The simple lead lines on the guitar's lower strings. The slap of the bass. The strummed, assertive rhythms.

And that voice. That voice.

Many people know Johnny Cash for his later years, when he teamed up with producer Rick Rubin on the "American Recordings" series of album and covered Nine Inch Nails, Beck and Chris Cornell.

But when Cash died in 2003, the world was left without one of modern music's pioneers, who countrified rockabilly at Sun Records in the 1950s with songs that were often frightening and just as often soothing. He had the voice of God from the Old Testament, with those lead lines, bass slaps and insistent rhythms riding shotgun.

Cash'd Out will perform at the Urban Lounge on Nov. 18, and the band pays tribute to the Sun Records years of Cash, when he was still hungry and imagining he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.

Cash'd Out lead singer Douglas Benson and guitar player Kevin Manuel answered some e-mail questions from The Salt Lake Tribune about performing in a Johnny Cash tribute band.

Why do you guys consider yourselves the premier Cash tribute band?

Benson » We are the only Johnny Cash tribute to be associated with www.johnnycash.com. Bill Miller of johnnycash.com has told us we are the only Johnny tribute as far as he is concerned. We have played several times for members of his family and Mr. Lou Robin [Cash's former manager]. [Rick] Rubin told me himself he could close his eyes and it was like going back in time. Now, how can you argue with that?

What era do you specialize in?

Benson » We started with the Sun years and are moving up the time line. So, yes, eventually we will get to the Rick Rubin stuff.

Manuel » We started the band to bring some of the more obscure Sun Records and early Columbia songs to people. We have done a few later songs, but they're still '70s and '80s numbers. One day we might get to the "American Recordings" material, but right now folks are loving the '50s and '60s Cash tunes we play.

How does the lead singer sound so much like Johnny Cash?

Benson » I kid about it all the time, saying I get that sound from cigarettes and whiskey, but the truth is it comes from my Lord Jesus and a lot of practice.

Manuel » I still think the whiskey and cigarettes are in there somewhere.

What type of audience is drawn to your performances?

Benson » One of the many beautiful things about Johnny Cash is how diverse the audience is.

Manuel » We get bikers, cowboys, surfers, a stray hippie or two, old folks, young folks and everything in between. Fans of just about every genre of music seem to like Johnny Cash and his music. Johnny is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame -- not to mention the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Right there is evidence of his wide appeal.