(Victoria Cook, Headline USA) Music legend Johnny Cash received a new honor Tuesday, being the first musician immortalized as a bronze statue in the U.S. Capitol, according to Rolling Stone.
Little Rock native Kevin Kresse sculpted Cash with a guitar strapped around his shoulder and a Bible in hand, humbly looking down.
“I think the honesty of his work, the truth in his lyrics and the simplicity and straightforward way of getting that message across just spoke to me as an artist as well,” Kresse said.
The unveiling ceremony showcased bipartisan support with speakers from Democrat and Republican parties speaking favorably about Cash’s legacy. Speakers prioritized communicating Cash’s values and faith, which were evident in his music.
“He was a man who embodied the American spirit,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in his opening remarks.
He noted that Cash, in addition to his extensive creative output, left a legacy of family, with more than 100 family members in attendance. Some of Cash’s immediate family members, including his famous daughter Roseanne and sister Joanne, were responsible for unveiling his statue.
Cash joins other historical figures, such as Samuel Adams and Billy Graham Jr., located in the National Statuary Hall. Each state can choose two statue representatives for the hall, which often depict people of significant historical contribution.
Cash is the most recent representative for Arkansas, with Daisy Lee Gatson Bates, a civil rights activist, coming before. Bates and Cash replaced statues of attorney Uriah Rose and former statesman James P. Clarke.
“Throughout his life, he created a catalog of profoundly powerful works that cannot be ascribed to a single genre,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
“At different times, he was country, blues, rock ‘n’ roll and gospel,” Jeffries added. “At all times, Johnny Cash was uniquely American.”
