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1987: Johnny Cash 'came alive again' after beating his addiction

Singer Johnny Cash spoke about his long-running battle with pill addiction to presenter Derek Jameson, who was hosting an episode of Wogan in 1987.

"The last three and half years without the drug of my choice, as we say in the programme, have been the most beautiful three and half years of my life."

"I enjoy performing, I came alive again, you know, after I got over my pill addiction problem," he said.

The Man in Black had used amphetamines, barbiturates and alcohol to deal with his personal demons and the stresses of touring for many years. The singer had been in and out of drug recovery throughout the 1970s.

"Roy Orbison got a line in a song that says, 'a diamond is a diamond and a stone is a stone but man is part good and part bad'. And that's me, I may have a little bit of good but I've got a lot of bad in me," he said.

Originally broadcast 24 August 1987.

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