Johnny Cash’s 78th birthday Feb. 26th, worldwide 'Wear Black Day'

By April MacIntyre Feb 24, 2010, 17:41 GMT

Help celebrate what would have been Johnny Cash\'s 78th birthday on Friday, February 26, the day that his final studio album, American VI: Ain\'t No Grave (American Recordings/Lost Highway), is officially released, and Wear Black for Johnny.

Johnny Cash's posthumous collection of music has been released, -American VI: Ain't No Grave.

The Cash family, Rick Rubin and American Recordings and Lost Highway Records are launching a national appeal for February 26th, 2010,  Johnny Cash’s 78th birthday.

Help celebrate what would have been Johnny Cash's 78th birthday on Friday, February 26, the day that his final studio album, American VI:  Ain't No Grave (American Recordings/Lost Highway), is officially released, and Wear Black for Johnny.

Fans from all over the world are being invited to remember Johnny Cash's life, music, and the enduring voice he gave to the poor and beaten down by posting pictures of themselves wearing black on February 26. 

More information as well as links to join the Facebook event (to post photos), follow on Twitter, and to hear the first single, "Ain't No Grave," can be accessed here.

Participants will be eligible to win a copy of the new American VI: Ain't No Grave, plus his amazing 5-CD box set, Unearthed.  The lucky winner will be chosen at random on March 12, 2010.

American VI:  Ain't No Grave, is the spiritual sixth and final installment of Johnny Cash's critically-acclaimed American Recordings series, and, as with previous albums in this series, was produced by Rick Rubin. 

American VI songs cover the pursuit of salvation, the importance of friendships, the dream of peace, the power of faith and the joys and adversities that entail simple survival.  It is an achingly personal and intimate statement, as, from the end of the line, Johnny Cash looks back on a most extraordinary life.

Rubin is asking that his fans wear black on 2/26 to remember the man in black and the voice he gave the common man and "the poor and beaten-down".

    * Wear Black on Feb 26th!
    * For those of you on Facebook:
      -Attend the “Johnny Cash’s 78th Birthday” Event (http://awe.sm/50iWn)
      -Post information to your wall
      -Upload a photo of yourself wearing black to your profile
      -Invite your friends to join.
    * E-mail or Tweet information to your friends/fans letting them know you’re wearing black for Johnny on 2/26 and encouraging them to wear black too.

Johnny Cash-American VI: Ain't No Grave
“Man In Black”
Words & Music by Johnny Cash

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.