More than 40 years after the late singer Johnny Cash was arrested in Starkville, residents of the US town plan a festival in his honour that will include a ceremonial pardoning for the “Man in Black”.

Family and friends paid tribute to music legend Johnny Cash at his funeral today.

Country singer Johnny Cash, who died this morning, had been battling ill health for some time.

June Carter Cash, the Grammy-winning scion of one of country music’s pioneering families and the wife of country giant Johnny Cash, has died of complications from heart surgery. She was 73.