The Man in Black died in 2003. To the end, he was a voice of truth and humility, a connector of generations, a legend. (You can still hear that voice: His last album with producer Rick Rubin, the bare-bones "American VI: Ain't No Grave," came out on Tuesday.)

In honor of the great man's birthday, the Cash family, Rubin and his American Recordings and Lost Highway Records are asking for a tribute: Wear Black for Cash.

In a press release, the group said, "February 26th, 2010, is Johnny Cash’s 78th birthday, and to celebrate his life we’re encouraging everyone worldwide to wear black for Johnny on this day. ... [to] remember the man in black and the voice he gave the common man and 'the poor and beaten-down.' "

There will be a handful of events in conjunction with the birthday, which are detailed on this Facebook page.

Cash once had a hit with his song "Man in Black," in which he detailed the reasons why he wears such dark clothes. For Johnny Cash, it might be worth doing the same.