Veteran stand-up bass player and the first bassist for Johnny Cash, Marshall Grant has died at the age of 83.
Grant died as the result of an aneurysm on Sunday (August 7) at St. Bernard’s Medical Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Grant was famous for his work as part of the Tennessee Two, where he teamed up with Luther Perkins to form Cash’s backing band.
As Spinner reports, Grant was in Jonesboro to perform as part of the first Johnny Cash Festival, an event designed to raise funds to restore Cash’s childhood home. The festival also attracted George Jones, Kris Kristofferson and Roseanne Cash, who Tweeted, “Marshall Grant, original of Johnny Cash & The Tennessee Two, died lst nt. Grateful I was w/ him last 2 days. Boom Chicka Boom, old friend.”
Grant and Perkins are credited with coming up with Cash’s signature ‘boom chicka boom’ style of rhythmic playing. The Tennessee Two (which became the Tennessee Three in 1960 with the addition of drummer W.S Holland) backed Cash between 1964 and 1980.
