Benton Times

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) participated in the unveiling ceremony for a statue depicting Arkansan country music legend Johnny Cash at the U.S. Capitol on September 24, 2024.

During his remarks, Congressman Womack expressed his honor at being part of the historic event. "Not lost on me is the fact that very few members of Congress have the privilege of presiding over something as unique and profound as a Statuary Collection dedication. I’m honored to be part of this historic event," he said.

Reflecting on his personal connection to Johnny Cash, Womack shared, "Admittedly, I was a Johnny Cash fan since my childhood. Little known fact, I loved the song ‘A Boy Named Sue.’ I loved it so much that I memorized its lyrics. I could prove it to you right now—some 55 years later—but organizers of this event limited me to two minutes."

Womack highlighted the significance of having a statue of a professional musician in the Capitol. "There are statues of great people throughout the Capitol. Men and women of significant accomplishment. But today marks a first. Johnny Cash represents the first such statue of a professional musician, and while many statues are of people some of us have never heard of, rare will it be that someone will see this masterpiece and not know of the legendary singer-songwriter represented here," he noted.

He also mentioned Rosanne Cash's comments on her father's recognition: "A couple of weekends ago, while catching up on Arkansas Week on PBS, I heard Rosanne comment on the significance of this moment...to hear her say that this dedication—to have his likeness standing in the iconic symbol of freedom in the world—tops them all, gave perspective to this day."

The artist behind the statue, Kevin Kresse, received praise from Womack for his detailed work: "And the artist, Kevin Kresse, whose God-given talent in this magnificent statue is surpassed only by his incredible ability to portray Johnny Cash as he truly was...Well done."

Womack concluded by thanking those involved with making the event possible and expressing pride in Arkansas's representation in such an important location: "To my friend Shane Broadway, the Arkansas General Assembly, and everyone associated with this rare occasion, thank you."

"Now," he added, "Arkansas will have Daisy Bates forever surveying this historic hall and the ‘Man in Black,’ larger than life, in the Visitors Center...That makes me Arkansas proud."

Recordings of both Congressman Womack’s remarks and the entire ceremony are available online.