johnny Cash Biography

Johnny Cash was born February 26,1932 in Kingsland,Arkansas.By age three he moved to Dyess. By the time he was 12 years old Cash began writing his own songs,inspired by the country songs he heard on the radio. And while in High School Johnny sang on the Arkansas radio station KLCN. After graduating from college in 1950 Johnny moved to Detroit to work in an auto factory for awhile. Then with the start of the Korean War he enlisted in the Air Force. While in the Service Cash bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. And he also wrote songs ,including "Folsom Prison Blues" Cash got out of the Service in 1954 ,married a Texas woman named Vivian Leberto,and moved to Memphis. He went to broadcasting school on a GI Bill. At nights he played country music in a trio that consisted of guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. In 1955 Johnny Cash landed an audition with Sun Records and its founder Sam Phillips. Cash presented himself as a gospel singer and was turned down. Phillips told him to come back with something more commercial. Cash returned with "Hey Porter" and was accepted. That spawned a string of hits,"Cry Cry Cry", Folsom Prison Blues" "I Walk the Line" . In 1957 Cash made his Grand Ole Opry debut appearing all in black while other performers wore rhinestone outfits. Eventually,he earned the nickname of "The Man in Black" In 1958 Cash attempted to record a gospel album,but Sun refused to allow him. Sun was also unwilling to increase Cash's record royalities. That was the deciding factor in his signing with Columbia Records. His first single with them was "All Over Again" . Sun continued to release singles and albums of unissued Cash material into the 60's.In 1959 to keep up with the pace of his career Cash began taking amphetamines.By 1961 his drug intake was affecting his work and his number of hit singles and albums declined. In 1963 he moved to New York ,leaving his family behind. Around this time he met June Carter who would help him with his return to the top of the charts with "Ring og Fire" Which she co-wrote with Merle Kilgore. Cash's comeback was shortlived as the drug addition got worse.In 1965 he was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country in his guitar case. That same year the Grand Ole Opry refused to have him preform. Then in 1966,his wife Vivian filed for divorce.After the divorce Cash moved to Nashville and became friends with June Carter. With her help he was able to shake his addictions.She also converted Cash to fundamentalist Christianity.The pair were married in the Spring of 1968. Starting in 1969 the Johnny Cash Show was televised and ran for two years until 1971. Johnny Cash was reaching a second peak of popularity in 1970 and campaigning for th civic rights of Native Americans and prisoners,as wellas working with Billy Graham.In 1980 Johnny Cash became the youngest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. However the 80's were hard times for Cash as his record sales continued to decline and he ran into trouble with Columbia. The 1982 album"The Survivors" with Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis was a mild sucess. 1985 Johnny Cash teamed up with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson to form the Highwaymen and released thier first album.Cash and Columbia Records ended thier relationship in 1986 and he signed with Mercury Nashville. That didn't last long because of fights over stylistic direction.Andcountry radio had begun to favor more contemporary artists.Cash found himself shut out of the charts. By 1992 his contract with Mercury ended and in 1993 he signed with American Recordings.His first album for that label was produced by Rick Rubin and revived his career. It brought him in touch with the younger generation.Johnny Cash and the Highwaymen released thier third album in 1995. 1996 Cash released his second album for American Recordings "Unchained" His VH-1 Storytellers was released in 1998 and the Spring of 2000 compiled "Love ,God ,Murder" a 3 disc CD.Later the studio album "American 111:Solitary Man" was released.


	Johnny Cash-The Man The Legend \| home Filmography \| Discography \| johnny Cash Biography \| Books \| MY Art \| 45's & EP's with Picture Sleeves \| Friends of Johnny Cash \| Contact Me johnny Cash Biography Johnny Cash was born February 26,1932 in Kingsland,Arkansas.By age three he moved to Dyess. By the time he was 12 years old Cash began writing his own songs,inspired by the country songs he heard on the radio. And while in High School Johnny sang on the Arkansas radio station KLCN. After graduating from college in 1950 Johnny moved to Detroit to work in an auto factory for awhile. Then with the start of the Korean War he enlisted in the Air Force. While in the Service Cash bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. And he also wrote songs ,including "Folsom Prison Blues" Cash got out of the Service in 1954 ,married a Texas woman named Vivian Leberto,and moved to Memphis. He went to broadcasting school on a GI Bill. At nights he played country music in a trio that consisted of guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. In 1955 Johnny Cash landed an audition with Sun Records and its founder Sam Phillips. Cash presented himself as a gospel singer and was turned down. Phillips told him to come back with something more commercial. Cash returned with "Hey Porter" and was accepted. That spawned a string of hits,"Cry Cry Cry", Folsom Prison Blues" "I Walk the Line" . In 1957 Cash made his Grand Ole Opry debut appearing all in black while other performers wore rhinestone outfits. Eventually,he earned the nickname of "The Man in Black" In 1958 Cash attempted to record a gospel album,but Sun refused to allow him. Sun was also unwilling to increase Cash's record royalities. That was the deciding factor in his signing with Columbia Records. His first single with them was "All Over Again" . Sun continued to release singles and albums of unissued Cash material into the 60's.In 1959 to keep up with the pace of his career Cash began taking amphetamines.By 1961 his drug intake was affecting his work and his number of hit singles and albums declined. In 1963 he moved to New York ,leaving his family behind. Around this time he met June Carter who would help him with his return to the top of the charts with "Ring og Fire" Which she co-wrote with Merle Kilgore. Cash's comeback was shortlived as the drug addition got worse.In 1965 he was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country in his guitar case. That same year the Grand Ole Opry refused to have him preform. Then in 1966,his wife Vivian filed for divorce.After the divorce Cash moved to Nashville and became friends with June Carter. With her help he was able to shake his addictions.She also converted Cash to fundamentalist Christianity.The pair were married in the Spring of 1968. Starting in 1969 the Johnny Cash Show was televised and ran for two years until 1971. Johnny Cash was reaching a second peak of popularity in 1970 and campaigning for th civic rights of Native Americans and prisoners,as wellas working with Billy Graham.In 1980 Johnny Cash became the youngest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. However the 80's were hard times for Cash as his record sales continued to decline and he ran into trouble with Columbia. The 1982 album"The Survivors" with Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis was a mild sucess. 1985 Johnny Cash teamed up with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson to form the Highwaymen and released thier first album.Cash and Columbia Records ended thier relationship in 1986 and he signed with Mercury Nashville. That didn't last long because of fights over stylistic direction.Andcountry radio had begun to favor more contemporary artists.Cash found himself shut out of the charts. By 1992 his contract with Mercury ended and in 1993 he signed with American Recordings.His first album for that label was produced by Rick Rubin and revived his career. It brought him in touch with the younger generation.Johnny Cash and the Highwaymen released thier third album in 1995. 1996 Cash released his second album for American Recordings "Unchained" His VH-1 Storytellers was released in 1998 and the Spring of 2000 compiled "Love ,God ,Murder" a 3 disc CD.Later the studio album "American 111:Solitary Man" was released. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS YOUNGEST PERSON CHOSEN FOR COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME ONLY PERSON CHOSEN FOR THE COUNTRY, ROCK, AND SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME HE HAS WON 11 GRAMMIES-THE MOST RECENT IN 2001 HOST OF "THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW" ABC-TV (1969-1971) HE HAS PLACED 48 SINGLES ON THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 POP CHARTS HE HAS POSTED OVER 130 HITS ON THE BILLBOARD COUNTRY SINGLES CHART HE WAS HONERED WITH A KENNEDY CENTER AWARD IN DECEMBER 1996 HE HAS RECORDED MORE THAN 1,500 SONGS AND THEY CAN BE FOUND ON ABOUT 500 ALBUMS HE HAS TEAMED UP WITH WAYLON JENNINGS,KRIS KRISTOFFERSON AND WILLIE NELSON AS THE HIGHWAYMEN IN 1986. HE HAS STARRED IN NUMEROUS MOVIES, A GUNFIGHT, PRIDE OF JESSE HALLAM,FIVE MINUTES TO LIVE TO NAME A FEW.