Johnny Cash 1958

Johnny Cash 1958, hand-drawn with his custom Gibson J200 Cherry Sunburst jumbo guitar in his motel room while on tour, August 1, 1958, age 26.

Cash was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records
worldwide. Although primarily remembered as a country music icon, his genre-spanning songs and sound embraced rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel.
This crossover appeal won Cash the rare honor of multiple inductions in the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.

Early in his career, Cash was given the teasing nickname “The Undertaker” by fellow artists because of his habit of wearing black clothes.
He said he chose them because they were easier to keep looking clean on long tours.

Cash was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the distinctive sound of his “Tennessee Three” backing band, which is characterized by train-sound guitar rhythms;
a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark, all-black stage wardrobe, which earned him the nickname
“The Man in Black”. He traditionally began his concerts by simply introducing himself, “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash,” followed by his signature song “Folsom Prison Blues”.

His signature songs include “I Walk The Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Ring of Fire”, “Get Rhythm”, “Jackson”, “Hey Porter”, “Orange Blossom Special” and “Man in Black”.
During the last stage of his career, Cash covered songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails and “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode.
His last original song he recorded was “When The Man Comes Around” (2002).

As his career was taking off in the late 1950s, Cash started drinking heavily and became addicted to amphetamines and barbiturates. For a brief time, he shared an apartment
in Nashville with Waylon Jennings, who was deeply addicted to amphetamines. Cash used the uppers to stay awake during tours. Friends joked about his “nervousness” and erratic behavior,
many ignoring the warning signs of his worsening drug addiction. It took two decades for him to end his addictions, mostly through the influence of his second wife, June Carter Cash.

Cash died of complications from diabetes on September 12, 2003, aged 71, less than four months after the death of his wife, June Carter.
It was suggested that Johnny’s health worsened due to a broken heart over June’s death.

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