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Johnny Cash, Country Music's Man in Black, Dies at 71

By Melissa Block
Published September 12, 2003 at 12:00 AM EDT

Country music legend Johnny Cash dies at 71 due to complications from diabetes. Over a career that spanned six decades, Cash produced such hits as "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" and earned 11 Grammys. NPR's Melissa Block talks with W.S. Holland, Cash's longtime drummer, about the prison concerts Cash often performed.

Copyright 2003 NPR
Melissa Block
As special correspondent and guest host of NPR's news programs, Melissa Block brings her signature combination of warmth and incisive reporting. Her work over the decades has earned her journalism's highest honors, and has made her one of NPR's most familiar and beloved voices.
See stories by Melissa Block
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