Luther Perkins

Luther Perkins (born January 8, 1928, Como, Mississippi, USA - died August 5, 1968, Nashville, Tennessee, USA) was an American guitarist and a member Johnny Cash's backing band The Tennessee Two which in 1960, with the addition of drummer [a386089], became The Tennessee Three. Perkins served as Johnny Cash's first guitar player and helped invent Cash's unique country style with his simple "boom-chicka-boom" guitar patterns. The song "Walk The Line" is a good example of his style. Perkins' way of playing was one of the factors that made Sam Phillips (2) sign them up for a record deal at Sun Record Company. When he first heard them, he didn't like what they played, but he liked how they played it. Perkins died as a result of third degree burns and smoke inhalation after he fell asleep holding a lit cigarette in his hand.