The essence of music legend Johnny Cash was certainly captured by musician Clive John on Thursday evening along with the Spirit band, backing vocalists and Jill Schoonjans taking on the vocals of The Man in Black’s wife June Carter-Cash when they took to the stage of St David's Hall, Cardiff.

Fan’s were treat to a broad selection of Johnny Cash material dating from 1955 right up to 2002 along with background projections of Johnny and June and spot on recreations of hits such as Jackson, A Thing Called Love, I Walk The Line,  Ballad of a Teenage Queen, Cocaine Blues and Peace In The Valley.

Jill recounted her meeting with Johnny Cash’s drummer WS Fluke Holland in Jackson last year and his response when she told him of her role in the Johnny Cash Roadshow. “You do realise you’ll have to go a long way before you’ll ever sing as bad as June” he joked.

Few tribute acts can get the momentum of the audience up so much that you actually feel you could be at the event the show is trying to emulate, but that is exactly what Clive and the band achieved when the thousand strong audience joined in the chorus of San Quentin, originally performed by Cash at the famous prison in the late 60s. The roar from the audience thundered through St David’s Hall creating a marvellous atmosphere.

The Man in Black would certainly have approved.