Country Singer, Johnny Cash’s Brother Was 84

Tommy Cash, a country singer and younger brother to Johnny Cash, has died at 84, as confirmed in a social media post by the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville, Tenn.

“We are saddened to announce that the world lost a bright light last evening with the passing of Tommy Cash,” the establishment wrote on Instagram Sept. 14.

“[My wife] Shannon and I lost a very, very dear friend last evening,” continued CEO and founder Bill Miller of Cash. “I knew him for over 50 years. Tommy Cash was a loyal supporter of the Johnny Cash Museum and a very beloved member of our extended family as well as a highly respected member of the music industry. This great man will be deeply missed by his friends and many loyal fans around the world. Please keep Tommy’s beloved wife, Marcy and his family in your prayers.”

A cause of death was not given. Cash, who was eight years younger than his brother, died a day following the 21st anniversary of Johnny’s death, on Sept. 12, 2003.

Born on April 5, 1940 in Dyess Ark., he was the youngest of seven siblings, which included his sister and fellow artist Joanne Cash. Following in Johnny’s musical inclinations, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as a DJ for the Armed Forces radio network. Afterward, he performed alongside Hank Williams Jr. early on in his career.

Cash first scored a record deal with label Musicor Records, a year later joining United Artists Records. In 1968, he released his debut album Here’s Tommy Cash. A year later, his song “Six White Horses” — a tribute to John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King from Epic Records — landed at the No. 4 spot on the Billboard top 10 Hot Country Songs chart. His other charting singles include “One Song Away” and “Rise and Shine. In 1990, he collaborated with his brother Johnny on the single “Guess Things Happen That Way.”