Episode Summary:

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Rebecca Buchanan
Guests: Michael Hinds & Jonathan Silverman
Book: Johnny Cash International: How and Why Fans Love the Man in Black (U Iowa Press, 2020)
Date: January 26, 2026

Overview

This episode features a lively conversation between host Rebecca Buchanan and authors Michael Hinds and Jonathan Silverman about their book, Johnny Cash International: How and Why Fans Love the Man in Black. The discussion explores what makes Johnny Cash a global icon, how his fandom transcends borders and generations, and the unique relationship international fans have with his persona and music. Through stories of research adventures, memorable encounters with fans, and a deep dive into the internet's role in modern fandom, the authors share insights about Cash's evolving legacy and the communities that keep his spirit alive worldwide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Origins of the Project & Research Collaboration

• The Beginnings: The book emerged from a fortuitous academic connection; Jonathan contacted Michael via the Irish Association for American Studies to give a seminar on “A Boy Named Sue”—a talk that drew a big crowd in Ireland because of Johnny Cash's popularity there.
  • “...I knew how much Irish people like Johnny Cash...I understood almost immediately...this would probably be the best turnout for one of these seminars we've had in, you know, three years.” (Michael, 03:30)
• International Approach: The authors decided to explore fandom beyond the US, focusing on Ireland, Norway, the Netherlands, and other countries, prompted by unique encounters and academic curiosity.

Meeting the Fans

• Three Archetypal Fans:
  • Charlie Taggart: An Irish shopkeeper who played Cash’s music daily—a solitary, content fan, surprised by academic interest in his hobby.
  • Elvira Polgeast: Founder of the Johnny Cash Info Center (Netherlands), who made Cash fandom her life's work, organizing information and events internationally.
  • Barry Winters: An Irish performer active in self-promotion, who played a pivotal role in connecting the authors with the international Johnny Cash community.
    • “[Barry] made sure that the truck stopped so he could get on it.” (Michael, 08:43)
• Fan Participation vs. Traditional Fandom: Direct interviews allowed a richer understanding than surveys, revealing complex and personal relationships with Cash’s music and persona.

What Makes Johnny Cash Universally Appealing?

• Longevity and Versatility:
  • Cash’s appeal crosses generations, genres, and political spectrums.
  • “...for those long term Cash fans, they tended to have long term stories that were based on living with him, growing with him, and in many ways celebrating the complexity of Cash's career and the various turns he took.” (Michael, 12:23)
• The Feeling of Authenticity:
  • While the authors avoid overusing "authentic," they acknowledge Cash inspires “phenomenal trust” and a sense of something “very real and pivotal” in people globally.
• Comparisons with Elvis:
  • Cash worked in many genres, maintained an active touring life worldwide (unlike Elvis), and continues to gain new fans through modern media appearances and posthumous releases.

The Internet and Evolving Fandom

• Role of YouTube and Online Communities:
  • The definition of “fan” becomes fluid with modern platforms; some participate deeply, others passively engage (e.g., via comments or covers).
  • “...young singer, the Dutch guy...he’d listened to that [Hurt]...four years previously, and here he was standing in front of us wearing a full kind of cowboy regalia...the internet brings up...speed and fandom...” (Michael, 24:26)
• Fandom’s Changing Pace:
  • Older fans accumulated fan knowledge over decades, while newcomers can immerse themselves almost instantly—different, but not less real.
• YouTube Covers as Fandom:
  • The authors discuss family performances of Ring of Fire uploaded by fans, and how covering Cash can function as both genuine tribute and cultural "currency."
  • “...fandom often stands in for identity...we figure out who we are...by our preferences and we try to find other people with the same preferences.” (Jonathan, 33:01)

Fandom, Identity, and Cultural Context

• Bringing Cash to New Audiences:
  • Stories of fans in Portugal and France, where Cash may not be central but becomes a personal or subcultural focal point.
  • “...liking Cash became...a way of not understanding Johnny Cash, but of understanding Portugal.” (Michael, 41:12)
  • Punk and DIY culture embraced Cash for his “critical opposition” and “punkish” ethos.
• The Power of Place:
  • For some, visiting US sites associated with Cash (e.g. museums, town of his birth) is a pilgrimage, seeking meaning, authenticity, or simply the experience of connecting with the source.
  • “Johnny Cash is the vehicle...[for] expanding perspective...coming to the United States...a lot of the photos...are not just of Johnny Cash things...but...of the area, the airplane… just taking it all in.” (Jonathan, 54:35 & 55:53)
• Localizing Johnny Cash:
  • Fans often interpret or reinvent Cash in relation to their home cultures; Cash becomes an “imaginary Cork man” or “honorary” member of different locales.
  • “...the more people we talked to...the more interesting it became to find out about them and where they were from and how Cash became a lens for viewing their own place.” (Michael, 62:52)

Memorable Stories & Quotes

• Argentinian Fan’s Survey Reply:
  • “Johnny Cash is the feeling you have when you sit at the edge of your bed in the morning and wondering if it's worth carrying on.” (Michael, 47:30)
• On Unexpected Connections:
  • “Once we started looking for Johnny Cash, he’s pretty much everywhere.” (Jonathan, 59:21)
• Rabbit Holes of YouTube:
  • “We used to talk about the Rabbit Hole, and the Rabbit hole is not a friendly place...Some of the things that we were sure we'd seen had disappeared and couldn't be retrieved.” (Michael, 67:41)

Closing Topics

• The Authors’ Next Projects:
  • Jonathan is editing a collection on the Houston Astros cheating scandal.
  • Michael and Jonathan both write on horse racing, with humorous speculation about racehorses named after Cash songs.
  • Joking about a movie based on various Cashean fans preparing to cover “Ring of Fire.”
• Reflecting on Fandom’s Future:
  • The deep, interconnected "honeycomb" world of Cash fandom and its continuous evolution online.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• 03:30 – “...this would probably be the best turnout for one of these seminars we'll have had in, you know, three years. Because I understood almost immediately, or just I know how much Irish people like Johnny Cash...” (Michael Hinds)
• 08:43 – “He made sure that the truck stopped so he could get on it.” (Michael Hinds, on Barry Winters’ active participation in the project)
• 12:23 – “...they tended to have long term stories that were based on living with him, growing with him, and in many ways celebrating the complexity of Cash's career and the various turns he took.” (Michael Hinds)
• 16:53 – “And so you have one hand, you have Barry Winters, who talks about writing an essay to win a Johnny Cash 45 in the early 1970s. And then you have someone in 2019 watching Logan and becoming a fan that way.” (Jonathan Silverman)
• 24:26 – “...he’d listened to that something like four years previously, and here he was standing in front of us wearing a full kind of cowboy regalia...the internet brings up...speed and fandom...” (Michael Hinds)
• 33:01 – “We figure out who we are and who we are to the world by our preferences, and we try to find other people with the same preferences. That's just a natural way of people coming together, I think.” (Jonathan Silverman)
• 41:12 – “...liking Cash became in itself a way of not understanding Johnny Cash, but of understanding Portugal.” (Michael Hinds)
• 47:30 – “Johnny Cash is the feeling you have when you sit at the edge of your bed in the morning and wondering if it's worth carrying on.” (Michael Hinds, quoting an Argentinian fan)
• 62:52 – “...the more people we talked to, and...the more interesting it became to find out about them and where they were from and how Cash became a lens for viewing their own place.” (Michael Hinds)
• 67:41 – “We used to talk about the Rabbit Hole, and the Rabbit hole is not a friendly place...Some of the things that we were sure we'd seen had disappeared and couldn't be retrieved.” (Michael Hinds)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [02:14 – 10:00]: How the book and research partnership began, first encounters with international Cash fandom
• [10:16 – 21:20]: In-depth discussion of individual fans, the dynamics of international fandom, and stories from the field
• [22:36 – 27:20]: The impact of the Internet and YouTube on fandom; changing definitions and experiences of being a fan
• [27:51 – 34:41]: Ring of Fire covers as performance, identity, and diversity of participation across cultures
• [35:13 – 44:25]: Fandom among punks, in France and Portugal, influence of politics and subculture on the meaning of Cash
• [52:17 – 58:38]: "Pilgrimage" to US sites, collecting memorabilia, and how physical spaces shape fan experiences
• [58:38 – 64:49]: Spike Island concert, how Cash is "localized," and fandom as a means of understanding one’s own place
• [65:27 – 68:49]: Authors’ new projects, running jokes about horse racing, movies, and the infinite depths of the “Cash fandom rabbit hole”

Concluding Thoughts

The episode reveals Johnny Cash International as a nuanced portrait of fandom in the digital age, showing how Cash’s “Man in Black” legacy is reinvented and integrated into cultures far from his own origins. The discussion highlights that, for many fans, engaging with Cash is not just about music, but about identity, belonging, and even making sense of their own worlds. The authors’ adventures—both academic and personal—with fans around the world underscore the multidimensional, evolving nature of fandom, and how objects of affection like Johnny Cash serve as powerful cultural touchstones and bridges.