Billy Bob Thornton Reveals He Once Collaborated on a Duet with Johnny Cash

Billy Bob Thornton’s Connection with Johnny Cash

Billy Bob Thornton revealed that he once recorded a duet with Johnny Cash.

The actor recounted this experience in a recent interview with the publication Guardian, while responding to a fan’s inquiry about meeting the “I Walk The Line” singer.

Thornton mentioned he could never shake off the nerves around the late musician, saying it felt like “God walked into the room.”

He continued: “I visited his home a couple of times but didn’t want to be surprised by what I might find in his fridge. So I opted to stay in my room all night. He was very kind to me, though. We recorded a duet of one of his songs, “I Still Miss Something,” which I never ended up releasing.”

“I Still Miss Something” was penned by Cash and his nephew Roy Cash Jr. in 1958 and appeared as a b-side to “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town,” the lead single from his influential album “The Incredible Johnny Cash.”

Thornton’s Experience in the Studio

Thornton recounted, “Cash asked me, ‘What’s your idea, son?’ I replied, ‘Well, I thought we’d sing the first verse and the bridge, then you can recite.’ This was during a time when Johnny’s health was not at its best.

“I proposed, ‘Then you read, and we’ll come back to sing the last verse and bridge.’ He agreed, adding, ‘Yeah, that sounds good to me.’ Then he mentioned, ‘I might even have an idea or two. I ended up writing this crap.” I quickly responded, “Yes, sir, sorry.”

He went on to say that Cash “wrote a story about that day on four sheets of notebook paper.” “It was partly true, partly fiction,” he explained. “On the last page, there are three of his autographs: ‘John R. Cash,’ ‘Johnny Cash,’ and ‘John Cash.’ I asked, ‘John, why did you sign three times on this paper?’ He replied, ‘Son, if you ever go broke, cut them into three pieces and you’ll be fine.’

Johnny Cash’s Legacy

In other news regarding Johnny Cash, a statue of him was unveiled at the US Capitol last year. Crafted by artist Kevin Kress, the bronze statue stands eight feet tall.

This follows the June release of Cash’s posthumous album, Songwriter, featuring previously unreleased material.

All tracks were recorded by Cash in early 1993 at LSI Studios in Nashville, with many remaining in demo form. One track, titled “Spotlight,” was reimagined for the album and included contributions from Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

Additionally, Paul McCartney recently acknowledged the country legend as an influence on Wings.

“We were lying in bed one night, newlyweds, when Johnny Cash appeared on TV with the band he had formed with Carl Perkins, my big hero. They were having a blast playing with country musicians I’d never seen before,” he recalled.

“I thought to myself, here’s Johnny back at it. So I turned to Linda and asked if she wanted to start a band. She replied, ‘Of course.’ That’s the nature of our relationship. ‘Want to go live on a farm in Scotland?’ ‘Why not? ‘

In December, Thornton revealed he turned down offers to play the Green Goblin in the 2002 film Spider-Man, as well as the main antagonist in the 2005 film Mission Impossible 3.

“I’m not really interested in those types of roles,” Thornton admitted. “For Green Goblin, I didn’t want to wake up at 4 a.m. to spend five or six hours in makeup.”

“And for Mission: Impossible III, “I didn’t want to be the guy trying to kill Tom Cruise,” he continued. “If you’re the villain in a blockbuster like that, audiences will remember it forever. I prefer roles that feel freer and less predictable.”