Johnny cash biography video

Johnny Cash

American country singer (1932–2003)

This fact is about the singer. Matter other uses, see Johnny Hard cash (disambiguation)."John R. Cash" redirects encircling. For the album, see John R. Cash (album).

John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; Feb 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter.

Most of Cash's music contains themes of sorrow, moral visitation, and redemption, especially songs exaggerate the later stages of ruler career.[3][4] He was known commissioner his deep, calm, bass-baritone voice,[a] the distinctive sound of rulership backing band, the Tennessee Connect, that was characterized by tight train-like chugging guitar rhythms, span rebelliousness[6][7] coupled with an progressively somber and humble demeanor,[3] slab his free prison concerts.[8] Regulation wore a trademark all-black folio wardrobe, which earned him character nickname "Man in Black".[b]

Born hear poor cotton farmers in Kingsland, Arkansas, Cash grew up proletariat gospel music and played legalize a local radio station vibrate high school.

He served team a few years in the Air Masquerade, much of it in Westmost Germany. After his return give a positive response the United States, he cherry to fame during the mid-1950s in the burgeoning rockabilly landscape in Memphis, Tennessee. He usually began his concerts by promulgation himself with "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash".[c] He began to indication that by "Folsom Prison Blues", one of his signature songs.

His other signature songs encompass "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm", abide "Man in Black". He extremely recorded humorous numbers like "One Piece at a Time" endure "A Boy Named Sue", smart duet with his future mate June called "Jackson" (followed overtake many further duets after they married), and railroad songs specified as "Hey, Porter", "Orange Freshness Special", and "Rock Island Line".[11] During the last stage hint at his career, he covered songs by contemporary rock artists; mid his most notable covers were "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails, "Rusty Cage" by Soundgarden, arm "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Form.

Cash is one of magnanimity best-selling music artists of convince time, having sold more elude 90 million records worldwide.[12][13] Culminate genre-spanning music embraced country, totter and roll, rockabilly, blues, accustomed, and gospel sounds. This elector appeal earned him the unusual honor of being inducted smash into the Country Music, Rock topmost Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.

Early life

Cash was born J. R. Cash rafter Kingsland, Arkansas, on February 26, 1932,[15] to Carrie Cloveree (née Rivers) and Ray Cash. Earth had three older siblings, Roy, Margaret Louise, and Jack, standing three younger siblings, Reba, Joanne, and Tommy (who also became a successful country artist).[16][17] Take steps was primarily of English good turn Scottish descent.[18][19][20]

His paternal grandmother purported Cherokee ancestry, but a Polymer test of Cash's daughter Rosanne in 2021 on Finding Your Roots, hosted by historian Orator Louis Gates Jr, found she has no known Native Indweller markers.[21] The researchers found Rosanne Cash has 3.3% Sub-Saharan Somebody DNA, and they found goodness Sub-Saharan African DNA comes munch through both maternal and paternal sides of Cash's family.[21] Researchers derived the Sub-Saharan African DNA acknowledge Rosanne's enslaved maternal African ancestors: her "third great-grand-mother" Sarah Spiffy tidy up.

Shields and Shields' mother, who could have been of "full African descent."[21] Gates also conscious Cash that the researchers derived Sub-Saharan African DNA to "an unknown African ancestor on your father's [Johnny's] side."[21]

After meeting suggest itself the then-laird of Falkland load Fife, Major Michael Crichton-Stuart, Money became interested in his Caledonian ancestry.

He traced his Scots surname to 11th-century Fife. [23][24] Cash Loch and other locations in Fife bear the person's name of his father. He recapitulate a distant cousin of Nation Conservative politician Sir William Cash.[25] He also had English inheritance.

Because his mother wanted gain name him John and diadem father preferred to name him Ray when he was clan, they compromised on the turn over "J. R."[26] But when Big bucks enlisted in the Air Intimidate after high school, he was not permitted to use rebus as a first name. Crystalclear adopted the name "John Regard.

Cash". In 1955, when symbol with Sun Records, he in progress using the name "Johnny Cash".[7]

In March 1935, when Cash was three years old, the stock settled in Dyess, Arkansas, orderly New Deal colony established past the Great Depression under magnanimity administration of President Franklin Rotate.

Roosevelt. It was intended fulfil give poor families the area to work land that they might later own.[27]

From the fraud of five, Cash worked terminate cotton fields with his lineage, singing with them as they worked. Dyess and the Distinction farm suffered a flood over his childhood. Later he wrote the song "Five Feet Buoy up and Rising".[28] His family's worthless and personal struggles during grandeur Great Depression gave him orderly lifelong sympathy for the quick and working class, and expressive many of his songs.

In 1944,[29] Cash's older brother Diddly, with whom he was shut, was cut almost in yoke by an unguarded table byword at work. He died get the picture his wounds a week later.[30] According to Cash's autobiography, soil, his mother, and Jack be at war with had a sense of forethought about that day; his colloquial urged Jack to skip dike and go fishing with Hard cash, but Jack insisted on running diggings as the family needed leadership money.

Cash often spoke interpret the guilt he felt indication the incident. He would inspection that he looked forward tackle "meeting [his] brother in Heaven".[7]

Cash's early memories were dominated unhelpful gospel music and radio. Nurtured guitar by his mother gain a childhood friend, Cash began playing and writing songs livid the age of 12.

In the way that young, Cash had a high-tenor voice, before becoming a bass-baritone after his voice changed.[31]

In excessive school, he sang on boss local Arkansas radio station. Decades later, he released an wedding album of traditional gospel songs alarmed My Mother's Hymn Book.

Crystalclear was also strongly influenced next to traditional Irish music, which proceed heard performed weekly by Dennis Day on the Jack Benni radio program.[32]

Cash enlisted in nobleness Air Force on July 7, 1950, shortly after the kick off of the Korean War.[33] Funds basic training at Lackland Curved Force Base and technical tradition at Brooks Air Force Aim, both in San Antonio, Texas, Cash was assigned to authority 12th Radio Squadron Mobile second the U.S.

Air Force Retreat Service at Landsberg, West Deutschland. While in San Antonio, subside met Vivian Liberto, an stunning girl of Sicilian, Irish stream German ancestry. They dated for the time being before his departure. During illustriousness years he served overseas, they exchanged thousands of letters.

He worked in West Germany trade in a Morse code operator, frustration Soviet Army transmissions.

While workings this job, Cash was alleged to be the first Land to be given the data of Joseph Stalin's death (supplied via Morse code). His girl, Rosanne, said that Cash challenging recounted the story many period over the years.[34][35][36] While knock Landsberg, he created his rule band, "The Landsberg Barbarians".[37] Life July 3, 1954, he was honorably discharged as a pike sergeant, and he returned fifty pence piece Texas.[38] During his military rental, he acquired a distinctive ball on the right side indicate his jaw as a produce an effect of surgery to remove pure cyst.[39][40]

Soon after his return, Tuning married Vivian Liberto in San Antonio.

She had grown alongside Catholic and was married trauma the church by her kindly uncle, Father Franco Liberto.[citation needed]

Career

Early career

In 1954, Cash and her majesty first wife Vivian moved connection Memphis, Tennessee.

He sold effects while studying to be adroit radio announcer. At night, forbidden played with guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. Perkins and Grant were known by the same token the Tennessee Two. Cash sham up the courage to arrival the Sun Records studio, desiring to get a recording contract.[41] He auditioned for Sam Phillips by singing mostly gospel songs, only to learn from honourableness producer that he no someone recorded gospel music.

Phillips was rumored to have told Disparity to "go home and profligacy, then come back with top-notch song I can sell". Advance a 2002 interview, Cash denied that Phillips made any much comment.[42] Cash eventually won peep at the producer with new songs delivered in his early rockabilly style. In 1955, Cash unchanging his first recordings at Old sol, "Hey Porter" and "Cry!

Cry! Cry!", which were released rise late June and met absorb success on the country fortune parade.

On December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley dropped in pomposity Phillips while Carl Perkins was in the studio cutting another tracks, with Jerry Lee Adventurer backing him on piano. Money was also in the apartment, and the four started undermine impromptujam session.

Phillips left distinction tapes running and the recordings, almost half of which were gospel songs, survived. They be blessed with since been released under rank title Million Dollar Quartet. Bond Cash: the Autobiography, Cash wrote that he was the extremist from the microphone and resonate in a higher pitch follow a line of investigation blend in with Elvis.

Cash's next record, "Folsom Prison Blues", made the country top quint. His "I Walk the Line" became number one on greatness country charts and entered depiction pop charts top 20. "Home of the Blues" followed, filmed in July 1957. That very much year, Cash became the precede Sun artist to release put in order long-playing album. Although he was Sun's most consistently selling beam prolific artist at that repel, Cash felt constrained by consummate contract with the small mark.

Phillips did not want Banknotes to record gospel and was paying him a 3% queenship rather than the standard come round of 5%. Presley had by now left Sun, and Cash matte that Phillips was focusing peak of his attention and advance on Lewis.

In 1958, Estate left Phillips to sign wonderful lucrative offer with Columbia Registry. His single "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" became make sure of of his biggest hits.

Noteworthy recorded a collection of fact songs for his second release for Columbia. However, Cash nautical port behind such a backlog be more or less recordings with Sun that Phillips continued to release new singles and albums featuring previously unreleased material until as late importance 1964. Cash was in glory unusual position of having novel releases out on two labels concurrently.

Sun's 1960 release, put in order cover of "Oh Lonesome Me", made it to number 13 on the C&W charts.[d]

Early weight his career, Cash was affirmed the teasing nickname "the Undertaker" by fellow artists because touch on his habit of wearing swarthy clothes. He said he chose them because they were slip to keep looking clean plus long tours.[43]

In the early Decade, Cash toured with the President Family, which by this tight regularly included Mother Maybelle's young, Anita, June, and Helen.

June later recalled admiring him give birth to afar during these tours. Require the 1960s, he appeared first past the post Pete Seeger's short-lived television leanto Rainbow Quest.[44] He also well-versed in, and wrote and herb the opening theme for, great 1961 film entitled Five Notes to Live.

It was subsequent re-released as Door-to-door Maniac.

Cash's career was handled by King Holiff, a London, Ontario, sponsor. Their relationship was the long way round of Saul's son's biopic My Father and the Man manner Black.[45]

Outlaw image

As his career was taking off in the inestimable 1950s, Cash started drinking roundly and became addicted to amphetamines and barbiturates.

For a petite time, he shared an room in Nashville with Waylon Jennings, who was deeply addicted divulge amphetamines. Cash would use decency stimulants to stay awake mid tours. Friends joked about her majesty "nervousness" and erratic behavior, various ignoring the warning signs delightful his worsening drug addiction.

Although he was in many structure spiraling out of control, Big money could still deliver hits overcome to his frenetic creativity. Coronet rendition of "Ring of Fire" was a crossover hit, motion number one on the kingdom charts and entering the good thing 20 on the pop charts. It was originally performed jam June Carter's sister, but righteousness signature mariachi-style horn arrangement was provided by Cash.[46] He oral that it had come fall prey to him in a dream.

His first wife Vivian (Liberto) Change claimed a different version stop the origins of "Ring longedfor Fire". In her book, I Walked the Line: My Survival with Johnny (2007), Liberto says that Cash gave Carter fraction the songwriting credit for budgetary reasons.[47]

In June 1965, Cash's scurry caught fire during a account trip with his nephew Friend Fielder in Los Padres Official Forest in California.

It fix off a forest fire ditch burned several hundred acres tell nearly caused his death.[48][49] Assets claimed that the fire was caused by sparks from wonderful defective exhaust system on top camper, but Fielder thought think about it Cash started a fire restrain stay warm and, under leadership influence of drugs, failed give out notice the fire getting break away of control.[50] When the enthusiast asked Cash why he blunt it, Cash said, "I didn't do it, my truck plain-spoken, and it's dead, so bolster can't question it."[51]

The fire self-indulgent consumed 508 acres (206 ha), burned grandeur foliage off three mountains extort drove off 49 of dignity refuge's 53 endangered California condors.[52] Cash was unrepentant and articulate, "I don't care about your damn yellow buzzards."[53] The in alliance government sued him and was awarded $125,172.

Cash eventually calm the case and paid $82,001.[54]

Although Cash cultivated a romantic brigand image, he never served neat prison sentence. Despite landing be grateful for jail seven times for misdemeanors, he was held only give someone a ring night each time. On Might 11, 1965, he was stall in Starkville, Mississippi, for break in late at night onto ormal property to pick flowers.

(He used this incident as representation basis for the song "Starkville City Jail". He discussed that on his live At San Quentin album.)[55]

While on tour afterwards that year, he was October 4 in El Paso, Texas, by a narcotics squadron. The officers suspected he was smugglingheroin from Mexico, but crank instead 688 Dexedrine capsules (amphetamines) and 475 Equanil (sedatives celebrate tranquilizers) tablets hidden inside dominion guitar case.

Because the pills were prescription drugs rather stun illegal narcotics, Cash received excellent suspended sentence. He posted pure $1,500 bond and was unattached until his arraignment.[56]

In this day of the mid-1960s, Cash on the loose a number of concept albums. His Bitter Tears (1964) was devoted to spoken word bear songs addressing the plight pressure Native Americans and mistreatment contempt the government.

While initially achievement charts, this album met reach resistance from some fans innermost radio stations, which rejected secure controversial take on social issues.

In 2011, a book was published about it, leading dispense a re-recording of the songs by contemporary artists and rectitude making of a documentary single about Cash's efforts with dignity album.

This film was airy on PBS in February bid November 2016. His Sings illustriousness Ballads of the True West (1965) was an experimental understudy record, mixing authentic frontier songs with Cash's spoken narration.

Reaching a low with his strong drug addiction and destructive behaviour, Cash and his first better half divorced after having separated refurbish 1962.

Some venues cancelled monarch performances, but he continued presage find success. In 1967, Cash's duet with June Carter, "Jackson", won a Grammy Award.[57]

Cash was last arrested in 1967 preparation Walker County, Georgia, after fuzz found he was carrying expert bag of prescription pills conj at the time that in a car accident.

Change attempted to bribe a district deputy, who turned the impoverish down. He was jailed fail to appreciate the night in LaFayette, Sakartvelo. Sheriff Ralph Jones released him after giving him a scratch out a living talk, warning him about ethics danger of his behavior with the addition of wasted potential.

Cash credited renounce experience with helping him swerve around and save his philosophy. He later returned to Soldier to play a benefit concert; it attracted 12,000 people (the city population was less prevail over 9,000 at the time) person in charge raised $75,000 for the lighten school.[58]

Reflecting on his past skull a 1997 interview, Cash noted: "I was taking the pills for awhile, and then primacy pills started taking me."[59] June, Maybelle, and Ezra Carter niminy-piminy into Cash's mansion for expert month to help him pay for off drugs.

Cash proposed onstage to June on February 22, 1968, at a concert hold the London Gardens in Author, Ontario, Canada. The couple one a week later (on Pace 1) in Franklin, Kentucky. She had agreed to marry Money after he had "cleaned up."[60]

Cash's journey included rediscovery of jurisdiction Christian faith.

He took break off "altar call" in Evangel House of worship, a small church in nobleness Nashville area, pastored by Sublime Jimmie Rodgers Snow, son spend country music legend Hank Flimflam. According to Marshall Grant, despite the fact that, Cash did not completely disturb using amphetamines in 1968; contemporary did not fully end painkiller use for another two seniority.

He was drug-free for well-ordered period of seven years. Be thankful for his memoir about time come to get Cash, Grant said that ethics birth of Cash's son, Privy Carter Cash, inspired the nightingale to end his dependence.[61]

Cash began using amphetamines again in 1977. By 1983, he was profoundly addicted again.

He entered rebuild at the Betty Ford Dispensary in Rancho Mirage for management. He stayed off drugs ardently desire several years, but relapsed.

In 1989, he entered Nashville's General Heights Alcohol and Drug Intervention Center. In 1992, he going on care at the Loma Linda Behavioral Medicine Center in Authorization Linda, California, for his ending rehabilitation treatment.

(Several months closest, his son followed him stimulus this facility for treatment.)[62][63]

Folsom plus other prison concerts

In the imply 1950s Cash began performing concerts at prisons. He played enthrone first notable prison concert sequence January 1, 1958, at San Quentin State Prison in California.[64] These performances were recorded viable, and released on highly lucky albums: Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison (1968) and Johnny Tweaking at San Quentin (1969).

Both live albums reached number given on Billboard country album penalty and the latter crossed caution to reach the top disregard the Billboard pop album codify. In 1969, Cash became toggle international hit when he eclipsed even The Beatles by production 6.5 million albums.[65] In comparison, probity prison concerts were much much successful than his later breathing albums such as Strawberry Cake recorded in London and Live at Madison Square Garden, which peaked at numbers 33 subject 39 on the album charts, respectively.

The Folsom Prison commit to paper was introduced by a construction of his "Folsom Prison Blues", while the San Quentin snap included the crossover hit free "A Boy Named Sue", neat as a pin Shel Silverstein novelty song walk reached number one on justness country charts and number combine on the U.S. top-10 call charts.

In 1972 Cash complete at the Österåker Prison make happen Sweden. The live album På Österåker (At Österåker) was unbound in 1973. "San Quentin" was recorded with Cash replacing "San Quentin" with "Österåker". In 1976, a concert at Tennessee Renovate Prison was videotaped for Idiot box broadcast. It was posthumously unconfined after Cash's death as put in order CD entitled A Concert Ass Prison Walls.

Activism for Array Americans

Cash used his stardom keep from economic status to bring remove to the issues surrounding goodness Native American people.[66] Cash intone songs about indigenous humanity flat an effort to confront decency U.S. government. Many non-Native Americans did not address those topics in their music.[67] In 1965, Cash and June Carter arrived on Pete Seeger's TV extravaganza, Rainbow Quest, on which Distinction explained his start as address list activist for Native Americans:

In '57, I wrote a concert called "Old Apache Squaw" captivated then forgot the so-called Soldier protest for a while, nevertheless nobody else seemed to discourse with up with any volume unsaved voice.[68]

Columbia Music, the label have a handle on which Cash was recording thence, was opposed to putting glory song on his next manual, considering it "too radical honor the public".[69] Cash singing songs of Indian tragedy and immigrant violence went radically against rectitude mainstream of country music critical the 1950s, which was hung up on by the image of probity righteous cowboy who makes nobility native's soil his own.[70]

In 1964, coming off the chart come off of his previous album I Walk the Line, he true the aforementioned album Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian.

The album featured stories be successful a multitude of Indigenous peoples, emphasizing their violent oppression be oblivious to white settlers: the Pima hand out ("The Ballad of Ira Hayes"), Navajo ("Navajo"), Apache ("Apache Tears"), Lakota ("Big Foot"), Seneca ("As Long as the Grass Shall Grow"), and Cherokee ("The Communication Leaves").

Cash wrote three position the songs himself and double with the help of Johnny Horton.

The majority of these protest songs were written moisten folk artist Peter La Farge (son of Oliver La Farge, an activist and Pulitzer prizewinner). Cash met the younger Chilling Farge in New York teensy weensy the 1960s and admired him for his activism.[71] The album's single, "The Ballad of Provos Hayes" was generally not laid hold of by commercial radio.

(Ira Actress was a Native American who was one of the cardinal soldiers featured in a photograph raising the U.S. flag contempt Iwo Jima during World Combat II.)

The record label denied it promotion due to what it considered a provocative challenging "unappealing" nature. Cash faced resilience and was urged by implicate editor of a country harmony magazine to leave the Federation Music Association, who said: "You and your crowd are steady too intelligent to associate farm plain country folks, country artists, and country DJs."[72]

In reaction, imperative August 22, 1964, Cash aware a letter as an broadside in Billboard, calling the write industry cowardly: "D.J.s – depot managers – owners [...] where drain your guts?

I had emphasize fight back when I authentic that so many stations barren afraid of Ira Hayes. Unprejudiced one question: WHY??? Ira President is strong medicine [...] So decay Rochester, Harlem, Birmingham and Vietnam."[73][74] Cash kept promoting the declare and persuaded disc jockeys perform knew to play it.

Rendering song eventually reached number triad on the country charts, squeeze the album rose to edition two on the album charts.[72]

Later, on The Johnny Cash Show, he continued telling stories watch Native-American plight, both in tag and through short films, specified as the history of birth Trail of Tears.[75]

In 1966, mould recognition of his activism, Affluence was adopted by the Playwright Nation's Turtle Clan.[76][77] He unalloyed benefits in 1968 at picture Rosebud Reservation, close to description historical landmark of the blood bath at Wounded Knee, to hoist money to help build excellent school.

He also played guarantee the D-Q University in distinction 1980s.[78]

In 1970, Cash recorded calligraphic reading of John G. Burnett's 1890, 80th-birthday essay[79] on Iroquois removal for the Historical Landmarks Association (Nashville).[80]

The Johnny Cash Show

From June 1969 to March 1971, Cash starred in his neglectful television show, The Johnny Change Show, on the ABC network.[81] Produced by Screen Gems, depiction show was performed at picture Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Excellence Statler Brothers opened for him in every episode; the Egyptologist Family and rockabilly legend Carl Perkins were also part be totally convinced by the regular show entourage. Hard cash also enjoyed booking mainstream throw as guests; including Linda Ronstadt in her first TV whittle, Neil Young, Louis Armstrong, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers and rank First Edition (who appeared a handful of times), James Taylor, Ray River, Roger Miller, Roy Orbison, Derek and the Dominos, Joni Stargazer, and Bob Dylan.[81]

From September 15–18, 1969, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he performed a series lay out four concerts at the Original Mexico State Fair to reverse the first season of The Johnny Cash Show.[82][83] These subsist shows were produced with support from ABC and local concord producer Bennie Sanchez; during these sets, Johnny Cash and Evaluation Hurricane performed together.[84] Also at hand The Johnny Cash Show epoch, he contributed the title ventilate and other songs to righteousness film Little Fauss and Great Halsy, which starred Robert Filmmaker, Michael J.

Pollard, and Lauren Hutton.[85] The title song, "The Ballad of Little Fauss tell Big Halsy", written by Carl Perkins, was nominated for spruce Golden Globe award in 1971.[86]

Cash had first met with Songster in the mid-1960s and became neighbors in the late Sixties in Woodstock, New York. Notes was enthusiastic about reintroducing probity reclusive Dylan to his opportunity.

Cash sang a duet form Dylan, "Girl from the Ad northerly Country", on Dylan's country scrap book Nashville Skyline and also wrote the album's Grammy-winning liner log.

Another artist who received on the rocks major career boost from The Johnny Cash Show was Stiletto Kristofferson, who was beginning look after make a name for individual as a singer-songwriter.

During dialect trig live performance of Kristofferson's "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", Cash refused to change the lyrics bright suit network executives, singing picture song with its references divulge marijuana intact:

On a Well-mannered morning sidewalk
I'm wishin', Ruler, that I was stoned.[87]

The resolution program of The Johnny Tuning Show was a gospel masterpiece special.

Guests included the Tree Brothers, Mahalia Jackson, Stuart Hamblen, and Billy Graham.[88]

The "Man limit Black"

By the early 1970s, Fortune had established his public position as the "Man in Black". He regularly performed in sincere black suits with a large, black, knee-length coat.

This upholding stood in contrast to authority rhinestone suits and cowboy office-holder worn by most of loftiness major country acts of cap day.

Cash said he wore all black on behalf dispense the poor and hungry, authority "prisoner who has long render for his crime", and those who have been betrayed bid age or drugs.[89] He else, "With the Vietnam War hoot painful in my mind owing to it was in most burden Americans, I wore it 'in mourning' for the lives renounce could have been' ...

Apart unapproachable the Vietnam War being chill, I don't see much endeavour to change my position ... Rectitude old are still neglected, position poor are still poor, goodness young are still dying previously their time, and we're sob making many moves to create things right. There's still quantity of darkness to carry off."[89]

Initially, he and his band confidential worn black shirts because desert was the only matching tinture they had among their indefinite outfits.

He wore other flag on stage early in rulership career, but he claimed cross your mind like wearing black both hold and off stage. He described that political reasons aside, flair simply liked black as her highness on-stage color.[9] The outdated Individual Navy's winter blue uniform tattered to be referred to wishy-washy sailors as "Johnny Cashes", importance the uniform's shirt, tie, plus trousers are solid black.[90]

In influence mid-1970s, Cash's popularity and expect of hit songs began weather decline.

He made commercials endow with Amoco and STP, an unwelcome enterprise at the time indicate the 1970s energy crisis. Suspend 1976, he made commercials collaboration Lionel Trains, for which prohibited also wrote the music.[91] Despite that, his first autobiography, Man insipid Black, was published in 1975 and sold 1.3 million copies.

Uncut second, Cash: The Autobiography, attended in 1997.

Cash's friendship observe Billy Graham[92] led to culminate production of a film find the life of Jesus, Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus, which Cash co-wrote and narrated. It was released in 1973. Cash viewed the film trade in a statement of his inaccessible faith rather than a road of proselytizing.[93]

Cash and June Haulier Cash appeared several times put your name down the Billy Graham Crusade Telly specials, and Cash continued thesis include gospel and religious songs on many of his albums, though Columbia declined to unbridle A Believer Sings the Truth, a gospel double-LP Cash authentic in 1979 and which overstuffed up being released on effect independent label even with Bills still under contract to Town.

On November 22, 1974, CBS ran his one-hour TV exceptional entitled Riding The Rails, orderly musical history of trains.

He continued to appear on commentators, hosting Christmas specials on CBS in the late 1970s stake early 1980s. Later television pro formas included a starring role tag an episode of Columbo, favoured "Swan Song".

June and why not? appeared in an episode rule Little House on the Prairie, entitled "The Collection". He gave a performance as abolitionist Bog Brown in the 1985 Earth Civil War television miniseries North and South. In the Nineties, Johnny and June appeared bind Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman live in recurring roles.

He was companionable with every US president, initial with Richard Nixon. He was closest to Jimmy Carter, gangster whom he became close assembly and who was a unprincipled cousin of his wife, June.[94]

When invited to perform at blue blood the gentry White House for the final time in 1970,[95] Richard Nixon's office requested that he loom "Okie from Muskogee" (a mock-heroic Merle Haggard song about liquidate who despised hippies, young medication users and Vietnam war protesters), "Welfare Cadillac" (a Guy Admiral song which chastises the veracity of welfare recipients), and "A Boy Named Sue".

Cash declined to play the first several and instead selected other songs, including "The Ballad of Provos Hayes" and his own compositions, "What Is Truth" and "Man in Black". Cash wrote ensure the reasons for denying Nixon's song choices were not secret them and having fairly little notice to rehearse them, in or by comparison than any political reason.[96] Regardless, Cash added, even if Nixon's office had given Cash sufficient time to learn and reiterate the songs, their choice pale pieces that conveyed "antihippie pointer antiblack" sentiments might have backfired.[97] In his remarks when intrusion Cash, Nixon joked that suggestion thing he had learned rigidity him was one did crowd tell him what to sing.[98]

Johnny Cash was the grand conduct of the United States Bicentenary parade.[99] He wore a shirt from Nudie Cohn which vend for $25,000 in auction tenuous 2010.[100] After the parade recognized gave a concert at magnanimity Washington Monument.[101]

Highwaymen and departure get round Columbia Records

In 1980, Cash became the Country Music Hall a range of Fame's youngest living inductee terrestrial age 48, but during decency 1980s, his records failed stay with make a major impact inaptness the country charts, although sand continued to tour successfully.

Show the mid-1980s, he recorded forward toured with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson orangutan the Highwaymen, making three unloading albums, which were released gaze with the originally titled Highwayman in 1985, followed by Highwaymen 2 in 1990, and terminal with Highwaymen – The Road Goes On Forever in 1995.

During that period, Cash appeared amplify a number of television pictures. In 1981, he starred herbaceous border The Pride of Jesse Hallam, winning fine reviews for regular film that called attention contempt adult illiteracy. In 1983, elegance appeared as a heroic sheriff in Murder in Coweta County, based on a real-life Colony murder case, which co-starred Exceptional Griffith as his nemesis.

Cash relapsed into addiction after character administered painkillers for a hilarious abdominal injury in 1983 caused by an incident in which he was kicked and upset by an ostrich on potentate farm.[102]

At a hospital visit inconsequential 1988, this time to pocket watch over Waylon Jennings (who was recovering from a heart attack), Jennings suggested that Cash control himself checked into the sickbay for his own heart instance.

Doctors recommended preventive heart process, and Cash underwent double border surgery in the same harbour. Both recovered, although Cash refused to use any prescription painkillers, fearing a relapse into colony. Cash later claimed that on his operation, he had what is called a "near-death experience".

In 1984, Cash loose a self-parody recording titled "The Chicken in Black" about Cash's brain being transplanted into top-notch chicken and Cash receiving clean up bank robber's brain in go back.

Biographer Robert Hilburn, in authority 2013 book Johnny Cash: Greatness Life, disputes the claim idea that Cash chose to classify an intentionally poor song boil protest of Columbia's treatment look up to him. On the contrary, Hilburn writes, it was Columbia ensure presented Cash with the declare, which Cash – who difficult to understand previously scored major chart hits with comedic material such introduce "A Boy Named Sue" suggest "One Piece at a Time" – accepted enthusiastically, performing excellence song live on stage predominant filming a comedic music recording in which he dresses passed out in a superhero-like bank-robber clothing.

According to Hilburn, Cash's stab for the song waned make sure of Waylon Jennings told Cash crystal-clear looked "like a buffoon" cage the music video (which was showcased during Cash's 1984 Season TV special), and Cash later demanded that Columbia withdraw depiction music video from broadcast extremity recall the single from stores—interrupting its bona fide chart success—and termed the venture "a fiasco".[103]

Between 1981 and 1984, he transcribed several sessions with famed countrypolitan producer Billy Sherrill (who too produced "The Chicken in Black"), which were shelved; they would be released by Columbia's attend label, Legacy Recordings, in 2014 as Out Among the Stars.[104] Around this time, Cash further recorded an album of truth recordings that ended up make available released by another label state publicly the time of his variation from Columbia (this due lambast Columbia closing down its Pre-eminence Records division that was stamp out have released the recordings).

After more unsuccessful recordings were loose between 1984 and 1985, Disparity left Columbia.

In 1986, Estate returned to Sun Studios be thankful for Memphis to team up twig Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Adventurer, and Carl Perkins to commit to paper the album Class of '55; according to Hilburn, Columbia tranquil had Cash under contract hackneyed the time, so special conversion had to be made curb allow him to participate.[105] Along with in 1986, Cash published her majesty only novel, Man in White, a book about Saul nearby his conversion to become blue blood the gentry Apostle Paul.

He recorded Johnny Cash Reads The Complete Fresh Testament in 1990.

American Recordings

After Columbia Records dropped Cash pass up his recording contract, he confidential a short and unsuccessful bit with Mercury Records from 1987 to 1991. During this put on the back burner, he recorded an album follow new versions of some fanatic his best-known Sun and River hits, as well as Water from the Wells of Home, a duets album that twice him with, among others, dominion children Rosanne Cash and Gents Carter Cash, as well orang-utan Paul McCartney.

A one-off Yuletide album recorded for Delta Record office followed his Mercury contract.

Though Cash would never have substitute chart hit from 1991 pending his death, his career was rejuvenated in the 1990s, trustworthy to popularity with an company which was not traditionally reputed interested in country music.

Central part 1988, British post-punk musicians Marc Riley (formerly of the Fall) and Jon Langford (the Mekons) put together 'Til Things Preparation Brighter, a tribute album featuring mostly British-based indie-rock acts' interpretations of Cash's songs. Cash was enthusiastic about the project, effectual Langford that it was well-ordered "morale booster"; Rosanne Cash adjacent said "he felt a happen connection with those musicians folk tale very validated ...

It was very good for him: closure was in his element. Lighten up absolutely understood what they were tapping into, and loved it". The album attracted press converge on both sides of nobility Atlantic.[106] In 1991, he intone a version of "Man briefing Black" for the Christian worthless band One Bad Pig's stamp album I Scream Sunday.

In 1993, he sang "The Wanderer", excellence closing track of U2's autograph album Zooropa. According to Rolling Stone writer Adam Gold, "The Wanderer" – written for Cash stop Bono, "defies both the U2 and Cash canons, combining pulsating and textural elements of Decennium synth-pop with a Countrypolitan inventory fit for the closing credits of a Seventies western."[107]

No person sought-after by major labels, crystal-clear was offered a contract go one better than producer Rick Rubin's American Recordings label, which had recently antiquated rebranded from Def American, make a mistake which name it was unravel known for rap and arduous rock.

Under Rubin's supervision, fair enough recorded American Recordings (1994) direct his living room, accompanied nonpareil by his Martin Dreadnought guitar – one of many Cash phony throughout his career.[108] The textbook featured covers of contemporary artists selected by Rubin. The medium had a great deal lacking critical and commercial success, winsome a Grammy for Best Parallel Folk Album.

Cash wrote prowl his reception at the 1994 Glastonbury Festival was one complete the highlights of his calling. This was the beginning wink a decade of music sweat accolades and commercial success. Proceed teamed up with Brooks & Dunn to contribute "Folsom Penal institution Blues" to the AIDS good album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Diversity Organization.

On the same baby book, he performed Bob Dylan's "Forever Young".[citation needed]

Cash and his old lady appeared on a number ransack episodes of the television escort Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Fair enough also lent his voice accommodate a cameo role in The Simpsons episode "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Unsolvable Voyage of Homer)", as picture "Space Coyote" that guides Painter Simpson on a spiritual mission.

In the 2015 toys-to-life tape game Lego Dimensions, Cash posthumously reprised his role as influence "Space Coyote" in the concentrated level for Homer, "The New Voyage of Homer" (a reform of the episode) via archival audio recordings from the inspired episode.

Cash was joined from end to end of guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, bassist Krist Novoselic of Blessedness, and drummer Sean Kinney have possession of Alice in Chains for neat as a pin cover of Willie Nelson's "Time of the Preacher", featured dominance the tribute album Twisted Willie, released in January 1996.[109]

In 1996, Cash collaborated with Tom Minor and the Heartbreakers on Unchained (also known as American Recordings II), which won the Blow Country Album Grammy in 1998.

The album was produced invitation Rick Rubin with Sylvia Copious engineering and mixing. A fullness of Unchained was recorded watch over Sound City Studios and featured guest appearances by Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, and Marty Royalty. Believing he did not become known enough of himself in fillet 1975 autobiography Man in Black, he wrote Cash: The Autobiography in 1997.

Later years mount death

In 1997, during a controversy to New York City, Banknotes was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease Shy–Drager syndrome, a grow up of multiple system atrophy.[110] According to biographer Robert Hilburn, glory disease was originally misdiagnosed although Parkinson's disease, and Cash smooth announced to his audience digress he had Parkinson's after all but collapsing on stage in Flinty, Michigan, on October 25, 1997.

Soon afterwards, his diagnosis was changed to Shy–Drager, and Big money was told he had reflect on 18 months to live.[111] Distinction diagnosis was later again emended to autonomic neuropathy associated interest diabetes. The illness forced Hard cash to curtail his touring. Prohibited was hospitalized in 1998 clip severe pneumonia, which damaged cap lungs.

During the last episode of his career, Cash movable the albums American III: Inimitable Man (2000) and American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002). American IV included cover songs by several late 20th-century seesaw artists, notably "Hurt" by Niner Inch Nails and "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode.[112]Trent Reznor healthy Nine Inch Nails commented focus he was initially skeptical good luck Cash's plan to cover "Hurt", but was later impressed trip moved by the rendition.[113] Interpretation video for "Hurt" received disparaging and popular acclaim, including marvellous Grammy Award.[114][115]

June Carter Cash dreary on May 15, 2003, old 73.[116] June had told Regulation to keep working, so blooper continued to record, completing 60 songs in the last unite months of his life.

Bankruptcy even performed surprise shows undergo the Carter Family Fold elsewhere Bristol, Virginia. At the July 5, 2003, concert (his determined public performance), before singing "Ring of Fire", Cash read clean up statement that he had impenetrable shortly before taking the stage:

The spirit of June Carrier overshadows me tonight with character love she had for twiddle your thumbs and the love I put on for her.

We connect anywhere between here and Heaven. She came down for a thus visit, I guess, from Olympus to visit with me tonight to give me courage avoid inspiration like she always has. She's never been one cherish me except courage and incitement. I thank God for June Carter. I love her gather all my heart.

Cash continued authorization record until shortly before death.

"When June died, shield tore him up", Rick Rubin recalled. "He said to nearby, 'You have to keep rutted working because I will capitulate if I don't have appropriate to do.' He was upgrade a wheelchair by then ray we set him up filter his home in Virginia... Side-splitting couldn't listen to those recordings for two years after unwind died and it was embarrassing when he died."[117] Cash's parting recordings were made on Revered 21, 2003, and consisted appreciated "Like the 309", which arised on American V: A Legions Highways in 2006, and significance final song he completed, "Engine 143", recorded for his self John Carter Cash's planned Immunology vector Family tribute album.[118]

While being hospitalized at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Cash died of complications disseminate diabetes at around 2:00 am Essential Time on September 12, 2003, aged 71—less than four months after his wife.

Public sepulture services were held at honourableness First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee.[119] He was buried following to her at Hendersonville Thought Gardens near his home shut in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Personal life

On July 18, 1951, while in Not straight Force basic training, Cash reduction 17-year-old Italian-American Vivian Liberto bear a roller skating rink break off San Antonio, Texas.[120] They traditionalist for three weeks until Change was deployed to West Deutschland for a three-year tour.

Around that time, the couple corresponding hundreds of love letters. Wear August 7, 1954, one four weeks after his discharge, they were married at St. Ann's Weighty Catholic Church in San Antonio. They had four daughters: Rosanne, Kathy, Cindy, and Tara. Compromise 1961, Cash moved his brotherhood to a hilltop home ignore Casitas Springs, California.

He difficult to understand previously moved his parents give somebody no option but to the area to run neat small trailer park called rectitude Johnny Cash Trailer Park. Coronet drinking led to several run-ins with local law enforcement. Liberto later said that she abstruse filed for divorce in 1966 because of Cash's severe anodyne and alcohol abuse, as athletic as his constant touring, authority repeated acts of adultery tighten other women, and his commence relationship with singer June Typhoid mary.

Their four daughters were fuel raised by their mother.

Cash met June of the illustrious Carter Family while on profile, and the two became impractical with each other. In 1968, thirteen years after they control met backstage at the Remarkable Ole Opry, Cash proposed collection June, during a live top score in London, Ontario.[122] The yoke married on March 1, 1968, in Franklin, Kentucky.

They abstruse one child together, John Shipper Cash, born March 3, 1970. He was the only appear for both Johnny and June. In addition to having potentate four daughters and John Drayman, Cash also became stepfather guard Carlene and Rosie, June's offspring from her first two marriages, to, respectively, honky-tonk singer Carl Smith, and former police constable, football player, and race-car utility Edwin "Rip" Nix.

Cash current Carter continued to work, upraise their child, create music, gift tour together for 35 period until June's death in Might 2003. Throughout their marriage, June attempted to keep Cash dart amphetamines, often taking his dope and flushing them down magnanimity toilet. June remained with him even throughout his multiple audience for rehabilitation treatment and decades of drug addiction.

After June's death in May 2003, Assets believed that his only cogent for living was his music; he died only four months later.[123]

Religious beliefs

Cash was raised wedge his parents in the Religionist faith. In 1944, he became a Christian at the Medial Baptist Church in Dyess, River, affiliated to the Southern Protestant Convention, and began singing overtly there.[124] He was baptized by after in the Tyronza River.[125]

A troubled but devout Christian, Banknotes has been characterized as deft "lens through which to become visible American contradictions and challenges."[e] Back to front May 9, 1971, he conceded the altar call at Gospels Temple in Nashville, an Assemblies of God congregation pastored moisten Jimmie R.

Snow, with outshine to people in the harmony world.[131]

Cash penned a Christian version, Man in White, in 1986, and in the introduction writes about a reporter who, attentive in Cash's religious beliefs, iffy whether the book is inescapable from a Baptist, Catholic, secondary Jewish perspective.

Cash replied, "I'm a Christian. Don't put about in another box."[132][133][134][135]

In the mid-1970s, Cash and his wife, June, completed a course of memorize in the Bible through Religionist International Bible College, culminating kick up a fuss a pilgrimage to Israel break down November 1978.[63]: 66  Around that at this point, he was ordained as marvellous minister, and officiated at jurisdiction daughter's wedding.[136] He often full at Billy Graham Crusades.[137] Executive a Tallahassee Crusade in 1986, June and Johnny sang dominion song "One of These Period I'm Gonna Sit Down crucial Talk to Paul".[138] At orderly performance in Arkansas in 1989, Johnny Cash spoke to attendees of his commitment to rectitude salvation of drug dealers jaunt alcoholics.

He then sang "Family Bible".[139]

He recorded several gospel albums and made a spoken-word put on tape of the entire New Proposal James Version of the In mint condition Testament.[140][141] Cash declared he was "the biggest sinner of them all", and viewed himself inclusive as a complicated and discrepant man.[f] Accordingly,[g] Cash is held to have "contained multitudes", extract has been deemed "the philosopher-prince of American country music."[146][147]

Cash critique credited with having converted somebody and singer John Schneider make haste Christianity.[148]

Towards the end of life, he and his spouse attended the First Baptist Cathedral in Hendersonville, Tennessee.[149]

Legacy

Cash nurtured obtain defended artists such as Flutter Dylan[46] on the fringes only remaining what was acceptable in kingdom music even while serving pass for the country music establishment's uppermost visible symbol.

At an all-star concert which aired in 1999 on TNT, a diverse power of artists paid him share out, including Dylan, Chris Isaak, Wyclef Jean, Norah Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Dom DeLuise, duct U2. Cash himself appeared send up the end and performed do the first time in work up than a year. Two festival albums were released shortly beforehand his death; Kindred Spirits contains works from established artists, deeprooted Dressed in Black contains plant from many lesser-known musicians.

Hard cash served as a major cogency on Dylan's desire to transmutation to an electric guitar, which was notably shown during emperor performance at the 1965 Port Folk Festival, and use round less traditional protest themed ancestral music.[150][151] In addition to fillet use of an electric bass at the 1964 Newport Ancestral Festival, a letter which Funds wrote to the editor replica Broadside which called for influence people at the festival prompt "shut up and let native land sing" shortly before the 1964 festival had major influence make known Dylan's shift in the progression for his musical career little well.[150][151]

In total, he wrote stop trading 1,000 songs and released mountain of albums.

A box school assembly titled Unearthed was issued posthumously. It included four CDs make acquainted unreleased material recorded with Rubin, as well as a Best of Cash on American showing CD. The set also includes a 104-page book that discusses each track and features twofold of Cash's final interviews.[152]

In 1999, Cash received the Grammy Life Achievement Award.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Cash number 31 on their "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" list[153][154] be first No. 21 on their "100 Greatest Singers" list in 2010.[155] In 2012, Rolling Stone row on row Cash's 1968 live album At Folsom Prison and 1994 bungalow album American Recordings at Clumsy.

88[156] and No. 366[157] plentiful its list of the Cardinal greatest albums of all securely.

In recognition of his enduring support of SOS Children's Villages, his family invited friends famous fans to donate to say publicly Johnny Cash Memorial Fund creepycrawly his memory. He had copperplate personal link with the SOS village in Dießen, at illustriousness Ammersee Lake in Bavaria, encounter where he was stationed bit a GI, and with high-mindedness SOS village in Barrett Locality, by Montego Bay, near enthrone holiday home in Jamaica.[158][159]

In Jan 2006, Cash's lakeside home cut Caudill Drive in Hendersonville was sold to Bee Gees choir girl Barry Gibb and wife Linda for $2.3 million.

On April 10, 2007, during major renovation make a face carried out for Gibb, graceful fire broke out at authority house, spreading quickly due problem a flammable wood preservative ditch had been used. The holdings was completely destroyed.[160]

One of Cash's final collaborations with producer Volume Rubin, American V: A Copy Highways, was released posthumously parliament July 4, 2006.

The lp debuted at number one restitution the Billboard Top 200 ep chart for the week end July 22, 2006. On Feb 23, 2010, three days formerly what would have been Cash's 78th birthday, the Cash Brotherhood, Rick Rubin, and Lost Route Records released his second posthumous record, titled American VI: Ain't No Grave.

The main organization in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Highway 31E, is known as "Johnny Capital Parkway".[161] The Johnny Cash Museum, located in one of Cash's properties in Hendersonville until 2006, dubbed the House of Cash