David Mann In Black

I love to make genuine connections on and off stage. To me, being able to pay tribute to a performer isn't just about wearing costumes and performing their songs. It's about understanding what they had to say and using your own abilities to recommunicate that in a way that reminds audiences why it's still relevant today. And in my opinion, as long as there is hurt in this world, what Johnny Cash had to say was, and always will be relevant.

I was born just outside of Detroit, Michigan and grew up singing in church, and it was there I developed my passion for communicating powerful words through song. After college I moved to Tennessee, and for the past 20 years I have been traveling and singing all across the US and Canada. I've also performed in England, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and China.

I've shared the stage with music legends such as Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Kris Kristofferson, Larry Gatlin, and more. I currently sing with Ed Enoch & The Stamps Quartet. Ed was in The Stamps when they sang backups for Elvis Presley, all throughout the 1970s. That connection is what carried me to Berlin, Germany, where I became part of Elvis Das Musical, and was later chosen to perform as Johnny Cash in Stars In Concert's Rock Around The Clock - The Fifties Special.

Ever since I learned about Johnny Cash's story, I've felt like I could relate to him on many levels. I grew up with a God-fearing mother who encouraged me to sing, and I did. I used to walk from school every day, jump the fence into the trailer park I grew up in, and as soon as I got home, I'd shut myself in my room and start singing along with the gospel quartet albums we had. I have been traveling and singing professionally for almost 20 years now, in various gospel quartets. During that time, I've faced many of the same hardships and struggles he did. Relationships, long nights on the road, the ups and downs of it all. His music speaks to me in ways nobody else's does.

I've now performed 30 fully produced shows as The Man In Black and absolutely love portraying him. What I like most about being a singer is the ability to communicate with people. And in my opinion, nobody did that quite like Johnny Cash.