Johnny Cash Tribute Set To Visit To Red Bank In October

RED BANK, NJ — A tribute to Johnny Cash is scheduled to visit Count Basie in October.

“The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash,” will come to the the Basie Center Campus on Oct. 24 and begin at 7:30 p.m.

Starring Shawn Barker, the tribute aims to revitalize the character and spirit of Johnny Cash, who’s known as one of America’s musical icons.

Throughout the show, Barker walks audiences through each era of Cash’s life and music, performing hits like “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” and “Ring of Fire.”

The late W.S. “Fluke” Holland, the drummer for Johnny Cash, described Barker’s tribute as being “exactly like The Johnny Cash Show from the 1960s.”

“It’s amazing,” Holland said. “When I saw it, it was like I was starting all over again.”

Barker first got involved with “The Man in Black” when he auditioned for the part of Elvis in Broadway’s “Million Dollar Quartet” in 2004. During his audition, Director Floyd Mutrux recognized Barker’s talent and asked him to try out for the part of Johnny Cash.

“We have 100 people who can play Elvis,” Mutrux said. “But we only have one who can play Johnny Cash, and that’s Shawn.”

Since being cast in the tribute show, Barker has performed over 1,000 shows in 12 countries, including Australia, Europe, Canada, and states throughout the US.

In October, Barker will bring “The Man in Black” to the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre on the Basie Center Campus.

To learn more about the tribute or purchase tickets, you can visit the Count Basie Website.

The Basie Center Campus is located at 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank.