Cash Jr.)
9. Careless Love (trad.)
10-12. Matchbox (Carl Perkins)
13-14. That's All Right Mama (Arthur Crudup)
15. Mystery Train (Sam Phillips - Herman Parker)
16-17. Big River (Johnny Cash)
18-20. Girl From The North Country
21-22. I Walk The Line (Johnny Cash)
23. How High The Water (Six Feet High and Rising)
24. You Are My Sunshine (Jimmy Davies/Charles Mitchell)
25-27. Ring Of Fire (June Carter/Merle Kilgore)
28. Wanted Man
29-33. Guess Things Happen That Way (Jack Clement)
34-35. Amen
36. Just A Closer Walk With Thee (trad.)
37-38. Blue Yodel # 1 (Jimmie Rodgers)
Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar & harmonica), Johnny Cash (shared vocal), Carl Perkins (guitar), Marshall Grant (bass), W.S. Holland (drums), and Bob Wooten (guitar).
The current listing in Still On The Road, however, has been updated to say:
Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar & harmonica), Johnny Cash (shared vocal). No further information on musicians available but most probably: Bob Wilson (piano), Charlie Daniels (guitar), Charlie McCoy (bass), Norman Blake (guitar), Hargus "Pig" Robinson (piano), Peter Drake (steel guitar), Kenneth Buttrey (drums).
If you listen to the recordings, however, Cash clearly introduces Perkins on guitar - more than once - so I'd say the line-up was most likely Grant, Perkins, Holland, and Wooten.
Some sources placed Grant at the February 17 session as well. If this is true, it was at the latter part of the session on the tracks with Johnny Cash - "One Too Many Mornings," " I Still Miss Someone," and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right."
In his memoir, I Was There When It Happened: My Life With Johnny Cash, Grant wrote:
Today, as I look back at what we did, I realize that it really didn't matter whether John had written a particular song - or whether it was Bob Dylan, Peter LaFarge, Shel Silverstein, or Harlan Howard - he made it his own. Very few artists had the talent John did, or could sing with the same kind of feeling.
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