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 W.S. Holland, 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.