it.

ladies and gentlemen, the honorable mike johnson, speaker of the united states house of representatives. you be seated for a moment, if you will. what a great crowd. to my colleagues in congress, governor sanders, the cash family, to the sculptor kevin cressy, and all of our honored guests. it is my pleasure as speaker of the house to welcome you all to the capitol today in what is a truly remarkable occasion. today, we have the pleasure of recognizing, get this, the first musician to ever be honored with a statue here in the capitol. and johnny cash is the perfect person to be honored in that way. he was a man who embodied the american spirit in a way that few could. he was an everyday man. he loved to fish. and he suffered the pain of

loss. he was the son of southern farmers and of the great depression. americans related to johnny cash. so families across the country invited him into their homes, through their radios and their record players because the man in black song of tragedies of life and the difficulties that americans faced, he provided americans hope. of course, he was an amazing man who loved his family deeply, as evidenced by the fact that more than a hundred cash family members are here with us today. that's pretty remarkable. and i want to tell you something i'm very excited about. i recently learned. as fate would have it, i count myself among the cash family. this is not a joke. my staff ran a genealogy report and in technical terms it counts. but i am the half fifth cousin, four times removed of johnny cash. that's what i am.

yes. it's true story. my great great grandmother, lizzie was a cash and that counts. so i'm really, really proud to be among the family today. count that as you all know it is a long process to get a statue here in the capital. and there are so many people to thank for their role in this process. the arkansas state legislature drafted the bill. governor hutchison signed it. and governor sanders has helped us to finally get it here. thank you to all of you for that hard work. you. yes. the cash family and the cash family trust have spent an inordinate amount of time thinking through the details of this project, and a lot of work goes into it. and the sculptor, kevin cressy, as you'll see, has done an extraordinary job on this piece. this is actually the third statue of johnny cash that he's made. and we're so very grateful for his talent and his hard work. if you will, let's please stand

together for the presentation of the colors. by brian. o. say, can you see by the dawn's

early life what so proud we held at the twilight's last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the pair all us fight for the red cards we watched worse so gallantly streaming me and the girls the boys bursting never gave through the high guitar fly was still there o say he taught us that stars spangled banner had o. all the love and all the free. oh, no, home, home ordering can.

ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the invocation delivered by rear admiral cary cash, chaplain of the marine corps and great nephew of johnny cash. i invite you to pray with me. heavenly father, you are the giver of every good and perfect

gift in whom there is no shadow of turning, who blesses the pure and heart, binds up the weary, and honors him, who honors you? o lord, we gather today to honor johnny cash, a name that rings of our great nation and of that rugged spirit that overcome arms. thank you for johnny's daughters. rosanne, kathy, cindy and tara, his grandchildren and many other family and friends who are here today and those here in spirit. johnny's family saw the man up close and knew the pride he had in each of them. the world saw the man in black who through song and ballad, symbol and story with a martin guitar and over miles too many to count. preach the gospel to the poor. heal the broken hearted proclaimed freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. like the one he followed.

johnny was a fisher of men in whose heart god had put a new song. a song of praise, where many millions heard and many still placed their trust in you. history may forget johnny's faith. voices may flatter his good works. but like this statue that we unveil, his character is ever fixed. his purpose, like the bible he held certain and true. o lord, this rugged man in black indeed walked the line, and he now lives as one of those faithful witnesses who surrounds us each day and through song and story and the symbol of the cross bids us to walk the line as well. father, thank you for the life and legacy of johnny cash, and thank you for the most indescribable gift in your son. jesus christ. amen. please be seated.

ladies and gentlemen, the honorable hakeem jeffries, democratic leader of the united states house of representatives. the speaker mike johnson governor sarah huckabee sanders. senator bozeman, distinguished members of congress, my colleagues and governments of rosanne and the entire cast. family. to chairman shane broadway king. sculptor kevin cressy and all those assembled. good morning. it's a high honor and a distinct privilege to deliver remarks on behalf of the house democratic caucus as we celebrate the amazing life and legacy of the

great johnny cash. article one. section and eight clause eight of the united states constitution conferred upon congress the power to create a robust intellectual property system in order to, in the words of the framers, promote the progress of science and useful arts. from the very beginning in the dna of this great country. artistic creativity has been recognized as in credibly important to our growth, our culture, and to the american in experiment. writing to abigail adams, his wife from paris in 1780, john adams said, i must study politics and war.

so that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. my sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architect, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study, painting, poetry, free music, architecture, statue, jewelry, tapestry and porcelain. few artists have done more to live out the prophecy of john adams than johnny cash. throughout his life, he created a catalog of profoundly powerful works that cannot be ascribed to a single genre. at different times, he was country blues, rock and roll and

gospel at all times. johnny cash was uniquely american. he was a trailblazing transform, a national and trendsetting figure. before jay-z dropped the black album, hip hop supergroup n.w.a. wore black l.a. raiders, baseball caps or the pioneering heavy metal rock band black sabbath, emerged on the scene. johnny cash was the man in black. his substance, his swagger and his style inspired generations of artists from every genre imaginable. more importantly, however, johnny cash was a one man music minister whose lyrical theology closely connected it appears to the gospel of matthew chapter 25

verses 35 and 36. for i was hungry and you gave me something to eat. i was thirsty. and you gave me something to drink. i was a stranger. and you invited me in. i needed clothes and you clothed me. i was sick and you looked after me. i was in prison enforcing. and you came to visit me. johnny cash told us and his lyrics that he wore black for the poor and the beaten down, living in the hopeless, hungry side of town. he elevated the stories of the least the lost and the left behind inspired us to do better and made clear that regardless of one station in life, we're all god's children. born in arkansas during the great depression to a family of sharecroppers, he lived a rugged

life and learned the importance of family, the land and almighty god. through his commendable service in the air force, as well as blue collar jobs in a factory and working as a salesman. he lived the quintessential american experience. upon entering the music scene in 1955, he possessed a unique voice, and his music had a magnetic quality that resonated with working people. all throughout america. a style that continues to reverberate. 870 years later. bob dylan once remarked that when you listen to johnny cash, he always brings you to your senses. he rises high above all, and he'll never die or be forgotten, even by persons not born yet. especially those persons.

and that is forever. snoop doggy dogg put it a different way. he called johnny cash a real american gangster. as a compliment from snoop doggy dogg. what a life, what a legend, what a legacy. johnny cash was a man of resilience and american exceptionalism. he was a true american patriot. johnny cash's story is an american story. and this statue will forever cement his incredible consequential place in the american journey. may god bless his life and legacy. may god bless all of you. may god bless the united states of america.

ladies and gentlemen, the honorable mike johnson, speaker of the united states house of representatives. well, we always enjoy the times when we get to unveil a statue here in the capitol. these are really special events, and we're so grateful, again that you're all with us. the men and women on display in this building speak to where we have been, where we are, and where we're going as a nation. some may ask the question, why would a musician have a statue here in the halls of the great american republic and the answer is actually pretty simple. america is about more than law and politics. our nation is one that's comprised of the stories of the american people. all of this is about we, the people and johnny cash. give a voice to the struggles of the people who are downtrodden

and marginalized and who were too often forgotten and hopeless when we forgot about the factory line worker, there was johnny cash singing about that fellow who built a car one piece at a time. when we had forgotten about our troops. there was johnny cash, the man in black, remembering the 100,000 who died for that that ragged old flag. we forgot about the native american. there was johnny cash. reminder us of the petrified but justified side. apache tears when we forgot about the farmer. there was johnny cash singing how the floodwaters were five feet high and rising. we forgot about the prisoner. there was johnny cash, of course. doing what no one else would. singing at folsom prison. when american leaders weren't speaking about these forgotten men and women. johnny cash was he was reminding us that these people matter and that they, too, were made in the

image of god and that they are part of the american story. so it's only appropriate that we have a statue here in these hallowed halls reminding us of that america and our capital. these are places where the voices of the people really matter. and being in country music, johnny cash had a special connection to my home state of louisiana. shreveport, louisiana is my hometown, is just north of the just south of the arkansas state line. my buddies from new orleans can accuse me of being a south arkansan, but that's that's another thing. shreveport is famous. the cash family probably knows for the louisiana hayride where johnny cash and the tennessee two regularly performed. one of the most famous shows in the history of the hayride was on new year's eve, 1955. the lineup was, listen to this, elvis presley, johnny horton, george jones, david houston with special guests. johnny cash and the tennessee

two. ticket prices were $0.60 for adults, $0.30 for children. and little did that audience know what a great deal they got that day. and thanks to the help from the hayride, historians, they were able to find me a photo of johnny cash performing that night. new year's eve, 1955. this is him at the hayride. you won't be able to see it, but on tv you can look at this later. it's really neat there on the stage. there. and then look at this. they found this photo of of them backstage. this is johnny and elvis backstage at the hayride in 1955. it's pretty awesome history. pretty awesome. of course, we would be remiss if we only reflected on the music of johnny cash and did not mention his deeply held faith. that's been referenced here a few times already. his is a story of redemption. it's a story of struggle and of pressing ahead.

it's a story of love for family and a deep and growing faith. he sang the hymns of old, and he wrote new songs about the goodness of god. he wanted people to have the same joy and faith and redemption in christ that he had found several months ago. we were able to unveil a statue of billy graham here in the capitol. and many of you know that johnny cash and billy graham were very close, personal friends. johnny even performed at several of reverend graham's crusades. and today, as you'll see in just a second, johnny cash and billy graham are two of only three statues here in the capital that are holding a bible. i think that's symbolic, and i think it should remind us of the importance of faith in our great american life. so without further ado, we will finally unveil this statue. and i'm going to ask leader jeffreys, governor sanders, the arkansas delegation and the cash family, or at least a subset of the cash family and kevin

cressey, to come up and join us in front of the stage.

please be seated.

ladies and gentlemen, the honorable sarah huckabee sanders, governor of arkansas. thank you. thank you. thank you very much. it is such an amazing honor to be back in our nation's capital, to represent the great state of arkansas and honor one of our state's best known icons, johnny cash. thank you to arkansas's congressional delegation. no offense to the rest of you,

but i think we have the best in the country and certainly a huge thank you to our congressional leadership for not only hosting us, but all you do for our great country. as i stand here and look out in the crowd, we see plenty of friendly faces. many who had the opportunity to be here last spring when we unveiled daisy bates statue. and i'm glad that we are here again today to continue arkansas. great story. many of you probably know that i grew up in politics. but what you may not know is that i also grew up in a musical family. unfortunately, none of that was passed down. but in our family and to just about every other musical family in the south, after god and country came johnny cash even more than his songs. it's the image of the man that i

remember, the slicked back hair of his early albums and the season look in his later years, perhaps the most iconic, the pictures of cash at san quentin and folsom prison. not long ago, my husband and i had the opportunity to host another arkansas musician, zach williams, at the arkansas governor's mansion. zach, share some biographical notes with cash. he, too, was raised in the arkansas delta. he, too, got his start in rock music before falling into drugs and alcohol. he, too, found jesus. quit using and started writing. christian music. he too, now performs in prisons. zach shared his experience performing with us at lunch, looking out in the crowd scene. inmates with tattoos on their faces and necks. his thought wasn't how am i different for them?

it was, i could be sitting right there. obviously, there are many differences between zach and johnny cash. when cash visited folsom prison, his most famous line was all men in black bravado. i shot a man in reno just to watch him die. but johnny cash also used to say that he was two people. johnny is the nice one. cash causes all the trouble. it's not hard to imagine that he too, looked out at that prison crowd and saw a version of himself staring back. johnny cash was open about the struggles and the triumphs in his life. he was a him singing christian. but there were also times when he wrote that he felt like a walking vision of death. but that didn't contradict his image. it was his image. cash's first big hit was called i walk the line in an era when

most musicians images were carefully curated. he was open about straddling the border between clean cut johnny and cash down cash. when so much in today's world is fake. johnny cash was very real. not long ago, i had the opportunity to tour cash's childhood home in arkansas, where i saw the cramped rooms where his parents raised their seven kids. i saw the fields where johnny and his family worked, picking cotton and singing church music. it was an unspectacular childhood, the same as thousands of other kids in thousands of other little farmhouses all across the delta. but it's what makes johnny cash so special. millions of americans could look at him, look at his career or look at his success and still say he is one of us. johnny cash walked the line. it wasn't a straight line, much

more like the arkansas river. jagged, but always moving forward. we're a nation of second chances of constant reinvent and of continuous redemption. we're a singer can start in the cotton fields and eventually performance stadiums. we're a christian b&b. tired in the tyranny of a river. can headline a billy graham crusade where a man can defeat his own demons and become a vessel for the holy spirit? johnny cash was an ordinary man and a superstar. all in one. it's a story that could only happen in america. and it's a story that arkansas, the land of pioneers and patriots, is proud to tell. thank you to all of you who made this statue and this story possible to the incredible cash family for showing up and

allowing us to be part of this story and honor this great legend. to kevin cressey, who did such an amazing job pulling it all together and without words, telling an absolutely powerful and beautiful story. we are so thankful to share in this special day. may god bless johnny cash. may god bless the great state of arkansas. and may god bless our incredible country. thank you so much. ladies and gentlemen, the honorable steve womack united states representative from the third district of arkansas. thank you. speaker johnson, leader jeffries, governor sanders, to

this amazing cash family, to our friends and guests gathered here today. not lost on me is the fact that very few members of congress have the privilege of presiding over something as unique and profound as a statuary collection dedication. i'm honored to be part of this historic event. admittedly, i was always a johnny cash fan since my childhood. little known fact. i loved the song a boy named sue. i loved it so much that i committed to memory. its lyrics. and i could prove it to you right now. some 55 years later.

but organizers of this event limited me to 2 minutes, and i think that was intentional. there are statues of great people throughout this capital. men and women of significant accomplishment. but today marks a first. johnny cash represents the first such statue of a professional musician. and while many statue shoes are of people, some of us have never heard of. this one will be of someone where people will see this masterpiece and know of this legend. every singer songwriter represented. that makes me proud. a couple of weekends ago, while catching up on arkansas week on the public broadcasting session, i heard rosanne comment on the significance of this moment. her dad won many awards and accolades. he's a hall of fame artist.

one of the most recognizable figures in american history. but to hear her say that this dedication, to have his likeness standing in this iconic symbol of freedom for all of the world, tops them all. gives perspective to this day. and the artist. kevin cressey, who's god given talent in this magnificent statue, is surpassed only by his incredible ability to portray johnny cash as he truly was. down to the finite detail in this statue. kevin, i can actually see the in his gut and the spit in his eye. that's all i'm going to do of a morning show.

and to my friend shane broadway, the arkansas general assembly, to my fellow colleagues and everyone associated with this rare occasion. thank you. now, arkansas will have daisy bates forever serving statuary hall. and the man in black. larger than life right here in the visitor's. no one walking by this impressed memorial will fail to know who this man is or what he did and where he was from. that makes me arkansas proud. thank you.

ladies and gentlemen, the honorable eric a rick crawford united states representative from the first district of arkansas. well, that's a tough act to follow, steve, but i will try. thank you all for being here. what an honor it is to share this moment in history and like like many of you, i'll tell you a little bit about my day to day. i like to spend a lot. i drive. i represent 31 counties across arkansas, so i spend a lot of time driving. and on that drive, like most of you, i turn the radio on. invariably, i turn on classic country and invariably johnny cash will appear early and often, as they say. not only will you hear johnny cash as as leader jeffrey's mentioned, you'll hear johnny cash on classic country. you'll hear johnny cash on classic rock. you'll hear johnny cash on gospel. and it's just a testament to his

ability to transcend those musical genres. i call that classic. he was a classic. so what is a classic? it's a great way to describe johnny cash, but i decided to look up the word to be sure i was using it appropriately. and of course, as you can guess, are multiple of the word classic. of the first or highest quality class or rank serving as a stand or model or guide of or adhering to an established set of artistic standards or methods, basic fundamental of enduring interest, quality or style of literary historical renown, traditional or typical definitive. however one chooses to define johnny cash, his his life, his work, his legacy, clearly classic is an appropriate description, whether we're talking about his ability to musically capture the voice of a generation and of a region or even a culture, or maybe his

willingness to step out ahead of society, to take on uncomfortable and sometimes unpopular issues like prison reform, for example, or maybe even his candor and humility regarding his own personal life struggles and his openness in sharing those struggles with others and his ability to overcome and sharing that spirit in his path of redemption, in jesus christ, classic, indeed, honoring this global icon today is a fitting tribute to a man whose contributions to music, art, culture and society will transcend time. i'm honored to share and represent the home state of this legendary figure, johnny cash, a great american patriot. and by every measure, a great american classic. god bless him. ladies and gentlemen, the honorable john bozeman, united states senator from arkansas.

well, after hearing from johnny cash's grandchild and last night and visiting with the family, i know he would be really pleased with this tremendous honor to be one of 100 here in the capital. and yet his real and greatest joy and achievement would be his family. we're so proud, excited that now visitors to the halls of congress will learn of johnny cash's origin and identify with his life and music, which helped define a generation as a product of arkansas. he was known by j.r., by his family, airman john johnny cash, the u.s. military, and johnny or the man in black, legions of devoted fans around the world. throughout his legendary career

that took him from town to town and literally around the globe. johnny cash always carried arkansas with him. in fact, he once planted cotton in the front yard of his khalif your home to remind him of life on the farm back in mississippi county, arkansas. cash was especially fond of another arkansan. sister rosetta tharpe, whose musical style of gospel infused blues and rock captivated him more than most other artists he would ever encounter. a devout believer himself, johnny cash, spent a lifetime yearning to live up to the faith that had been instilled in him by his family from such a young age. he grew up singing the old baptist hymns at his mother's feet, describing them as his favorite of prayer. his charge of choice. i'm about as for you other baptist don't get any ideas.

you don't get to stay home and strum on sunday. that spiritual journey led him to visit israel on multiple occasions, write a book about the apostle paul and even strike up as being said, an unlikely friendship with billy graham, whose statue is also part of the collection that cash now joins. it's been said that johnny cash, though, he came from a little town in arkansas, knew how to talk to all of america. and his catalog, in essence, tells the story of our country. so in many ways, this is long overdue. and this space befits someone. cash's stature and influence as a deeply sincere and compassionate storyteller whose impact extended far beyond a musical genre or as a cultural touchstone. armed with his guitar and the scripture, this monument sculpted by a fellow arkansan and fixed on a pedestal of

arkansas stone is true to cash's spirit and roots, and we are so gratified that is now in full display. thank you for being a part of this special experience, especially to all of those who have worked so hard, so dearly for so long to make all of this happen. thank you. ladies and gentlemen. miss rosanne cash daughter of johnny cash. thank you. good morning. thank you. speaker johnson and leader

jeffries, governor sanders, all our congressional leaders here today and in particular the four spon daughters of the bill to bring johnny cash to the capitol. state senator dave wallace. state senate pro-tem bart hester. state representative jeff wardlaw and speaker matthew shepard. and a special thanks to shane broadway, the head of the steering committee. what a remarkable day in my wildest dreams, i couldn't have imagined. i stand here on behalf of the entire extended family of johnny cash, those present and absent with particular knowledge of my dad's sister, joanne, who's here today. the last surviving member of the original cash family from dyess, arkansas.

she has tragically lost her sight and asked if she could touch the statue to feel what it was. and she did. words cannot come close to expressing our pride. to see my dad a quarter such a singular privilege. the first musician in history to be included in the statuary hall collection. so i'm very careful not to put words in his mouth since his passing. but on this day, i can safely say that he would feel that of all the many honors and accolades received in his lifetime. this is the ultimate. thank you, kevin cressey, for capturing his very essence in bronze. as you see this statue and you know, this is no one else but johnny cash. if you can imagine, j.r. or cash as he is still known to the older generation in our family

as an eight year old boy in the swell tearing cotton fields of the mississippi delta and what they call the sunken of arkansas, picking cotton and a bag larger than himself with his family's new deal cottage at the edge of the fields and then jump forward 84 years to this day and tell him that that little home is now a national heritage site and that his statue stands tall in our nation's capital. he might say that he fulfilled the ultimate american dream and even achieve a sort of immortality like long after i am gone, my great, great grandchildren may wander this hall and come upon their forebear and they may wonder what made this man so great that

he was accorded the honor of standing here in bronze. and i would tell them these things. this man was a living redemption story. he encountered darkness and met it with love. dad owned his perseverance to the hard upbringing of his youth, and it instilled in him a work ethic for the rest of his life. his nature was one of deep sensitivity and empathy to music, beauty and justice. and he was a patriot in the true sense of the word. he loved the physical contours of america. and he knew every state intimately. but most of all, he loved the idea of america as a place of dreams and refuge, freedom and wonder. he wrote my mother when he was in the air force that he loved, quote, the very rock and soil of

the fields where he grew up. and those rocks, that soil, the river, the floods, the hard times and the radio show at the end of a long day, which pulled him towards his future. they all showed up. cinemas starkly in his lyrics. he had a natural sense of rhythm that was unique and rare. he was a shakespeare of the south. i taught the weeping willow how to cry. i showed the clouds, how to cover up a clear blues sky. and the rails are washed out north of town. we got to head for higher ground dreams and reams of poetry spilled from him. he was a fly rod, but profoundly humble, kind and compassionate man with a magnificent generosity of spirit who loved those who because he knew great

suffering and loss. he loved those who reached for a better life because he picked cotton and sweated and toiled and took that sweat and used it as a template for art and service. he loved those who failed and made terrible mistakes, but who admitted to their god and themselves, their failings because he himself on the darkness. he wrestled with his whole life and he let is suffering in large his heart rather than harden it with bitterness. as he wrote, most famously, i keep a close on this heart of mine. i keep my eyes wide open all the time. there is something beautifully symmetrical about johnny cash and civil rights icon daisy bates sharing representation of the great state of arkansas.

they were both committed to justice for all and to advocate mercy for the marginalized and those who lived with the boot of oppression on their necks. although approached from different paths, they were healers and unifier was an artist. is in the service industry. perhaps the premier's service industry of the heart and soul. but dad took that. he was passionate in his work for the rights of prisoners, the rights of native americans for impoverished children, and for all those who struggled and whose prospect were dim. dad was a man of wonderful contradictions. he opposed the war in vietnam and he went to perform for the troops. he performed for nixon at the

house and respect joyfully declined to sing. one of the songs the president requested, which criticized welfare recipients because dad thought it denigrated the poor. he was a man of powerful christian faith. but with the mind of a mystic who respect did all individual paths to and all the mysteries of the universe. he was comfortable with questions. he was a seeker. his mind was intensely curious and non-judgmental. and he never lost his sense. wonder. he embodied community and action. and in that he treated the gas station attendant attendant with the same as he did the president. there was so much love in him, and we did. and do love him. so dearly.

there were two things in which he was unbending and inflexible. one was his commitment to nonviolence in word and deed, both societal and personal, and the other was the daily choice he made when in doubt, choose love. he said to us children many times, in moments of conflict or anger, children, you can choose love or hate. i choose love. bob dylan said johnny cash was the north star. you could guide your ship by him. so as we chart our separate courses may we remember that they all inner sect and so may we all choose kindness humility choose to see the good in each other. choose to really see those who

suffer and lift them up. choose rhythm and poetry. we got to for higher ground. choose love. thank you. ladies and gentlemen, the united states air force band performing. i walk the line.

i keep a close watch on this heart of mine. i keep my eyes wide open all the time. i keep the arms out for the ties that bind. because you're mine. i walk the line. i find everything very easy to be true. i find myself alone. when each day's through. yes. i'll admit that i'm a fool for you. because you're mine.

i walk the line. as sure. as night is dark and day is light. i keep you on my mind. both day and night. and happiness. i know. proves that it's right. because you're mine. i walk the line. you've got a way to keep me on your side. you give me a call for love that i can hide for you. i know i'd even tried to turn the tide. because you're my. i walk the line.

i keep a close watch on this heart. am i keep my eyes wide open all the time. i keep the hands out for the tide. that by because you're my. and i walk the line because you're my wife.

ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the benediction delivered by dr. mike garrett executive director of christian counseling associates, raleigh, and nephew of johnny cash. before i pray. i just want to say our family is very encouraged to see that my uncle johnny is holding a bible out front. i think if there were visiting hours in heaven, i believe j.r. would say. kevin cressey, you got that right. his faith was prominent. preeminent in his life and in the life of our family in nashville and the country music hall of fame. there's a great statement that

says, in part, johnny cash songwriter, historian, fighter causes friend to the deprived and troubled friend of great men, a leader in the temporal world and a follower in the spiritual world. that was j.r. that was my uncle johnny. j.r. gave me a guitar one time. he used to give me clothes that he would live and leave. and grandma cash his front closet. but the treasured thing that i treasure the most were the bibles that he gave us. he'd get hooked on a bible, and he would just buy cases of them and give them out. this is one of those bibles signed by my uncle johnny, and we were sitting around my uncle tommy cash, his dining room in

1971. my uncle roy cash. my mother, louise cash. joe in cash. tommy cash. my uncle johnny asked me about my newfound faith in christ. i shared that with him. and then he said, mike. he said, i have everything this world has to offer. and i have found only one thing fully and completely satisfied. and he paused and he looked at me and he said, it's jesus. let's close in prayer. our dear heavenly father, our dear heavenly father. thank you for the honor that's being bestowed on our beloved j.r. this day.

thank you for the skill and talent and labor of love of this gifted sculptor who created the statue masterpiece. thank you for the many influential leaders who have made this permanent tribute a last reality in our national capital. thank you for our friend and forever family leader johnny cash. thank you for his life, his legacy, his music, his entertainment, his generosity, his love, his courage, his example, and especially his faith. and thank you for jesus the author and perfector of our faith. we dedicate this statue this day and pray that j.r. and all that he stood for would be honored, and that jesus christ would be magnified. and now, may the lord bless you

and keep you. may his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. the lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace in the precious name of jesus. and all god's people said, amen. amen. ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today's ceremony. thank you for attending and enjoy the rest of yourfunding fs

provided by the national institute of justice.