“The Man in Black” now gets to wear a suit of white.

Johnny Cash is my personal hero. He was the man for everyone. He never forgot where he came from, and every line in his songs is personal, even if some of his songs are covers.

He lived the life he sang about. Cash’s albums, Live at Folsom Prison and Live at San Quentin, were recorded for no one else but the inmates they were performed for. His final album, When The Man Comes Around, is stripped down to him on his guitar and piano, singing. Some songs include backing vocals, but they don’t hamper his voice or his talent.

This album will serve as his epitaph for the whole world. Even his video for “Hurt” showed what he was like. His video seems to show that money and earthly possessions mean nothing. Cash seems to be saying the only things that matter are friends and family, because you can’t take money with you.

I still think Cash got screwed over at the MTV Video Music Awards. Why would anyone pick Missy Elliot over “The Man in Black” for best video? Have you seen the video for “Hurt?” It is an emotional outpouring of a man’s life. Every single shot tells a story about his life and his embrace of death.

Why would MTV pick Justin Timberlake over Cash? Even Timberlake knew he should never have received that award. If he knew what was right he would never have accepted it and given the award to Cash. A sad, sad event, Cash was screwed over at the VMAs.

What makes Cash a hero? Cash wouldn’t take crap from anyone. He lived like he pleased and did as he pleased. He knew he was rich, but he was there for anyone who would need him.

My favorite story about Cash is every Christmas he would go to Jamaica and stay for the month of December with his family. One year he was sitting on his porch with Billy Graham, the same year President Richard Nixon resigned. Graham looked at Cash and said, “Let’s call Nixon.” Cash was surprised; he didn’t want to talk to Nixon. Before he knew it, Graham had the ex-president on the line and was talking to him. Shortly after getting Nixon on the phone, Cash was talking to him.

That, above anything else, showed what kind of man he was. That is what makes him a hero, and that is what makes him missed by millions all over the world.