John R. “Johnny” Cash, February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003, A.K.A. “The Man In Black”, was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential muusicians of the 20th century.

Although he is primarily remembered as a country music artist, his songs and sound spanned many other genres including rockabilly and rock and roll—especially early in his career—as well as blues, folk, and gospel. This crossover appealled to Cash being inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Late in his career, Cash covered songs by several rock artists.

Cash was known for his deep, distinctive bass-baritone voice; for the “boom-chicka-boom” sound of his Tennessee Three backing band; for his rebelliousness, coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor; for providing free concerts inside prison walls; and for his dark performance clothing, which earned him the nickname “The Man in Black”.

He traditionally started his concerts by saying, “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” and usually following it up with his standard “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Folsom Prison Blues

He traditionally started his concerts by saying, “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” and usually following it up with his standard “Folsom Prison Blues.”


I Walk the Line

Much of Cash’s music, especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation and redemption. His signature songs include “I Walk the Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Ring of Fire”, “Get Rhythm” and “Man in Black”.


Ring Of Fire

Cash, a troubled but devout Christian, has been characterized as a “lens through which to view American contradictions and challenges.” A Biblical scholar, he penned a Christian novel titled Man in White, and he made a spoken word recording of the entire New King James Version of the New Testament.


Get Rhythm

Even so, Cash declared that he was “the biggest sinner of them all”, and viewed himself overall as a complicated and contradictory man. Accordingly, Cash is said to have “contained multitudes”, and has been deemed “the philosopher-prince of American country music”.


Man In Black

From his early days as a pioneer of rockabilly and rock and roll in the 1950s, to his decades as an international representative of country music, to his resurgence to fame in the 1990s as a living legend and an alternative country icon, Cash influenced countless artists and left a large body of work. Upon his death, Cash was revered by the greatest popular musicians of his time. His rebellious image and often anti-authoritarian stance influenced punk rock.


One Piece At A Time

He also recorded humorous numbers, including “One Piece at a Time” and “A Boy Named Sue”; a duet with his future wife, June Carter, called “Jackson”; as well as railroad songs including “Hey, Porter” and “Rock Island Line”.


A Boy Named Sue

From his early days as a pioneer of rockabilly and rock and roll in the 1950s, to his decades as an international representative of country music, to his resurgence to fame in the 1990s as a living legend and an alternative country icon, Cash influenced countless artists and left a large body of work.


Jackson

Upon his death, Cash was revered by the greatest popular musicians of his time. His rebellious image and often anti-authoritarian stance influenced punk rock.


Sunday Morning Coming Down

Even so, Cash declared that he was “the biggest sinner of them all”, and viewed himself overall as a complicated and contradictory man. Accordingly, Cash is said to have “contained multitudes”, and has been deemed “the philosopher-prince of American country music”.


Ghost Riders In The Sky

Among Cash’s children, his daughter Rosanne Cash (by first wife Vivian Liberto) and his son John Carter Cash (by June Carter Cash) are notable country-music musicians in their own right.


Dont Take Your Guns To Town

Cash nurtured and defended artists on the fringes of what was acceptable in country music even while serving as the country music establishment’s most visible symbol.


Orange Blossom Special


At an all-star concert which aired in 1999 on TNT, a diverse group of artists paid him tribute, including Bob Dylan, Chris Isaak, Wyclef Jean, Norah Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Dom DeLuise and U2. Cash himself appeared at the end and performed for the first time in more than a year.

Two tribute albums were released shortly before his death; Kindred Spirits contains works from established artists, while Dressed in Black contains works from many lesser-known artists.

In total, he wrote over 1,000 songs and released dozens of albums. A box set titled Unearthed was issued posthumously. It included four CDs of unreleased material recorded with Rubin as well as a Best of Cash on American retrospective CD.

In recognition of his lifelong support of SOS Children’s Villages, his family invited friends and fans to donate to that charity in his memory. He had a personal link with the SOS village in Diessen, at the Ammersee Lake in Southern Germany, near where he was stationed as a GI, and also with the SOS village in Barrett Town, by Montego Bay, near his holiday home in Jamaica.

The Johnny Cash Memorial Fund was founded. In 1999, Cash received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Cash No.31 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In a tribute to Cash after his death, country music singer Gary Allan included the song “Nickajack Cave (Johnny Cash’s Redemption)” on his 2005 album entitled Tough All Over. The song chronicles Cash hitting rock bottom and subsequently resurrecting his life and career.

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