NASHVILLE, TN. (Johnny Cash Fans Website) - For over 30 years Bob Wootton provided the dintinctive lead guitar sound for the
Johnny Cash Band, The Tennessee Three.Bob will be back again in Ireland in October for his second tour and confirmed dates are as follows:
October 7th The Well in Moate Co Westmeath. Sat 8th The Salmon Leap, Coleraine, Sun 9th The Mourne Country Inn, Newry, October 10th The Millbrook Lodge Ballinahinch , Oct 11th The Belmont Hotel, Knock Co Mayo, Oct 12th The Clanree Hotel, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, Thur 13th Oct The Mellon Country Hotel, Omagh Co Tyrone, Friday 14th Sat 15th and Sunday 16th The Baltimore Harbour Hotel, in Baltimore West Cork where a special Johnny Cash Weekend will take place, plus guests Paddy O Brien & band, Logue & mcCool, Colette Cavanagh, Donal Lyons, & Justin McGurk.
Bob was content to be a member of the band and reluctantly stepped forward to share the spotlight only when requested to so by the Man In Black. Over the years Bob found himself being called on more and more by John to sing so he had to learn the lyrics of some of his favourite songs.One song which Johnny regularly requested him to sing was Bubbles In my Beer.Following Johnny's death, Bob hung up his guitar and settled down to retirement with his wife and family in Mississippi as he figured that without Johnny he no longer had a future in the music business.But he figured wrong.
He was coaxed out of retirement to perform at a show in honour of the memory of Johnny. During the show he not only played all the old Johnny Cash hits - he also sang most of them. The similarity in appearance and voice of Bob to the great man himself is uncanny, and the crowd really showed their appreciation by giving him several encores. Word soon spread about the show and this in turn lead to many more requests for similar shows. Soon Bob found himself back in business as a star in his own right, and needless to say he was very happy to back again performing.
Johnny's sister Joanne who toured Ireland with Bob last year, paid him the ultimate compliment when she told me " If John wanted his legacy passed on to anybody, it would have to be Bob. John always regarded Bob as one of the family and had great respect for him as a friend and a performer" she said.
Bob Wootton was born in the small town of Paris, Arkansas in an area called Red Branch. He is one of six children and the eldest son of R.C. and Noma. Bob's family moved a lot while he was growing up but a constant companion for him was his guitar and his ability to sing. When Bob was a young man, his mother heard a song on the radio and called Bob to come in. When Bob got in the house his mother asked, "What are you doing on the radio?" That day changed Bobs life. What Bob's mother heard was a man by the name of Johnny Cash. Bob loved what he heard and saved every dime he had to buy Johnny Cash records. The thing that attracted Bob the most was that magical sound of Johnny's guitar player Luther Perkins. Bob trained himself to play every lick just like Luther, not realising his destiny was being planned.
Bob Wootton was closer than any brother to the man in Black. Everywhere you saw Johnny Cash you saw Bob Wootton. In every major event in John's life Bob was always there. He has traveled all over the world many times, has played John's double in countless movies, has been on more television shows than most major stars, and countless recordings. Bob Wootton is known as a guitar legend and is listed in the Top 1000 guitar players in the World.
On the recording front Bob has released a brand new 10 track album called Bob Wootton 'The Man Behind The Man In Black' to promote his upcoming tour to Ireland, a tour he says he is really looking forward to. During the tour, a special Johnny Cash tribute weekend will take place at the Baltimore Harbour Hotel in West Cork, where Bob will perform 3 concerts as well as a Question & Answer session about Johnny Cash. Guests for this weekend include Paddy O Brien & His Band,& TR Dallas and Band.
Search for a new country star winner Justin McGurk and Irelands latest female country star Colette Cavanagh, Donal Lyons and session band John Dolan and Country Dreams will also be supporting Bob on the tour.
Country legend Frankie McBride has been added to the guest star list for the fortcoming Johnny Cash Show' starring Bob Wootton, and will be appearing at the following shows: Sat 8th Oct The Salmon Leap Coleraine, Sun 9th The Mourne Country Hotel, Newry, Mon 10th The Millbrook Lodge Hotel Ballinahinch, Wed 12th The Clanree Hotel, Letterkenny,and Thur 13th The Mellon Country Hotel, Omagh.
