His death was no surprise and yet somehow I was never going to be quite ready for it. I always loathed the Grand Old Opry and all that manufactured country stuff - or so it appeared to me. Johnny Cash seemed to be both above and beyond all that. His final albums were full of warmth, unashamed emotional honesty and simple, unadorned craftsmanship. I wonder how many other country stars would have members of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers wanting to play on their albums? For me Johnny Cash was an icon of integrity - and I will miss him.