Johnny Cash, one of the greatest popular musicians of the twentieth century, died today in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 71. David Sinclair, Music Correspondent, left, reports

Was he a legend in his own lifetime?

Absolutely. Johnny Cash was one of the true greats whose music transcended categories, appealing to rock, pop and country music fans of all ages.

He was a big hit at MTV's Video and Music Awards this year, which was attended by the likes of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.

He was thought of as a giant, a man whose shadow fell across the world of modern music.

He was a protégé of Sam Phillips's Sun record label, along with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. How does his influence compare?

He was there at the birth of the rock'n'roll. The musical phenomenon had its roots in rhythm and blues, but also drew influence from America's rockabilly and country and western traditions. Cash supplied the country part of that jigsaw, while Phillips was there to draw all the pieces together.

Cash remained a country and western singer first and foremost, but always kept a foot in the rock'n'roll camp. Yet he was as influential as Jerry Lee Lewis or any of the original greats with the exception of Elvis, who was bigger than anyone else.

He is always described now as a country music star – is that a fair description, and would the label have held him back from being taken as seriously as he should have been?

I don't think his musical roots were a hindrance. He was an artist of extraordinary integrity although ironically his most popular hit, A Boy Named Sue (1969), was a mainstream record put together as a bit of fun.

He didn't chase the rock'n'roll bandwagon, instead preferring to stick with what he knew and did best – being a committed country singer. America has a very genre-specific music industry, with different charts and touring circuits for different styles of popular music, and I think country was where he felt most comfortable.

He had a kind of indigenous American style of performing. He never diluted his country roots and towards the end of his life he even became too "country" for the country music scene.

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