I found this article in "The Commercial Appeal" (Memphis, Tennessee) online. I thought some of you might be interested. Anyhow, here it is:


Lifelink Church finds inspiration in basement where Johnny Cash played
By Lindsay Melvin
Posted November 5, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.

'Johnny Cash, the late country music singer with an outlaw image, may seem an unlikely candidate for praise from a man of God.

'But for pastor Joey Noffsinger, Cash's life was an inspiration.

'"His story is the Christian story. It's about redemption," Noffsinger explained.

'And it's a story that fits well with his nontraditional congregation that is packed with artists, songwriters and musicians.

'"We're all about music. It's what we do," said the pastor with the auburn ponytail and thick tattoo circling his bicep.

'That's why, he says, it's providential that his 150-member congregation moved into a church last year that happens to be the spot of Cash's first performance.

'In the dimly lit basement of the Midtown church, the stage still stands where the Man in Black played with his gospel band in 1953, during a church bake sale.

'Now Lifelink Church, which moved into the Galloway United Methodist building at the corner of Cooper and Walker, is filming a documentary on Cash's life and connection to the house of worship in a film called "The Gospel According to Johnny."

'With a volunteer crew, including Memphis director Mike McCarthy, the film so far includes interviews with the last people who witnessed that concert and Cash's sister, Nashville singer Joanne Cash.

'When McCarthy heard Galloway was for sale, he worried about the future of this historic treasure, he said.

'"Luckily Lifelink got it," said the filmmaker, who recently put the barely funded project on hold to make the movie "Cigarette Girl."

'McCarthy tends to shy away from organized religion, he says, but he felt a bond with the mission of the leadership of Lifelink, a nondenominational, nondogmatic church.

'Standing in the same space where Cash once played gospel songs, he says, "At the base of that is something very spiritual."

'It's well known the musician battled alcohol and drug addiction and had multiple affairs during his first marriage, before marrying June Carter.

'But Noffsinger said that was only a chapter of his life.

'"He wrestled with his demons and he eventually came back. That's real life," he said.

'His songs are laced with gospel teachings and, Noffsinger added, "He toured with Billy Graham. You don't hear about that."

'Cash's story, the pastor feels, is one that many of his congregants can relate to.

'"Most of our people had never gone to church. They didn't grow up that way," he said.

'Lifelink moved from Lakeland a year ago to be closer to their young and growing congregation, which mostly live within the I-240 loop.

'It took over the 100-year-old building after the aging congregation of Galloway United Methodist merged with Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church down the road.

'The church's new energetic occupants have revived the basement stage and built a recording studio in an adjacent room.

'Both are heavily used by visiting Christian bands and the fully accredited school started by the church, the Visible School-Music and Worship Arts College.

'Along with the film, the church plans to erect a Johnny Cash exhibit on his life and faith.

'Both projects are expected to wrap up within three to five years.

'Currently, tour buses pull past the church pointing out the Cash connection.

'But McCarthy believes the old stage area could be a tourist gold mine for both the churched and unchurched.

'"It's the journey that everyone relates to with Johnny Cash," he said.'


PHOTO BY ALAN SPEARMAN

Pastor Joey Noffsinger (second from right) leads a group of people helping to move the Galloway United Methodist Church sign on Tuesday. Noffsinger's Lifelink Church moved into the location last year after Galloway merged with Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church nearby. Others helping are (from left) Bill Melton, Mark Wehr, Colin Byers and Jeremy Sault.

-- Lindsay Melvin: 529-2445

About Lifelink Church

Pastor: Joey Noffsinger

Location: 1015 S Cooper

Phone: 272-2973

Sunday services: 10:15 a.m.

Web site: lifelinkmemphis.org

Today at the church: Cooper-Young Art Invitational, 6-9 p.m., free, proceeds from art purchased go to local artists.


So, there it is, guys. I don't buy the 1953 date for the performance in the church, given that John didn't meet Luther and Marshall until July 1954, but I guess it may still be the actual church in the basement of which the boys performed that day. What do you reckon?

1953? Wasn't Johnny Cash in Germany then?

www.strictlycash.net

Yep. That's what I reckon, too, mate. (Mind you, I wasn't there then so I guess I ought NOT to know! LOL!)

More info about this story can be read by clicking this link:

www.filmstew.com/showBlog

Awesome Grahame

Thanks!

this is great but maybe one of us should give them the correct info...

quote:

Originally posted by Craig Wilkins:
this is great but maybe one of us should give them the correct info...

EXCELLENT idea Craig......cause this whole thing is just nonsense.....

AND
Quote from above article:

'Currently, tour buses pull past the church pointing out the Cash connection.

(SURE THEY DO!!!!.......what a CROCK!!!!)

Yeah Craig and Jim,

I must say that my first question was, "How do we know this is the correct place where John and the boys performed that day? Then there were the glaring inaccuracies in the story, like John performing there at the same time as being busy intercepting Russian radio signals in Germany the year before he even met Luther and Marshall.

I just thought I should bring the story to everybody's attention. I think your idea of writing to "The Commercial Appeal" (Tennessee) and asking them to correct the worst inaccuracies is a good one, Craig. I think it's up to us to keep a watch on stories like this, It is inevitable that, as time passes, inaccuracies will creep into John and June's story and people will try to cash in (sorry about the pun) on John's kudos for their own ends.

What do people think of the idea of the documentary this group want to make?

Johnny mentions several times about playing in and around Memphis in small churches as he and the TN 2 were getting started wtih their career, and this may have been one of the churchs, but obviously the year is wrong ...!!!