Billy Bob Thornton 'never got over' nerves around Johnny Cash
Billy Bob Thornton has confessed he "never got over being nervous around" Johnny Cash even after the pair worked together and became friends.
Billy Bob Thornton "never got over being nervous around" Johnny Cash.
The actor and musician worked with the late country legend on a cover of his track 'I Still Miss Someone' and Billy has admitted he never felt comfortable around his idol - even when they became pals and he stayed over at Johnny house - revealing he was too scared to come out of his bedroom in case he bumped into him.
He told the Guardian newspaper: "I never got over being nervous around Johnny Cash because it was like God walked in the room.
"I stayed at his house a couple of times and I did not want to get caught in my drawers looking in his refrigerator.
"So I just stayed in my room all night long. But he was very kind to me."
He added of their work together: "We did a duet together of one of his songs, 'I Still Miss Someone', that I’ve never put out.
"Cash said to me: 'What’s your idea, son?' And I said: 'Well, I thought we’d do the first verse and bridge and then you could do your recitation.'
"This was at a point where Johnny was in a little more ill health. And I said: 'Then you do the recitation and then we’ll come back and do the last verse and bridge.'
"And he said: 'Yeah, that sounds good to me'. And then he said: 'I might even have an idea or two myself. After all I wrote the f****** thing.'
"And I was like: 'Yes, sir, sorry'."
The Man In Black died in 2003, and Billy revealed Cash left him a special reminder of their time together.
He added: "He wrote a story about that day on four pieces of notebook paper. It was partly truth, partly fiction.
"And on the last page are three autographs by him: 'John R Cash', 'Johnny Cash', 'John Cash'.
"And I said: 'John, why did you write three autographs on that paper?' He says: 'Son, if you ever get broke, cut those into three pieces and you’ll be all right'."