Johnny Cash and John Ritter may not have been associated with one another in life, but in death, they will always be linked.

Both men died last Friday. Cash, 71, died of complications of diabetes and Ritter, who would have been 55 today, died unexpectedly from a pre-existing, undetected heart condition.

Though I don't think I have ever spoken both of their names in the same sentence before Friday, I was a fan of both of their work. No, I wasn't president of either of their fan clubs, but both are reflected in some of my earliest childhood memories.

Cash, the music legend, was one of my father's favorite recording artists. I remember my dad, who still to this day plays guitar and sings in a bar band, picking out tunes such as "Folsom Prison Blues," "A Boy Named Sue" and "Tennessee Flat Top Box."

For nearly five decades, Johnny Cash entertained the masses - not just country music fans. In fact, a lot of his latest records had songs such as Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt," Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage," U2's "One," Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down"

and the Eagles' "Desperado."

His death was not a sudden or unexpected one, given the combination of age and the recent loss of his wife, June Carter Cash, in May, but it was still a little bit shocking.

Not nearly as shocking as Ritter’s death, though. A dissected aorta that he apparently had since birth was attributed to his death.

Ritter was enjoying a resurgence into the mainstream, thanks to the popularity of his latest TV sitcom, "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenaged Daughter." However, to most of us, he will always be Jack Tripper from "Three's Company" -

one of my favorite TV shows as a pre-teen.

While Ritter may not have had the "legendary" status that Cash had, he was a solid, well-rounded actor who will be missed.

Not only could Ritter do comedy, but he could also act out serious subject matter. Guest appearances on two dramas

- "Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit" and "Touched by an Angel" -come to mind.

Here are two men who appeared to have nothing in common except their first names and dying on the same day. However, if you look closer, they both touched the hearts of millions with their ability to perform.

And, even though both were categorized - Cash to country and Ritter to comedy - they both had the ability to cross over. This exemplifies true talent.

So, today I say goodbye to Johnny and John. May you rest in peace in knowing that you touched the lives of many, including me.

Shawn Doyle is managing editor of The Ironton Tribune. He can be reached by calling (740) 532-1445, ext 19 or by e-mail (shawn.doyle@irontontribune.com).