Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson is absolutely a household name when it comes to rock and metal, though Dickinson still seems like he's always shocked when people look up to him or get starstruck around him. Dickinson is also still capable of being as starstruck as the fans who meet him, or so he tells Fox News about the time he met Johnny Cash.
According to Dickinson, Cash was an incredibly nice guy who came up to Dickinson before a show to get an autograph for his daughter.
"It was very brief and really quite awe inspiring. Because I've always admired Johnny Cash… I love him because he's got this rebellious maverick thing going on with him. I met him a long time ago… in Toronto when he and his band came and they were sitting, watching us do a soundcheck.
"And he came backstage after we finished. And I'm not exactly the world's tallest guy. I'm like 5'6" and a half – and make sure you get the half in, you know? And Johnny Cash, I'm not even going to guess, but as far as I know, it was a lamp post that came in dressed in a coat.
"This was like meeting John Wayne… Just wow. And he was just the most charming, quietly spoken guy… He said, 'Hi, My name is Johnny Cash… Look, can you sign an autograph for my daughter? She's a big fan.' So I went, 'Yeah, of course.' And that was it! But, he was fantastic… and exactly what a legend should be."
It has to be strange to be so famous that Johnny Cash not only knows who you are, but his kid knows who you are as well and is a big enough fan to want your autograph. Such is the life of Bruce Dickinson though, arguably the most interesting man in metal. You can read all about Dickinson's encounter with Cash and much more in his new autobiography What Does This Button Do?, out in stores now.
