PBS To Air Documentary About Man In Black

PBS is planning to air a documentary about the late country and songwriting legend Johnny Cash as a part of the network’s P.O.V. series. The documentary was shot during the height of Cash’s career between 1968 and 1969, and shows several sides of the famous Man in Black.

PBS is planning to air a documentary about the late country and songwriting legend Johnny Cash as a part of the network’s P.O.V. series. The documentary was shot during the height of Cash’s career between 1968 and 1969, and shows several sides of the famous Man in Black.

One side that the documentary leaves out, however, is that which shows the serious problems Cash had with substance abuse. Director Robert Elfstrom explains, “I didn’t want to cloud the purity of the story. I felt it was irrelevant to his art, but the powers that be wanted it in there. I fought it hard, and it was a good decision.”

What viewers will see in the documentary portray Cash as a dedicated musician and a happy man. The film includes concert footage of such fan favorites as “Ring of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “Jackson,” a duet with wife June Carter Cash. The documentary also gives insight into Cash’s life off the stage, painting him as a man who loves his family, his fans, and hunting.

Upon making the documentary, Elfstrom began to see Cash as a man who “was about soul, and identified with people who struggled.” He also sees the documentary as being just as relevant today as it was forty years ago when Cash was at his peak.

“There are not many documentaries on John, and this was perhaps one of the first and caught him at a point where he had some real peace of mind,” he said. “He was with June, and whatever bad habits he had he’d put behind him. His career and voice were at the top.”

The documentary will air Tuesday, August 5 on PBS.