Man in Black coming to town
Published 10:08 am Thursday, August 4, 2011

Sean Benz is finding continued success paying tribute to the classic country artists. The Johnny Cash impersonator will play at the Paramount Theatre 7:30 p.m. Friday. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The young Johnny Cash is making waves with an old sound.
Austin favorite Sean Benz, a Johnny Cash impersonator from Windom, Minn., who recently graduated from high school, is coming to the Paramount Theatre 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Benz said he is riding a wave of excitement as his album, “Classic Country,” was chosen as the best Classic Country Tribute CD of the Year by the Rural Roots Music Commission.
“I was flabbergasted,” Benz said.
What’s flabbergasting is the Austin connections to this prestigious honor: Benz, a prodigy of local promoter Denny Charnecki, used Charnecki, his band the DC Drifters and other Austin talent on the album, which was recorded last fall. The Drifters will back up Benz Friday.
“He’s very smart, very receptive,” Charnecki said. “He’s hungry for more.”
Benz and the DC Drifters will play several Johnny Cash standards, along with hits from classic country and rock ’n‘ roll greats like Roger Miller, Richie Valens, Hank Williams, and a song or two from the likes of the Beatles and Stevie Ray Vaughn.