My Revue on Johnny Cash!

I decided this morning to write about Johnny Cash. I really like a lot of his music. I also grew up listening to his music with my parents. I know it is his deep voice that gets to me and the southern drawl.

Johnny was born on February 26th, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas. He passed away on September 12th, 2003 at the age of 71. He was the third child of seven children.

The style of music for Johnny Cash is Country, Rock, Rockabilly, Folk and Blues. He does vocals and plays the guitar and harmonica.


Johnny always looked up to his older brother Jack growing up. At the age of 5 Johnny was working in the cotton field with his family. Johnny's brother Jack worked at a saw mill in town. One day when Jack was 15 he was at work at the saw mill he was almost cut in half. He was pulled in a whirling head saw. This day Jack and Johnny were suppose to go fishing. But Jack wanted to go to work to make money for the family.

Johnny was inspired by Gospel music at a very early age. As a young boy he began to play the guitar and writing music. In high school he sang on a local radio station and later he released an album called My Mother's Hymn Book.

Johnny enlisted in the United States Air Force. His basic training was in San Antonio, Texas. Then he was transferred to Germany. He was honorably discharged from the service in 1954.

He was arrested seven times but never had to spend time in prison. He did have to spend a night in jail a couple of times. This was when his career was taking off and he was drinking heavily and started to take amphetamines and barbiturates. His friends would joke around and say he is really nervous. But this was how bad he was on the drugs. He would have to take uppers to stay awake during a show. He has tried every drug there was to try.

Johnny was married to Vivian and they had four girls. Then they divorced and he married June Carter and they had a boy. Johnny and Vivian moved to Memphis and he was selling appliances before his career took off. One day he went to audition for Sam Phillips and he sang gospel. Sam told him that gospel wasn't selling at the time. So Johnny played one of his country songs and Sam signed him on.

Folsom Prison Blues was on the top five list the next one was Walk The Line that went to number one on the country charts. This was just the start of the many hit songs that Johnny would have in his career.

Then he had his own t.v. show called The Johnny Cash Show this was in 1969-1971. He had special guests like Carl Perkins, The Carter Family, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and Kenny Rogers are some of the people he had on the show. He also had Kris Kristofferson on the show and help him get his singing and song writing career going.

in the early 70's he started to perform in black. The reason for him wearing the black was for the poor, hungry the people in prison and the Vietnam war. That is how he had gotten the name The Man In Black.

In 1980 Johnny was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. By my surprise to find out he was the youngest person to be inducted. In the mid 80's he recorded and tour with the Highwaymen. It was Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. In 1988 Johnny had a double by pass surgery.

In 1993 Johnny sang with U2's album Zooropa the song The Wanderer. Johnny also teamed up with Brooks & Dunn to sing Folsom Prison Blues on the Red Hot & Country for Aids Benefit. He also sang the Bob Dylan favorite Forever Young. Johnny and June had many special guest apperances on Dr. Quinn show. Johnny also enlisted the accompaniment of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Unchained. Then won Best Country Album at the Grammy.

In 1997 he was diagnosed with neurodegenitive disease, sky-drager syndrome a form of Parkinson's disease. Later Altered to autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes. The albums American III Solitary Man & American IV The Man Comes Around is the way he is responding to his illness in the form of songs. The video Hurt fits the veiw of his past feelings of regret.

Right before June passed away she told him to keep working. Then two months after she passed away Johnny went to the Carter Family Fold in Virginia. Then right before he sang The Ring of Fire he read a statement that he had just written. " The spirit of June Carter shadows over me tonight with the love she had for me and the love I have for her. We connect somewhere between here and heaven. She came down for a short visit  I guess, From heaven to visit me tonight to give me courage and inspiration like she always has.

He is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also has numerous awards. He has had a awesome career and some of his kids are following in his and June's footsteps with the music. He does have a lot of great music out there and I know I really didn't mention a lot of that. I am really sorry about that.

I just hope you do like this revue about Johnny Cash and I look forward to you comments.