“Dear Cigar Industry: More Johnny Cash, less Chris Gaines. Please & Thank you” – That was a tweet that I posted today on Twitter. I think some ‘got it’ while it may’ve gone past others; blame it on my esoteric and oftentimes abstract method of communication.
That thought/tweet came to me this morning. I was getting ready for the day and had Johnny Cash on ‘shuffle’ on my iPod at the house. The sincerity, the reality, and the authenticity of that man’s words and voice will probably never again be approached. HE was REAL. When Cash sang about something, you knew in your bones that he lived it first. He wouldn’t ‘fool you’ by singing about something he didn’t know or didn’t feel way down under his skin. He WAS in “Reno, Chicago, Fargo..,” and he DID walk the line.
Chris Gaines–on the other hand–was a failed ‘experiment.’ You can google or wiki ‘Chris Gaines’ and find out the backstory for yourself. To me, it was the embodiment of an artist portraying himself (literally) as something he is or was not.
I fell in love with premium cigars some 16+ years ago, and began my journey in this industry on April 15, 1996. Of the many lessons I’ve learned–not only about cigars, but about life in general during that time–is the lesson of ‘authenticity.’ This business of ours is one based upon tradition, romance, generations, and honor. To this day, I don’t feel worthy of being in the same room as some of the legendary figures in our industry. That said, one quality that those legends share is ‘authenticity.’ They are REAL. You can almost smell the sweet essence of tobacco emanating from their pores. Those people humble me.
On the other hand, there seems to be an influx of people (and companies) that seem to be more interested in the potential financial benefits of our business rather than the tradition, romance, and honor. I know this because I lived it over the last couple of years when 5-year-plans, P&Ls, business plans, and volume reports took priority over tobacco crops, harvests, primings, and blends. I heard phrases like “personnel redundancies” more often than I heard words like “viso, seco, and ligero.”
This truly is an exciting time for the premium cigar industry. Competition, expertise, and knowledge have raised the bar, and consumers are reaping the benefits in the form of excellent cigars at competitive prices. The advent of social media and the blogger community have brought a whole new dimension and layer to communications and marketing. Personally, I am a big fan of the blogger community–they bring a fresh, honest, and ‘authentic’ perspective to the industry. They ARE the end-user, they ARE our consumer, and I for one am more than happy that they share their opinions via such a wide-reaching forum. So ‘Cheers‘ to the StogieReviews, cheers to the CigarFeeds, the TikiBars, the StogieGuys, the NiceTightAshes, the ToastedFoots (or would that be ‘feet’?), and all the rest. Bravo! They are authentic and real.
We, on the manufacturer side of the fence, have an obligation to also maintain our authenticity and sense of ‘realness.’ Don’t play that card unless you have the hand to back it up. Don’t lay down slick, glossy, point-of-sales pieces depicting yourself in the fields of Nicaragua when you haven’t made that trip in over a year. Don’t play the “Limited Edition” song over and over and over….and over again. We all pull from the same pool of tobaccos. We all know everyone in Esteli and Danli. There are only ‘so many‘ blends that can be produced. There are only ‘so many‘ flavors our palates can disseminate. Sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and savory (unami)–that’s IT.
So let’s go forward in this time-honored business of ours in a direction that is honest, authentic, and real. Remember those that came before us, and what we owe them, and how we should honor them.
“You’ve got a song you’re singing from your gut, you want that audience to feel it in their gut. And you’ve got to make them think that you’re one of them sitting out there with them too. They’ve got to be able to relate to what you’re doing.” – Johnny Cash
Amen! Well stated and to the point!
It’s fairly easy to discern between those who earned their “rockstar” status honestly and the self-styled ones who believe if they wear enough bling and always pose next to the hottest girls we’ll be fooled.
I am often pleasantly surprised by the honesty, integrity and down-to-earth demeanor of a few really good people in this industry. Those are the ones I follow. Those are the ones I support.
Well said! And this is why we are all waiting for Crown Heads to come out with some cigars! We know it will be done right!
Excellent commentary Jon, couldn’t agree more. I for one am getting tired of the flash…
One of the most down to earth, “authentic” posts I have seen in a long time. I along with many others appreciate your candor in our industry more than you can imagine. A good friend of mine posted a comment based on an recent interview that you did – he said Jon “gets it” and is an asset to this industry. I couldn’t agree more, as a new guy in this business, all I can say is thank you.
Rod – Thank you!
OP – I couldn’t agree more; honesty, integrity, and loyalty are values I always look for, strive towards, and feel as though are missing in today’s society.
tx_tuff – We’re working hard so as to not let you all down!
Matthew – Thanks.
Bryan – I appreciate your comments; especially coming from someone like you in the industry. Keep doing ‘you,’ my friend! God bless.
I am only 24 and just coming into the “real” world this seems more true than ever before. If everyone acted as they were when they are at home with their family as they are in public how much of a better place woule this be?
Posts like this, and people like you, are some of the things that drive me to get into this industry. To think about having the opportunity to work with tradition, passion and authenticity is something that everyone in the industry should carry with pride. People can spot the identify the phonies as just as they can identify those who ‘Get It’
All the Best and continued success!
Great article, Jon.
Bono: “Every man knows that he is a sissy compared to Johnny Cash.”
Christopher Walken: “I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!”
(Okay, the second one didn’t fit, but your article’s title made me think of it…wandering mind.)
Ben – Very wise words.
Jimmy – Thank you for your kind words.
David – Don’t they say that “wandering minds are the devil’s playground???” Or was that idle minds? Not sure. ;^)
If anyone compared Crowned Heads to so many others, this article so exceptionaly put into words of consummate genuineness and heartfelt profundity shall and should alter that ill thought perception. There seems to be a plethora of those who think it needed to put into the public vast over glorified productions of products and seem all to concerned with the monitary gain than the quality of product. There are those that mass produce and sacrifice quality over quantity to gain the extra revenue that it would appear as their driving goal. For those that truly look for quality, concern and a respect for the craft, tradition and art that it cigars, the people at Crowned Heads in many ways, as given evidence in the afore mentioned article by Jon Huber, do not shout to the roof tops their intentions but instead do as those great and renouned of the industry have done for years and put honesty and integrity to the objects they aspire to.
Jon,
Thanks for the article. We’re starting a cigar store not too far north of y’all, and the thoughts in your post were part of the impetus for us to go out on our own. Too many people treat the selling of cigars as just a business, and we have never felt that way. It’s about the brother (or sister) hood of the community, it’s about pleasure, it’s about being ourselves, it’s not about P&L’s and freaking cost variances. Thanks for the reminder!
GC – I appreciate ya, man….even though I sometimes need Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary to keep up with you, I do appreciate ya!
Jeff – Good luck with that new shop!
Chris Gaines – The alter ego of a man in the music business who became so rich and famous he figured he could do anything he wanted and the public would buy it, regardless of how good or bad it was. It became all about him, and not about the music…..the music that made him what he is. I could start rattling of names of those in the cigar industry that have done the same thing, but we all know who they are.
Johnny Cash – A true legend who never changed and never felt a need to. He always remained true and honest. Yes, the cigar industry needs more Cash!
Scott – Exactly. And, for what it’s worth, Crowned Heads is about building a brand–NOT about building a ‘personality.’
Here’s to “truth, honesty, and the CASH way,” my friend.
Great thoughts….best of luck and can’t WAIT to enjoy the fruits of your labor !!
“and all the rest” thanks for including me Jon 🙂