Few voices in popular music are as instantly recognisable as Johnny Cash's. That deep, steady baritone carried country, rockabilly, gospel and folk into living rooms around the world, and more than two decades after his death in 2003 his songs still feel as direct and honest as the day they were cut.
From Sun Records in Memphis to two legendary prison concerts and a late-career revival with producer Rick Rubin, this is the story of the Man in Black. Browse more legends in our music collection.
Johnny Cash Fact File
| Full name | J. R. Cash (later known as John R. Cash) |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 February 1932 |
| Place of birth | Kingsland, Arkansas, USA |
| Died | 12 September 2003, Nashville, Tennessee (aged 71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, musician, actor |
| Years active | 1954-2003 |
| Genres | Country, rockabilly, rock and roll, folk, gospel, blues |
| Labels | Sun, Columbia, Mercury, American Recordings |
| Signature look | All-black stage clothes |
| Nickname | The Man in Black |
Career History
| Years | Label | Key albums |
|---|---|---|
| 1955-1958 | Sun | With His Hot and Blue Guitar! (1957) |
| 1958-1960s | Columbia | The Fabulous Johnny Cash (1958), Ride This Train (1960), Bitter Tears (1964) |
| 1968-1971 | Columbia | At Folsom Prison (1968), At San Quentin (1969), Man in Black (1971) |
| 1980s | Columbia | Johnny 99 (1983), Class of '55 (1986) |
| 1987-1991 | Mercury | Water from the Wells of Home (1988) |
| 1994-2003 | American Recordings | American Recordings (1994), Unchained (1996), American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002) |
| Posthumous | American / Columbia | American V (2006), American VI (2010), Songwriter (2024) |
Years show the label period; albums listed are a selection of his best-known releases, not a full discography.
Early Years in Arkansas
Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, in 1932 and grew up in a farming family, where gospel music and the radio were constant companions. He served in the US Air Force from 1950 to 1954, leaving as a staff sergeant.
He then settled in Memphis and signed to Sun Records, the label that launched Elvis Presley. His first Sun single, "Cry! Cry! Cry!" backed with "Hey, Porter", arrived in 1955.
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The Sun Breakthrough and Columbia Years
At Sun, Cash quickly found his sound: the steady "boom-chicka-boom" rhythm of the Tennessee Two behind that unmistakable voice. "I Walk the Line" became a country number one and "Folsom Prison Blues" a top-five country hit. In 1958 he moved to Columbia Records, where he would stay for almost three decades.
The 1960s brought concept albums such as Ride This Train and Bitter Tears, and in 1967 he won his first Grammy for "Jackson", a duet with June Carter. The pair married in 1968.
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Folsom, San Quentin and Television
On 13 January 1968 Cash recorded a concert inside Folsom State Prison in California. At Folsom Prison was a huge success and was followed in 1969 by At San Quentin, which featured "A Boy Named Sue", a country number one and pop number two. From June 1969 to March 1971 he hosted The Johnny Cash Show on ABC.
The Highwaymen and the American Recordings
In the mid-1980s Cash teamed up with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson as The Highwaymen. In 1994 he began working with producer Rick Rubin on the American Recordings series. The stripped-back records won him new fans, and his video for "Hurt" won an MTV Video Music Award in 2003 and a Grammy for Best Short Form Video in 2004.
Honours
Halls of Fame
- Country Music Hall of Fame (1980)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1992)
Awards
- Multiple Grammy Awards, from "Jackson" (1967) to Best Country Album for Unchained
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1999)
- Kennedy Center Honors (1996)
- National Medal of Arts (2001)
Away From the Spotlight
Cash married June Carter in Franklin, Kentucky, on 1 March 1968, and the couple performed and recorded together for decades. His life story reached cinemas in 2005 with Walk the Line, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Cash. His music still finds new life, with the album Songwriter, built from 1993 demos, released in June 2024.
FAQs
How old was Johnny Cash when he died?
Johnny Cash was 71 when he died on 12 September 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Where was Johnny Cash born?
He was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, on 26 February 1932.
What was Johnny Cash's real name?
He was born J. R. Cash and used the name John R. Cash when he joined the US Air Force in 1950.
Why was Johnny Cash called the Man in Black?
He was famous for performing in black, and his 1971 song and album Man in Black explained that he wore it on behalf of people who were poor and forgotten.
When did Johnny Cash play Folsom Prison?
He recorded At Folsom Prison on 13 January 1968, and the album was released later that year.
Who played Johnny Cash in Walk the Line?
Joaquin Phoenix played Cash in the 2005 biopic Walk the Line.
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Part of our Icon Profiles series. Read next: Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen.
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