The Untold Truth Of Walk The Line
By Rachel Davis
Johnny Cash's older brother, Jack, really did die tragically at 14 years old. His death played out very similarly to its depiction in "Walk the Line," but Jack actually lingered with severe injuries for a week before he died. Cash, who was especially close to his older brother, took his death extremely hard. He carried the guilt of being unable to convince Jack to go fishing instead of working that day (thereby leaving him unable to help prevent the accident) with him throughout his life.
In his memoir, "Cash: The Autobiography," the country superstar was candid about how much he missed his brother, stating, "Jack was my big brother and my hero: my best friend, my big buddy, my mentor, and my protector. We fit very well, Jack and I; we were very happy together. I loved him. I really admired him, too. I looked up to him and I respected him. He was a very mature person for his age, thoughtful and reliable and steady. There was such substance to him — such seriousness, if you like, or even moral weight, such gravitas ... Putting it in today's terms, he gave me unconditional love." Cash went on to confess, "It was awful at the time and it's still a big, cold, sad place in my heart and soul."
