Christmas with Cash Returns to Strabane

One of Strabane’s favourite performing groups, Cash Returns AKA local Johnny Cash aficionado John Paul McCauley and his troupe including his very own ‘June’, Karen Martin, will be making a welcome return to the Alley this week for their annual Christmas show.

Fresh from picking up the award for Best Tribute Act at the 2022 Northern Ireland Country Music Awards, for the second year running, the spectacular nine-piece show will happen this Saturday (26) following the band’s latest sell-out tour which took them the length and breadth of the country, telling the story of ‘Johnny and June’.

Such is the esteem JP’s act is held that even Johnny Cash’s own drummer of 40 years, WS ‘Fluke’ Holland said on his Tennessee radio show, “If anyone hears JP Mac, they will know why he is an award-winning Johnny Cash act – I would like to see this guy play in person.”

Fans of Cash Returns lucky enough to have gotten a ticket for Saturday’s gig can expect to hear many classics from the Man in Black’s repertoire including duets ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’, ‘If I Were a Carpenter’, and of course the smash hit ‘Jackson’, alongside Johnny’s own smash hits ‘Folsom Prison Blues’, ‘Walk The Line’ and ‘Hurt’,

JP said of Saturday, “I can’t wait; it’s always a pleasure to play the homecoming gig. The crowd are always a diverse mix of fans and there will be something for everyone, younger and older fans alike.”

In addition to Saturday, JP shared news of an exciting couple of 2023 shows.

“Next year commemorates the 60th anniversary of Johnny’s first Irish tour and we’ve been asked to do a few gigs paying tribute to the milestone.

“He arrived here just a couple of months after releasing ‘Ring of Fire’ which catapulted his already huge reputation further skyward. One of the gigs we’re doing will be in the Grand Opera House in Belfast on the 14th of March and another in Kingsport in Cavan, which was one of Johnny’s first stops. We’re not going to try and follow his entire route as a lot of the venues Johnny played in no longer exist. We’ll be picking songs from his set lists at the time as well to give it that truly authentic celebratory feel!”

Doors for Saturday’s show at the Alley Theatre in Strabane open at 7.30pm with a show start of 8pm. Limited tickets are now available from box office: +44 (0)28 7138 4444 or on online at alley-theatre.com