By Brandon Moseley
Former Alabama Attorney General Troy King has had quite a career, and now he is dipping into classic country music. King recently announced his widely anticipated podcast, CASHback.
So, how did he get to this point?
King grew up in rural Elba. He studied and became an attorney. King became Gov. Bob Riley’s (R) legal counsel, then he was appointed by Riley to serve as AG when Bill Pryor was appointed to the federal bench. King was elected AG in his own right in 2006.
As Attorney General, King had a public dispute with Riley over whether electronic bingo was or was not legal in Alabama, which resulted in the Governor taking the matter into his own hands. In 2010, King was defeated in the GOP primary by Luther Strange. King went into private practice but attempted a political comeback in 2016 with a run for AG again. King made the runoff but was defeated by appointed AG Steve Marshall.
In 2018, King ran for the open Second Congressional District seat but failed to make the Republican primary runoff. The seat went to former State Rep. Barry Moore instead.
If all of this is starting to sound like a country music song, you may understand why King is on this newest venture.
CASHback is the only podcast in the world dedicated exclusively to the songs, the sounds, the stories, the sessions, the history and the hi-jinks, and the friends and the fans of legendary country music star, Johnny Cash, who died in 2003 after decades of country music hits.
“This is my passion project,” King said. “I love this music and these stories. So many of Johnny Cash’s fans met him late in his career so they have no idea about all that came before the 'Walk the Line' movie and the American Recordings albums. We strive in every episode to tell our stories in a way that will be familiar for old fans - and include stories even they may not have heard - while remaining accessible to new fans.”
King promises that each week on CASHback, he will take listeners on a wild, bumpy, boom-chicka-booming ride through Johnny Cash music history.
CASHback started 10 years ago when King was asked by the operators of JohnnyCashRadio to combine his extensive knowledge of country music and his passion for history to host a show on the Johnny Cash Museum’s internet radio channel. The show was popular with Cash’s international fanbase who have been asking for new episodes for years. CASHback has since been updated for the new podcast platform.
The first episodes feature Cash's famous friends like David Allen Coe, Bruce Springsteen, Ernest Tubb, and Ray Charles.
King credits his parents for developing his appreciation for country music at an early age.
His dad often instructed him, “It’s not COUNTRY music, son. It’s just music. There is no other kind.”
