Countryobit: Marshall Grant

Marshall Grant, the last surviving member of Johnny Cash & The Tennessee Two, has died.

It's hard to believe that the trio actually failed their first audition for Sun Records; luckily for them, and us, they got a second chance to tryout and joined the roster in 1955. Grant remained at Cash's side until 1980, when he moved into management.

He was still playing, though, and was rehearsing for a benefit to restore Johnny Cash's childhood home when he fell ill last week.

Roseanne Cash was clear that her father's success was due in no small part to the work of Grant:

"[Johnny Cash] wouldn't have gone where he did without Marshall, and therefore this lineage not only of me but of the next generations of roots and rockabilly and country musicians would've disappeared," she said. "An entire generation of those musicians owe something to Marshall."

Marshall Grant was 83.