Johnnys walking unique line

The only all-girl Johnny Cash band in the world are to stage a debut Wairarapa performance at King Street Live in Masterton.

The three-piece rockabilly band from Nelson features bass player and vocalist Jo Taylor, drummer Liala Gianstefani and lead singer and guitarist Suzi Fray.

The Johnnys last year opened the Johnny Cash Music Festival in Ventura, California and were feted by the late Johnny Cash's daughter, Cindy Cash, as an act her dad would have applauded.

"One thing I know dad would say, 'An all girl band singing my songs? I want to hear this!' Oh, how he did love the girls," Ms Cash said.

The band at the same time featured in the Los Angeles Times and on Californian breakfast television and this year had three tracks from their debut self-titled EP and a half-hour interview broadcast on the BBC West and Southwest networks, which is estimated to have an audience of more than a million listeners.

The Johnnys also this year performed at Lynda Topp and Donna Luxton's wedding and have forged themselves a solid reputation for delivering Johnny Cash songs without a whisper of baritone on stage.

The highlight to date for the band was playing at the California festival last year, Fray said, and the band members consider themselves privileged to have been invited back again this year.

Festival co-producers Cindy Cash and Ross Emery say they were smitten with the band and are eager to see The Johnnys return.

"Last year we were blessed to have the Johnnys. Those girls own it, honour it, and rocked it, here in the USA."

The Johnnys shared the same stage as Queen of Rockabilly and headliner Wanda Jackson, Cash's stepdaughter and country music star Carlene Carter, as well as a number of other tribute acts.

"It was such a buzz, firstly to be actually playing at The Johnny Cash Music Festival and then to be dancing on stage with Cindy and the world's biggest female Rockabilly legend. It was very surreal, " Fray said.

The Johnnys play King Street Live on August 2.

Tickets cost $15 each plus a booking fee and are available from dashtickets.co.nz or from iSites in Masterton, Martinborough and the Carterton Info Centre.

For more information on The Johnnys, go online to www.facebook.com/thejohnnysnelson or www.kingstreetlive.co.nz.