Johnny Cash's Grandson Followed In His Footsteps And Sounds Exactly Like Him

Nov 15, 2022 by apost team

Johnny Cash was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor who came from humble beginnings and is now considered one of the greatest musical artists of all time. Johnny was also referred to as "The Man in Black" for his song and signature all-black stage attire. Some of the artist's most popular hits are "I Walk the Line," "Ring of Fire" and "Folsom Prison Blues." Thanks to those hits, the late musician has sold more than 90 million records worldwide since he came onto the scene in the early 1950s.

After living an extraordinary life full of career successes and personal triumphs, Johnny was diagnosed with diabetes while he was in his 60s. The disease and its complications would go on to take his life on Sept. 12, 2003, at the age of 71.

But right up until Johnny’s passing, he continued to release music and perform. In 2000, he released the album “American III: Solitary Man,” followed by “American IV: The Man Comes Around” in 2002. Despite his illness and deteriorating health, Johnny received praise for his work, even winning a Grammy for the “Hurt” music video. Among one of Johnny’s final tracks was a duet with his daughter, Rosanne Cash, which came out on her album “Rules of Travel” in March 2003. A half year later and Johnny was gone.

Johnny’s legacy has continued to live on through his family, including his grandson Thomas Gabriel. And while Gabriel looks nothing like the famed country singer, his singing voice sounds just like his late grandfather’s voice.

What many people unfamiliar with the early days of the couple's life together may not realize is that both Johnny and June Carter were married to other people when they met. At the time, Johnny was married to Vivian Liberto Cash, with whom he had four daughters: Rosanne, Kathy, Cindy and Tara. 

People also might not know that Carter had her own successful music career before she met Johnny. Carter was part of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. She was a close friend of Elvis Presley and often sang with him on tour after she began a solo career.

It was Presley who insisted Carter meet Johnny. Presley had been playing Johnny’s music for Carter. One night after they performed at Nashville's famous Grand Ole Opry in 1956, Carter met Johnny, reported Country Living.

It wasn't exactly love at first sight for Carter, but Johnny had no problem admitting he fell for Carter almost right away. Carter’s feelings for Johnny grew over time, but she was still married. Over the next 13 years, Johnny worked hard to convince Carter to marry him. She kept turning him down. Finally, in early 1968, Johnny popped the question again in front of 7,000 fans at a live show. This time Carter said yes. They married in March of that year.

And while Johnny and Carter, famously known as Johnny and June, went on to be loved by fans all over, Johnny’s family has come from both of his marriages. In fact, his eldest grandson Gabriel — born to his daughter Kathy, who he had with Vivian — has gone on to become an established star.

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In a 2018 video taken at a private event, Gabriel performed “Folsom Prison Blues,” a classic tune Johnny made famous.

A band began to play “Folsom Prison Blues.” Then, some guy in a black hat approached the microphone. Both of his arms flashed their tattoos as he cradled the mic. A lone man was set to sing a country song. By all appearances, he appeared to be part of a standard karaoke session in a local bar.

Having a live band, however, is not such a common occurrence for such an event.

As Gabriel opened his mouth to sing, he gave no indication of the surprise that awaited. He took a very low-key approach to his whole performance. There was absolutely no fanfare as he quickly walked to the front of the stage.

When Gabriel opened his mouth to sing, it sounded as if someone had put on a recording of Johnny. But this young man is the real deal. He’s Johnny’s grandson.

When Gabriel was 21 years old, Johnny told the young man he had a talent in music and singing but encouraged him to follow a different career path instead.

“He said the writing’s good, your vocals are good, but you need to work on it,” Gabriel told Forbes in a 2018 interview. “In the meantime, I want you to leave it alone and get a back-up plan.”

According to Gabriel, his grandfather discouraged him from following a career in music in fear his grandkid would be led astray by addiction — just like he did himself in the early days. 

Despite opting to go for a life in law enforcement instead of music, Gabriel ended up going down that road anyway. He would go on to struggle for years with addiction and would have many run-ins with the law, even serving a decade behind bars. 

That all took a turn for the better in 2015, however, when he received a call from retired businessman Brian Oxley. Oxley was fascinated with Johnny, even purchasing his former farm in Bon Aqua, Tennessee, which he turned into an attraction. He started researching Johnny’s family when he eventually found out that his grandson, Gabriel, was struggling. The two talked for a while, and Gabriel disclosed that all he wanted was to get into music. 

“I said I just want to get back to music. I went to prison, wrote all these songs, they’re not doing anything, but sitting there and neither am I," Gabriel recalled. "I want to get back to my music.”

Oxley agreed to help, but only under the condition that Gabriel went to rehab and got his life back together. One year later, Oxley reached out again and helped Gabriel see his dreams come true by assisting him in getting his first album recorded.

Now, Gabriel performs his own songs as well as covers of his late grandfather’s music.

“It’s an honor to be able to sing them,” he told the Irish Mirror. “It’s carrying on a tradition because I see them as being passed down. I don’t see them as cover songs at all.”

Do you think Thomas Gabriel sounds a lot like his famous grandfather? Do you have any family members or friends who sound like a famous performer? What are your favorite Johnny Cash songs? Let us know, and pass this stunning cover on to fellow Johnny Cash fans.