One of Johnny Cash's signature guitar gestures was when he would raise and arch his guitar in the air--often strumming it with more effort.

Was Cash the first to use this, or where there other performers who did that before him?

Good question. Sometimes I raise my guitar closer to my ear when I am playing so I can hear it a little better during a rhythm section.

But Johnny did it with intention. I think maybe Elvis did it too.

Sonny James (a really fine guitar player) also used to do this alot. Quite-a-few people do it, but when Cash did it, it meant something serious, kind of as if he was saying "now listen to me."

I'm no expert on this.
But could it be that an UNPLUGGED acoustic guitar is heard better for the audience when the guitar is lifted up to the singers only microphone, like so many times during "Big "River"?
Maybe there was a time Johnny played unplugged and developed the pattern in question - and just kept it alive for show reasons? Would make sense to me.
PS: As for Elvis: I believe there are a lot of things Johnny did first, especially prior to Elvis, like: writing songs...

Reimer, I believe you are correct when you opine that Johnny kept lifting the guitar "for show reasons." With his great stage presence and charisma, this was just another of his many unique mannerisms that personalized his tremendous showmanship. "I still miss someone"

quote:

Originally posted by Reimer:
I'm no expert on this.
But could it be that an UNPLUGGED acoustic guitar is heard better for the audience when the guitar is lifted up to the singers only microphone, like so many times during "Big "River"?

Ding, ding. We have a winner.

If you have seen videos with Bill Monroe he goes closer to the michrophone with the mandolin.Others did it also.