The man in black

Music | November 2nd, 2016

By Ben Haugmo

benhaugmo@yahoo.com

Join artists from the Fargo-Moorhead area and the surrounding region this weekend to celebrating the work of legendary musician Johnny Cash. “Hear That Train A’ Comin’” takes place on Saturday at the Fargo Theatre.

Merrill Piepkorn helped organize the event, and will also be performing during the show alongside his band ,The Radio Stars. He sees the show as an opportunity to not only enjoy popular Cash songs, but also to highlight lesser-known works. Piepkorn will be opening the show with a rendition of “The Man in Black.”

“He wasn’t born the man in black,” said Piepkorn, “he became the man in black. The song really describes what that means, other than that he wears a black outfit, and kind of why he does that.”

Joseph “Blind Joe” Bommersbach is a Fargo native who recently completed a run on The Voice. He got his start by singing alongside his grandfather and bandmates.

“I got in front of the microphone for the first time and, not to toot my own horn, but we pulled off a pretty rippin’ rendition of ‘Frosty the Snowman.’ That was the point where I really knew that singing was going to be a huge part of my life. I don’t know if I knew it fully right then, but I knew I loved it.”

Johnny Cash’s music has been present with Blind Joe since those formative music sessions. He counts Cash’s work and the work of other classic artists like Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson, as a major influence.

“Johnny Cash has been a huge inspiration to me and to millions of other people. What a cool dude. You don’t get much cooler than Johnny Cash.”

Jessie Veeder is another local artist who counts Johnny Cash as a major influence.

“He has that rich and very iconic sound to his voice,” said Veeder. “That kind of music is nostalgic to me. Obviously I wasn’t alive during his prime, but I think his music the work he did as an artist just spans generations and influences people on so many levels. It’s evident in the way that his music has been remade in several different genres and by different bands, not just country music, but in alternative and rock.

Veeder will also be playing after the show at the Hotel Donaldson with members of The Radio Stars.

Other performances include The Church of Cash, The Vistas, and Beyond Blue.

“It’s really a great variety,” said Piepkorn. “We’ve got a good combination of women and men and big groups and solo acts. The variety is what really keeps people interested, I think.”

For anyone who is unable to attend, the show will be recorded and broadcast over Prairie Public Broadcasting at a later date.

This weekend, come to the Fargo Theatre to enjoy great music and celebrate the legacy of Johnny Cash.

IF YOU GO

Hear That Train A’ Comin’: A Tribute to Johnny Cash

The Fargo Theatre

Saturday, November 5, 2pm

http://tickets300.com/johnny-cash-tribute-fargo/