14 Facts About Luther Perkins

Luther Perkins grew up in Como, and taught himself to play rhythm guitar.

Luther Perkins started his career in 1953 as a mechanic at Automobile Sales Company in Memphis.

Grant, Kernodle and Luther Perkins began bringing their guitars to work, and would play together when repair business was slow.

Luther Perkins was well known for his laconic, focused demeanor on stage.

Luther Perkins was often the target of jokes by Cash, who would make comments such as "Luther's been dead for years, but he just doesn't know it".

Luther Perkins was Cash's lead guitarist on many of the popular Town Hall Party television appearances in the 1950s, often interacting with one another for stage effect and providing the signature "boom-chick-a-boom" background sound that came to define a large part of Johnny Cash's sound.

Luther Perkins had three daughters: Linda Kay, Vickie, and Claudia.

Luther Perkins later married Margie Higgins; Margie Higgins' niece Kathy lived with them.

Luther Perkins was a close friend of singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson.

Luther Perkins' younger brother, Thomas, was a successful rock 'n' roll singer in the 1950s and 1960s, under the name of Thomas Wayne.

Luther Perkins allegedly went to sleep in the living room while holding a lit cigarette, even though he hadn't smoked in years by this time, according to family.

In October 1968, almost two months after Luther's death, Cash's hit live album Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, on which Perkins had played, won Album of the Year at the second-ever Country Music Association Awards.

In Walk the Line, the 2005 biopic of Johnny Cash, Luther Perkins is portrayed by Dan John Miller.

Luther Perkins is depicted as asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth.