“I’ll Give You 6 Months” – Johnny Cash Once Gave His Bass Player Money For Lessons When He Realized The Guy Couldn’t Play Upright Bass

The late, great Dave Roe played bass for Johnny Cash beginning in 1992, all the way up until Cash passed away in 2003. The before Dave himself passed away, he sat down with Otis Gibbs to discuss what is was like working with the Man In Black, and right off the bat, he recalled how his buddy, who also happened to be Cash's publicist, recommended him to Cash, touting him as the "best upright bass player in the world." However, Roe had never played upright bass before... in his entire life. Of course, that first show, Roe was struggling big time, to the point where he said he nearly had to go to the hospital because his hands were hurting so bad, and he couldn't do the signature "bass slap." By the end of the first show, everyone in the band was on to him... he couldn't play upright bass. That's when he said Cash called him over and said: "You really don't play upright bass do you?" And he asked Roe why he had the nerve to take the gig, and he responded: "Man, I need a job, I had to get out of what I was doing, and just took a shot at it." Cash then met him at the airport the next day, and asked him: "You think you can learn this stuff?... I'll give you six months." He also recalled how Cash sent him $3,500 to get lessons, and recommended two bass players, including one who still plays bass for Willie Nelson, and they were jealous that he got the gig instead of them. I mean, he was Johnny Cash... it would have been easy to just find someone else to play upright bass. But rather than kick him to the curb, he paid for lessons for him. A class act. Roe confessed that Cash is still, to this day, the nicest man he's ever met in the music business. He also talked about how the Johnny Cash band was the loudest band he ever played in, which is saying a lot considering he spent time playing with rock bands in the '70s. Roe went on to play with Dwight Yoakam, Sturgill Simpson, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Ian Hunter, Brian Setzer, Dan Auerbach, John Anderson, Carrie Underwood, Marcus King, Ray LaMontagne, Faith Hill, Rodney Crowell and more. RIP Dave Roe, and as always, here's the the great Johnny Cash. Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ggk17nm7Ew