Johnny Cash

johnny-cash

Channel Views: 8,225
Total Upload Views: 3,052
Subscribers: 3
Joined: May 16, 2012
Last Visit Date: 2023-05-04T16:49:50

Artist Bio

Johnny Cash was one of the most imposing and influential figures in post-World War II country music. With his deep, resonant baritone and spare, percussive guitar, he had a basic, distinctive sound. Cash didn't sound like Nashville, nor did he sound like honky tonk or rock & roll. He created his own subgenre, falling halfway between the blunt emotional honesty of folk, the rebelliousness of rock & roll, and the world-weariness of country. Cash's career coincided with the birth of rock & roll, and his rebellious attitude and simple, direct musical attack shared a lot of similarities with rock. However, there was a deep sense of history — as he would later illustrate with his series of historical albums — that kept him forever tied with country. And he was one of country music's biggest stars of the '50s and '60s, scoring well over 100 hit singles.Cash was born and raised in Arkansas, moving to Dyess when he was three. By the time he was 12 years old, he had begun writing his own songs. He was inspired by the country songs he had heard on the radio. While he was in high school, he sang on the Arkansas radio station KLCN. Cash graduated from high school in 1950, moving to Detroit to work in an auto factory for a brief while. With the outbreak of the Korean War, he enlisted in the Air Force. While he was in the Air Force, Cash bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. He began writing songs in earnest, including "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash left the Air Force in 1954, married a Texas woman named Vivian Leberto, and moved to Memphis, where he took a radio announcing course at a broadcasting school on the GI Bill. During the evenings, he played country music in a trio that also consisted of guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. The trio occasionally played for free on a local radio station, KWEM, and tried to secure gigs and an audition at Sun Records. Cash finally landed an audition with Sun Records and its founder, Sam Phillips, in 1955. Initially, Cash presented himself as a gospel singer, but Phillips turned him down. Phillips asked him to come back with something more commercial. Cash returned with "Hey Porter," which immediately caught Phillips' ear. Soon, Cash released "Cry Cry Cry"/"Hey Porter" as his debut single for Sun. On the single, Phillips billed Cash as "Johnny," which upset the singer because he felt it sounded too young; the record producer also dubbed Perkins and Grant as the Tennessee Two. "Cry Cry Cry" became a success upon its release in 1955, entering the country charts at number 14 and leading to a spot on The Louisiana Hayride, where he stayed for nearly a year. A second single, "Folsom Prison Blues," reached the country Top Five in early 1956 and its follow-up, "I Walk the Line," was number one for six weeks and crossed over into the pop Top 20. Cash had an equally successful year in 1957, scoring several country hits including the Top 15 "Give My Love to Rose." Cash also made his Grand Ole Opry debut that year, appearing all in black where the other performers were decked out in flamboyant, rhinestone-studded outfits. Eventually, he earned the nickname of "The Man in Black." Cash became the first Sun artist to release a long-playing album in November of 1957, when Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar hit the stores. Cash's success continued to roll throughout 1958, as he earned his biggest hit, "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" (number one for ten weeks), as well another number one single, "Guess Things Happen That Way." For most of 1958, Cash attempted to record a gospel album, but Sun refused to allow him to record one. Sun also was unwilling to increase Cash's record royalties. Both of these were deciding factors in the vocalist's decision to sign with Columbia Records in 1958. By the end of the year, he had released his first single for the label, "All Over Again," which became another Top Five success. Sun continued to release singles and albums of unissued Cash material into the '60s."Don't Take Your Guns to Town," Cash's second single for Columbia, was one of his biggest hits, reaching the top of the country charts and crossing over into the pop charts in the beginning of 1959. Throughout that year, Columbia and Sun singles vied for the top of the charts. Generally, the Columbia releases — "Frankie's Man Johnny," "I Got Stripes," and "Five Feet High and Rising" — fared better than the Sun singles, but "Luther Played the Boogie" did climb into the Top Ten. That same year, Cash had the chance to make his gospel record — Hymns by Johnny Cash — which kicked off a series of thematic albums that ran into the '70s.The Tennessee Two became the Tennessee Three in 1960 with the addition of drummer W.S. Holland. Though he was continuing to have hits, the relentless pace of his career was beginning to take a toll on Cash. In 1959, he had begun taking amphetamines to help him get through his schedule of nearly 300 shows a year. By 1961, his drug intake had increased dramatically and his work was affected, which was reflected by a declining number of hit singles and albums. By 1963, he had moved to New York, leaving his family behind. He was running into trouble with the law, most notably for starting a forest fire out West. June Carter — who was the wife of one of Cash's drinking buddies, Carl Smith — would provide Cash with his return to the top of the charts with "Ring of Fire," which she co-wrote with Merle Kilgore. "Ring of Fire" spent seven weeks on the top of the charts and was a Top 20 pop hit. Cash continued his success in 1964 as "Understand Your Man" became a number one hit. However, Cash's comeback was short-lived as he sank further into addiction, and his hit singles arrived sporadically. Cash was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country through his guitar case in 1965. That same year, the Grand Ole Opry refused to have him perform and he wrecked the establishment's footlights. In 1966, his wife Vivian filed for divorce. After the divorce, Cash moved to Nashville. At first, he was as destructive as he ever had been, but he became close friends with June Carter, who had divorced Carl Smith. With Carter's help, he was able to shake his addictions; she also converted Cash to fundamentalist Christianity. His career began to bounce back as "Jackson" and "Rosanna's Going Wild" became Top Ten hits. Early in 1968, Cash proposed marriage to Carter during a concert; the pair were married that spring.Also in 1968, Cash recorded and released his most popular album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. Recorded during a prison concert, the album spawned the number one country hit "Folsom Prison Blues," which also crossed over into the pop charts. By the end of the year, the record had gone gold. The following year, he released a sequel, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, which had his only Top Ten pop single, "A Boy Named Sue," which peaked at number three; it also hit number one on the country charts. Cash guested on Bob Dylan's 1969 country-rock album Nashville Skyline. Dylan returned the favor by appearing on the first episode of The Johnny Cash Show, the singer's television program for ABC. The Johnny Cash Show ran for two years, between 1969 and 1971.Cash was reaching a second peak of popularity in 1970. In addition to his television show, he performed for President Richard Nixon at the White House, acted with Kirk Douglas in The Gunfight, sang with John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and he was the subject of a documentary film. His record sales were equally healthy as "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and "Flesh and Blood" were number one hits. Throughout 1971, Cash continued to have hits, including the Top Three "Man in Black." Both Cash and Carter became more socially active in the early '70s, campaigning for the civil rights of Native Americans and prisoners, as well as frequently working with Billy Graham. In the mid-'70s, Cash's presence on the country charts began to decline, but he continued to have a series of minor hits and the occasional chart-topper like 1976's "One Piece at a Time," or Top Ten hits like the Waylon Jennings duet "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" and "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." Man in Black, Cash's autobiography, was published in 1975. In 1980, he became the youngest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. However, the '80s were a rough time for Cash as his record sales continued to decline and he ran into trouble with Columbia. Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis teamed up to record The Survivors in 1982, which was a mild success. The Highwaymen — a band featuring Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson — released their first album in 1985, which was also moderately successful. The following year, Cash and Columbia Records ended their relationship and he signed with Mercury Nashville. The new label didn't prove to be a success, as the company and the singer fought over stylistic direction. Furthermore, country radio had begun to favor more contemporary artists, and Cash soon found himself shut out of the charts. Nevertheless, he continued to be a popular concert performer.The Highwaymen recorded a second album in 1992, and it was more commercially successful than any of Cash's Mercury records. Around that time, his contract with Mercury ended. In 1993, he signed a contract with American Records. His first album for the label, American Recordings, was produced by the label's founder, Rick Rubin, and was a stark, acoustic collection of songs. American Recordings, while not a blockbuster success, revived his career critically and brought him in touch with a younger, rock-oriented audience. In 1995, the Highwaymen released their third album, The Road Goes on Forever. The following year, Cash released his second album for American Records, Unchained, which featured support from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. His VH1 Storytellers outing was released in 1998, and in the spring of 2000, Cash compiled Love, God, Murder, a three-disc retrospective focusing on the major songwriting themes dominant throughout his career. The new studio album American III: Solitary Man appeared later that year. Health problems plagued Cash throughout the '90s and into the 2000s, but he continued to record with Rubin; their fourth collaboration, American IV: The Man Comes Around, was released in late 2002. The following year, the Mark Romanek-directed video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" garnered considerable acclaim and media attention, culminating in an unexpected nomination for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Not long after the video sparked numerous stories, his beloved wife June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003, of complications following heart surgery. Four months later, Johnny died of complications from diabetes in Nashville, TN. He was 71. Five months later, the compilation Legend of Johnny Cash became a Top Ten hit. In 2006 Lost Highway released the next-to-last installment of Cash's legendary "American" recordings, American V: A Hundred Highways, from the late singer's last sessions with collaborator Rick Rubin. The final installment from those sessions appeared as American VI: Ain't No Grave, in early 2010, and is reported to be the last of the American Recordings releases.

Johnny's Website

Johnny on Facebook

Classic+Johnny+Cash+Performance+Of+%27Bonanza%27+Theme+Song

Classic Johnny Cash Performance Of 'Bonanza' Theme Song

All Videos

LATEST | POPULAR

Classic Johnny Cash Performance Of 'Bonanza' Th...

Johnny Cash Albums

Keep On the Sunny Side - June Carter Cash: Her Life In Music
August 2005
Share
Album Tracks
- No Swallerin' Place
- Love Oh Crazy Love
- He Went Slippin' Around
- Well I Guess I Told You Off
- Strange Woman
- The Heel
- How Did You Get Away from Me
- Tall Lover Man
- Without a Love to Call My Own
- Ring of Fire
- Keep On the Sunny Side
- Keep On the Sunny Side
- Oh! Susannah
- Root, Hog or Die
- Baby, It's Cold Outside
- Country Girl
- Foggy Mountain Top
- Fair and Tender Ladies
- He's Solid Gone
- Juke Box Blues
- The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore
- East Virginia Blues
- Gone
- Appalachian Pride
- I Love You Sweetheart
- Another Broken Hearted Girl
- Song to John
- Far Side Banks of Jordan
- Diamonds In the Rough
- Will the Circle Be Unbroken
- Jackson
- Keep On the Sunny Side
- If I Were a Carpenter
- The Loving Gift
- A Good Man
- Ole Slewfoot
- Losin' You
- The Shadow of a Lady
- Gatsby's Restaurant
- Once Before I Die
Christmas With Johnny Cash
September 2003
Share
Album Tracks
- Joy to the World
- Silent Night
- Christmas As I Knew It
- I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day
- The Christmas Guest
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- The Gifts They Gave
- Blue Christmas
- Merry Christmas Mary
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- Away In a Manger
- The Christmas Spirit
Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town/Boom Chicka Boom
February 2003
Share
Album Tracks
- My Ship Will Sail
- A Backstage Pass
- Cat's In the Cradle
- Farmer's Almanac
- Don't Go Near the Water
- Family Bible
- Harley
- I Love You, Love You
- Hidden Shame
- Monteagle Mountain
- The Big Light
- That's One You Owe Me
- The Ballad of Barbara
- I'd Rather Have You
- Let Him Roll
- The Night Hank Williams Came to Town
- Sixteen Tons
- Letters from Home
- W. Lee O'Daniel (And the Light Crust Dough Boys)
- Heavy Metal (Don't Mean Rock 'n Roll to Me)
Water from the Wells of Home (Bonus Tracks)
February 2003
Share
Album Tracks
- Water from the Wells of Home
- Johnny Cash Talks about Water from the Wells of Home (Interview)
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- As Long as I Live
- Where Did We Go Right
- The Last of the Drifters
- Call Me the Breeze
- That Old Wheel
- Sweeter Than the Flowers
- A Croft in Clachan (The Ballad of Rob Macdunn)
- New Moon Over Jamaica
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: Best of Johnny Cash
May 2002
Share
Album Tracks
- Home of the Blues (Re-Recorded)
- Cat's in the Cradle
- Wanted Man (Re-Recorded)
- The Night Hank Williams Came to Town
- Cry, Cry, Cry (Re-Recorded)
- Long Black Veil (Re-Recorded)
- I Walk the Line (Re-Recorded)
- Tennessee Flat Top Box (Re-Recorded)
- Get Rhythm (Re-Recorded)
- I Still Miss Someone (Re-Recorded)
- Blue Train (Re-Recorded)
- Folsom Prison Blues (Re-Recorded)
Carryin' On With Johnny Cash & June Carter
March 2002
Share
Album Tracks
- No, No, No
- What'd I Say
- The Wind Changes
- From Sea to Shining Sea
- Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man
- Shantytown
- It Ain't Me, Babe
- Fast Boat to Sydney
- Pack Up Your Sorrows
- I Got a Woman
- Jackson
- Oh, What a Good Thing We Had
- You'll Be All Right
The Essential Johnny Cash
February 2002
Share
Album Tracks
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town | 3:02
- Five Feet High and Rising | 1:45
- The Rebel-Johnny Yuma | 1:51
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box | 2:58
- I Still Miss Someone | 2:34
- Ring of Fire | 2:35
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes | 4:07
- Orange Blossom Special | 3:06
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord) | 3:51
- Hey Porter | 2:13
- Cry, Cry, Cry | 2:23
- I Walk the Line | 2:43
- Get Rhythm | 2:12
- There You Go | 2:17
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen | 2:09
- Big River | 2:29
- Guess Things Happen That Way | 1:49
- All Over Again | 2:12
- Flesh and Blood | 2:36
- Man In Black | 2:52
- Ragged Old Flag | 3:08
- One Piece At a Time | 4:01
- (Ghost) Riders In the Sky | 3:44
- Song of the Patriot
- Highwayman | 3:03
- The Night Hank Williams Came to Town
- The Wanderer
- It Ain't Me, Babe
- The One On the Right Is On the Left | 2:47
- Jackson
- Folsom Prison Blues | 2:42
- Daddy Sang Bass | 2:20
- Girl from the North Country | 3:42
- A Boy Named Sue | 3:46
- If I Were a Carpenter | 2:59
- Sunday Morning Coming Down | 4:09
Johnny Cash - 16 Biggest Hits Volume II
June 2001
Share
Album Tracks
- Blistered
- A Thing Called Love
- Oney
- Any Old Wind That Blows
- There Ain't No Good Chain Gang (with Waylon Jennings)
- Highwayman
- Over the Next Hill (We'll Be Home)
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- I Got Stripes
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- Busted
- Green, Green Grass of Home
- Orange Blossom Special
- The One On the Right Is On the Left
- The Lady Came from Baltimore
- To Beat the Devil
The Man In Black - His Greatest Hits
March 1999
Share
Album Tracks
- Ring of Fire
- There Ain't No Good Chain Gang
- Big River
- The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
- What Is Truth
- One Piece At a Time
- Folsom Prison Blues
- I Walk the Line
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- Jackson
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- Flesh and Blood
- Daddy Sang Bass
- A Boy Named Sue
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Highwayman
- If I Were a Carpenter
- A Thing Called Love
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- I Still Miss Someone
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- Man In Black
- Understand Your Man
- There You Go
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- Girl from the North Country
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
- Five Feet High and Rising
- Orange Blossom Special
- (Ghost) Riders In the Sky
Johnny Cash: 16 Biggest Hits
January 1999
Share
Album Tracks
- Daddy Sang Bass
- A Boy Named Sue
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
- Flesh and Blood
- Man In Black
- One Piece At a Time
- (Ghost) Riders In the Sky
- I Walk the Line
- I Still Miss Someone
- The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- In the Jailhouse Now
- Ring of Fire
- Understand Your Man
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- Folsom Prison Blues
The Essential Johnny Cash (1955-1983)
June 1998
Share
Album Tracks
- Doin' My Time
- Big River
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- The Ways of a Woman In Love
- Thanks a Lot
- Oh, What a Dream
- What Do I Care
- All Over Again
- I Still Miss Someone
- Hey Porter
- I'd Just Be Fool Enough (To Fall)
- Walking the Blues
- Frankie's Man, Johnny
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- Sing It Pretty, Sue
- Pickin' Time
- Five Feet High and Rising
- The Old Account
- (There'll Be) Peace In the Valley (For Me)
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Luther Played the Boogie
- Get Rhythm
- I Walk the Line
- Home of the Blues
- Give My Love to Rose
- Rock Island Line
- I Got Stripes
- 25 Minutes to Go
- The Wall
- Busted
- Bad News
- Dirty Old Egg-SUcking Dog
- Orange Blossom Special
- Ring of Fire
- Understand Your Man
- Jackson
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Blistered
- See Ruby Fall
- The Ballad of Boot Hill
- The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
- The Big Battle
- When the Roses Bloom Again
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
- Dark As a Dungeon
- The Long Black Veil
Ring of Fire - The Best of Johnny Cash
February 1995
Share
Album Tracks
- Remember the Alamo
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- (There'll Be) Peace In the Valley (For Me)
- Ring of Fire
- I'd Still Be There
- What Do I Care
- I Still Miss Someone
- Forty Shades of Green
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- The Rebel - Johnny Yuma
- Bonanza!
- The Big Battle
Super Hits
November 1994
Share
Album Tracks
- One Piece at a Time | 3:59
- Ring of Fire | 2:37
- Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down | 4:07
- I Walk the Line | 2:42
- Folsom Prison Blues | 2:47
- Understand Your Man | 2:43
- Big River | 2:30
- I Still Miss Someone | 2:34
- Jackson | 2:45
- A Boy Named Sue | 3:47
Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian)
October 1994
Share
Album Tracks
- As Long As the Grass Shall Grow
- Apache Tears
- Custer
- The Talking Leaves
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- Drums
- White Girl
- The Vanishing Race
At San Quentin (The Complete 1969 Concert)
May 1994
Share
Album Tracks
- Wanted Man
- A Boy Named Sue
- (There'll Be) Peace In the Valley
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Ring of Fire
- He Turned the Water Into Wine
- Daddy Sang Bass
- The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago
- Closing Medley: Folsom Prison Blues /I Walk the Line / Ring of Fire / The Rebel - Johnny Yuma
- Big River
- I Still Miss Someone
- Wreck of tsanhe Old 97
- I Walk The Line
- Darlin' Companion
- I Don't Know Where I'm Bound
- Starkville City Jail
- San Quentin
- San Quentin
The Gospel Collection
July 1992
Share
Album Tracks
- These Things Shall Pass
- He'll Be a Friend
- God Will
- He'll Understand and Say Well Done
- God Must Have My Fortune Laid Away
- When I've Learned
- I Got Shoes
- Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
- If We Never Meet Again
- When I Take My Vacation In Heaven
- It Was Jesus
- When the Savior Reached Down for Me
- Taller Than Trees
- I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone
- My God Is Real (Yes, God Is Real)
- These Hands
- I Saw a Man
- Are All the Children In
- The Old Account
- Lead Me Gently Home
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
- Snow In His Hair
- Lead Me Father
- I Call Him
At Folsom Prison (Live)
January 1991
Share
Album Tracks
- The Wall
- Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog
- Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart
- Joe Bean
- Jackson
- Give My Love to Rose (feat. June Carter) [Live]
- I Got Stripes
- The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
- Green, Green Grass of Home
- Greystone Chapel
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Busted
- Dark As the Dungeon
- I Still Miss Someone
- Cocaine Blues
- 25 Minutes to Go
- Orange Blossom Special
- The Long Black Veil
- Send a Picture of Mother
Classic Cash: Hall of Fame Series (Re-Recorded Versions)
September 1990
Share
Album Tracks
- Peace In the Valley
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Home of the Blues
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- I Got Stripes
- I Walk the Line
- Ring of Fire
- Ballad of Ira Hayes
- The Ways of a Woman in Love
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Get Rhythm
- Suppertime
- Tennessee Flat Top Box
- Long Black Veil
- Thing Called Love
- I Still Miss Someone
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Blue Train
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
- Five Feet High and Rising
Highwayman
June 1986
Share
Album Tracks
- The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over | 3:35
- Highwayman | 3:03
- The Last Cowboy Song | 3:11
- Jim, I Wore a Tie Today | 3:22
- Big River | 2:49
- Committed to Parkview | 3:21
- Desperados Waiting for a Train | 4:37
- Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos) | 3:47
- Welfare Line | 2:37
- Against the Wind | 3:50
Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash
November 1964
Share
Album Tracks
- I Forgot to Remember to Forget
- Two Timin' Woman
- Story of a Broken Heart
- Always Alone
- Country Boy
- Goodnight Irene
- Wide Open Road
- Thanks a Lot
- Big River
- Belshazzar
- Born to Lose
- New Mexico
Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous
January 1958
Share
Album Tracks
- I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You
- Home of the Blues
- Big River
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- There You Go
- I Walk the Line
- Don't Make Me Go
- Train of Love
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- Ways of a Woman In Love
- Next In Line
- You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven
With His Hot and Blue Guitar
January 1957
Share
Album Tracks
- Wreck of the Old '97
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Doin' My Time
- Rock Island Line
- I Heard That Lonesome Whistle
- Country Boy
- If the Good Lord's Willing
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Remember Me, I'm the One Who Love's You
- So Doggone Lonesome
- I Was There When It Happened
- I Walk the Line

Johnny Cash

Channel Views: 8,225
Subscribers: 3
Last Visit Date: 2023-05-04T16:49:50
Total Upload Views: 3,052
Joined: May 16, 2012
Artist Bio
Johnny Cash was one of the most imposing and influential figures in post-World War II country music. With his deep, resonant baritone and spare, percussive guitar, he had a basic, distinctive sound. Cash didn't sound like Nashville, nor did he sound like honky tonk or rock & roll. He created his own subgenre, falling halfway between the blunt emotional honesty of folk, the rebelliousness of rock & roll, and the world-weariness of country. Cash's career coincided with the birth of rock & roll, and his rebellious attitude and simple, direct musical attack shared a lot of similarities with rock. However, there was a deep sense of history — as he would later illustrate with his series of historical albums — that kept him forever tied with country. And he was one of country music's biggest stars of the '50s and '60s, scoring well over 100 hit singles.Cash was born and raised in Arkansas, moving to Dyess when he was three. By the time he was 12 years old, he had begun writing his own songs. He was inspired by the country songs he had heard on the radio. While he was in high school, he sang on the Arkansas radio station KLCN. Cash graduated from high school in 1950, moving to Detroit to work in an auto factory for a brief while. With the outbreak of the Korean War, he enlisted in the Air Force. While he was in the Air Force, Cash bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. He began writing songs in earnest, including "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash left the Air Force in 1954, married a Texas woman named Vivian Leberto, and moved to Memphis, where he took a radio announcing course at a broadcasting school on the GI Bill. During the evenings, he played country music in a trio that also consisted of guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. The trio occasionally played for free on a local radio station, KWEM, and tried to secure gigs and an audition at Sun Records. Cash finally landed an audition with Sun Records and its founder, Sam Phillips, in 1955. Initially, Cash presented himself as a gospel singer, but Phillips turned him down. Phillips asked him to come back with something more commercial. Cash returned with "Hey Porter," which immediately caught Phillips' ear. Soon, Cash released "Cry Cry Cry"/"Hey Porter" as his debut single for Sun. On the single, Phillips billed Cash as "Johnny," which upset the singer because he felt it sounded too young; the record producer also dubbed Perkins and Grant as the Tennessee Two. "Cry Cry Cry" became a success upon its release in 1955, entering the country charts at number 14 and leading to a spot on The Louisiana Hayride, where he stayed for nearly a year. A second single, "Folsom Prison Blues," reached the country Top Five in early 1956 and its follow-up, "I Walk the Line," was number one for six weeks and crossed over into the pop Top 20. Cash had an equally successful year in 1957, scoring several country hits including the Top 15 "Give My Love to Rose." Cash also made his Grand Ole Opry debut that year, appearing all in black where the other performers were decked out in flamboyant, rhinestone-studded outfits. Eventually, he earned the nickname of "The Man in Black." Cash became the first Sun artist to release a long-playing album in November of 1957, when Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar hit the stores. Cash's success continued to roll throughout 1958, as he earned his biggest hit, "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" (number one for ten weeks), as well another number one single, "Guess Things Happen That Way." For most of 1958, Cash attempted to record a gospel album, but Sun refused to allow him to record one. Sun also was unwilling to increase Cash's record royalties. Both of these were deciding factors in the vocalist's decision to sign with Columbia Records in 1958. By the end of the year, he had released his first single for the label, "All Over Again," which became another Top Five success. Sun continued to release singles and albums of unissued Cash material into the '60s."Don't Take Your Guns to Town," Cash's second single for Columbia, was one of his biggest hits, reaching the top of the country charts and crossing over into the pop charts in the beginning of 1959. Throughout that year, Columbia and Sun singles vied for the top of the charts. Generally, the Columbia releases — "Frankie's Man Johnny," "I Got Stripes," and "Five Feet High and Rising" — fared better than the Sun singles, but "Luther Played the Boogie" did climb into the Top Ten. That same year, Cash had the chance to make his gospel record — Hymns by Johnny Cash — which kicked off a series of thematic albums that ran into the '70s.The Tennessee Two became the Tennessee Three in 1960 with the addition of drummer W.S. Holland. Though he was continuing to have hits, the relentless pace of his career was beginning to take a toll on Cash. In 1959, he had begun taking amphetamines to help him get through his schedule of nearly 300 shows a year. By 1961, his drug intake had increased dramatically and his work was affected, which was reflected by a declining number of hit singles and albums. By 1963, he had moved to New York, leaving his family behind. He was running into trouble with the law, most notably for starting a forest fire out West. June Carter — who was the wife of one of Cash's drinking buddies, Carl Smith — would provide Cash with his return to the top of the charts with "Ring of Fire," which she co-wrote with Merle Kilgore. "Ring of Fire" spent seven weeks on the top of the charts and was a Top 20 pop hit. Cash continued his success in 1964 as "Understand Your Man" became a number one hit. However, Cash's comeback was short-lived as he sank further into addiction, and his hit singles arrived sporadically. Cash was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country through his guitar case in 1965. That same year, the Grand Ole Opry refused to have him perform and he wrecked the establishment's footlights. In 1966, his wife Vivian filed for divorce. After the divorce, Cash moved to Nashville. At first, he was as destructive as he ever had been, but he became close friends with June Carter, who had divorced Carl Smith. With Carter's help, he was able to shake his addictions; she also converted Cash to fundamentalist Christianity. His career began to bounce back as "Jackson" and "Rosanna's Going Wild" became Top Ten hits. Early in 1968, Cash proposed marriage to Carter during a concert; the pair were married that spring.Also in 1968, Cash recorded and released his most popular album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. Recorded during a prison concert, the album spawned the number one country hit "Folsom Prison Blues," which also crossed over into the pop charts. By the end of the year, the record had gone gold. The following year, he released a sequel, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, which had his only Top Ten pop single, "A Boy Named Sue," which peaked at number three; it also hit number one on the country charts. Cash guested on Bob Dylan's 1969 country-rock album Nashville Skyline. Dylan returned the favor by appearing on the first episode of The Johnny Cash Show, the singer's television program for ABC. The Johnny Cash Show ran for two years, between 1969 and 1971.Cash was reaching a second peak of popularity in 1970. In addition to his television show, he performed for President Richard Nixon at the White House, acted with Kirk Douglas in The Gunfight, sang with John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and he was the subject of a documentary film. His record sales were equally healthy as "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and "Flesh and Blood" were number one hits. Throughout 1971, Cash continued to have hits, including the Top Three "Man in Black." Both Cash and Carter became more socially active in the early '70s, campaigning for the civil rights of Native Americans and prisoners, as well as frequently working with Billy Graham. In the mid-'70s, Cash's presence on the country charts began to decline, but he continued to have a series of minor hits and the occasional chart-topper like 1976's "One Piece at a Time," or Top Ten hits like the Waylon Jennings duet "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" and "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." Man in Black, Cash's autobiography, was published in 1975. In 1980, he became the youngest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. However, the '80s were a rough time for Cash as his record sales continued to decline and he ran into trouble with Columbia. Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis teamed up to record The Survivors in 1982, which was a mild success. The Highwaymen — a band featuring Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson — released their first album in 1985, which was also moderately successful. The following year, Cash and Columbia Records ended their relationship and he signed with Mercury Nashville. The new label didn't prove to be a success, as the company and the singer fought over stylistic direction. Furthermore, country radio had begun to favor more contemporary artists, and Cash soon found himself shut out of the charts. Nevertheless, he continued to be a popular concert performer.The Highwaymen recorded a second album in 1992, and it was more commercially successful than any of Cash's Mercury records. Around that time, his contract with Mercury ended. In 1993, he signed a contract with American Records. His first album for the label, American Recordings, was produced by the label's founder, Rick Rubin, and was a stark, acoustic collection of songs. American Recordings, while not a blockbuster success, revived his career critically and brought him in touch with a younger, rock-oriented audience. In 1995, the Highwaymen released their third album, The Road Goes on Forever. The following year, Cash released his second album for American Records, Unchained, which featured support from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. His VH1 Storytellers outing was released in 1998, and in the spring of 2000, Cash compiled Love, God, Murder, a three-disc retrospective focusing on the major songwriting themes dominant throughout his career. The new studio album American III: Solitary Man appeared later that year. Health problems plagued Cash throughout the '90s and into the 2000s, but he continued to record with Rubin; their fourth collaboration, American IV: The Man Comes Around, was released in late 2002. The following year, the Mark Romanek-directed video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" garnered considerable acclaim and media attention, culminating in an unexpected nomination for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Not long after the video sparked numerous stories, his beloved wife June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003, of complications following heart surgery. Four months later, Johnny died of complications from diabetes in Nashville, TN. He was 71. Five months later, the compilation Legend of Johnny Cash became a Top Ten hit. In 2006 Lost Highway released the next-to-last installment of Cash's legendary "American" recordings, American V: A Hundred Highways, from the late singer's last sessions with collaborator Rick Rubin. The final installment from those sessions appeared as American VI: Ain't No Grave, in early 2010, and is reported to be the last of the American Recordings releases.
Johnny's Website
Johnny on Facebook

3052 views

Classic Johnny Cash Performance Of 'Bonanza' Theme Song - More Music

The classic Johnny Cash performance of the ‘Bonanza’ theme song has the internet feeling nostalgic. A vintage video of Johnny on the Old Opry Show recently resurfaced on YouTube, and it’s going viral with over 632,473 views. The performance is a little over two minutes in length, and it was far longer than the theme song on the show.

In a deep calm bass-baritone, he begins with, “The claim we hold is as good as gold, bonanza. Hand in hand, we built this land, the Ponderosa Ranch. Our birthright is this Cartwright bonanza. We here belong, and standing strong, wrong ain't got a chance.”

Before he sings the beloved chorus line we all know by heart, “Day by day, work or play, ready side by side. Hello friend, come on in, the gate is open wide. Bound to be a fightin' free bonanza. Singing pines of boundary lines for the Ponderosa Ranch.”

Bonanza ’stheme song was written in 1961 by Al Caiola and His Orchestra for the show Bonanza. One year later, Johnny Cash created his own rendition of Bonanza, and it became a beloved classic household song for the last four decades. The first version that was released actually flopped. One year later, Johnny and a friend took another try and created a better version with their own lyrics of the song when it became a hit.

We are so glad this video resurfaced. Some fans are surprised that the theme song to the show actually had lyrics. One viewer commented, “Wow. 65 years old, and I'm still learning.” Another chimed in and shared his surprise and said, “I think that is very possibly the only song that I have never heard Johnny Cash sing before.”

No matter whether you knew the classic version or heard Johnny’s version, it became a part of our lives with its catchy western beat of conquering the Midwest. We hope you enjoy watching the iconic Johnny Cash performing his version of Bonanza.

Johnny Cash Albums

Keep On the Sunny Side - June Carter Cash: Her Life In Music
August 2005
Album Tracks
- No Swallerin' Place
- Love Oh Crazy Love
- He Went Slippin' Around
- Well I Guess I Told You Off
- Strange Woman
- The Heel
- How Did You Get Away from Me
- Tall Lover Man
- Without a Love to Call My Own
- Ring of Fire
- Keep On the Sunny Side
- Keep On the Sunny Side
- Oh! Susannah
- Root, Hog or Die
- Baby, It's Cold Outside
- Country Girl
- Foggy Mountain Top
- Fair and Tender Ladies
- He's Solid Gone
- Juke Box Blues
- The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore
- East Virginia Blues
- Gone
- Appalachian Pride
- I Love You Sweetheart
- Another Broken Hearted Girl
- Song to John
- Far Side Banks of Jordan
- Diamonds In the Rough
- Will the Circle Be Unbroken
- Jackson
- Keep On the Sunny Side
- If I Were a Carpenter
- The Loving Gift
- A Good Man
- Ole Slewfoot
- Losin' You
- The Shadow of a Lady
- Gatsby's Restaurant
- Once Before I Die
Christmas With Johnny Cash
September 2003
Album Tracks
- Joy to the World
- Silent Night
- Christmas As I Knew It
- I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day
- The Christmas Guest
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- The Gifts They Gave
- Blue Christmas
- Merry Christmas Mary
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- Away In a Manger
- The Christmas Spirit
Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town/Boom Chicka Boom
February 2003
Album Tracks
- My Ship Will Sail
- A Backstage Pass
- Cat's In the Cradle
- Farmer's Almanac
- Don't Go Near the Water
- Family Bible
- Harley
- I Love You, Love You
- Hidden Shame
- Monteagle Mountain
- The Big Light
- That's One You Owe Me
- The Ballad of Barbara
- I'd Rather Have You
- Let Him Roll
- The Night Hank Williams Came to Town
- Sixteen Tons
- Letters from Home
- W. Lee O'Daniel (And the Light Crust Dough Boys)
- Heavy Metal (Don't Mean Rock 'n Roll to Me)
Water from the Wells of Home (Bonus Tracks)
February 2003
Album Tracks
- Water from the Wells of Home
- Johnny Cash Talks about Water from the Wells of Home (Interview)
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- As Long as I Live
- Where Did We Go Right
- The Last of the Drifters
- Call Me the Breeze
- That Old Wheel
- Sweeter Than the Flowers
- A Croft in Clachan (The Ballad of Rob Macdunn)
- New Moon Over Jamaica
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: Best of Johnny Cash
May 2002
Album Tracks
- Home of the Blues (Re-Recorded)
- Cat's in the Cradle
- Wanted Man (Re-Recorded)
- The Night Hank Williams Came to Town
- Cry, Cry, Cry (Re-Recorded)
- Long Black Veil (Re-Recorded)
- I Walk the Line (Re-Recorded)
- Tennessee Flat Top Box (Re-Recorded)
- Get Rhythm (Re-Recorded)
- I Still Miss Someone (Re-Recorded)
- Blue Train (Re-Recorded)
- Folsom Prison Blues (Re-Recorded)
Carryin' On With Johnny Cash & June Carter
March 2002
Album Tracks
- No, No, No
- What'd I Say
- The Wind Changes
- From Sea to Shining Sea
- Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man
- Shantytown
- It Ain't Me, Babe
- Fast Boat to Sydney
- Pack Up Your Sorrows
- I Got a Woman
- Jackson
- Oh, What a Good Thing We Had
- You'll Be All Right
The Essential Johnny Cash
February 2002
Album Tracks
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Five Feet High and Rising
- The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- I Still Miss Someone
- Ring of Fire
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- Orange Blossom Special
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- Hey Porter
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- I Walk the Line
- Get Rhythm
- There You Go
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- Big River
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- All Over Again
- Flesh and Blood
- Man In Black
- Ragged Old Flag
- One Piece At a Time
- (Ghost) Riders In the Sky
- Song of the Patriot
- Highwayman
- The Night Hank Williams Came to Town
- The Wanderer
- It Ain't Me, Babe
- The One On the Right Is On the Left
- Jackson
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Daddy Sang Bass
- Girl from the North Country
- A Boy Named Sue
- If I Were a Carpenter
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
Johnny Cash - 16 Biggest Hits Volume II
June 2001
Album Tracks
- Blistered
- A Thing Called Love
- Oney
- Any Old Wind That Blows
- There Ain't No Good Chain Gang (with Waylon Jennings)
- Highwayman
- Over the Next Hill (We'll Be Home)
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- I Got Stripes
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- Busted
- Green, Green Grass of Home
- Orange Blossom Special
- The One On the Right Is On the Left
- The Lady Came from Baltimore
- To Beat the Devil
The Man In Black - His Greatest Hits
March 1999
Album Tracks
- Ring of Fire
- There Ain't No Good Chain Gang
- Big River
- The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
- What Is Truth
- One Piece At a Time
- Folsom Prison Blues
- I Walk the Line
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- Jackson
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- Flesh and Blood
- Daddy Sang Bass
- A Boy Named Sue
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Highwayman
- If I Were a Carpenter
- A Thing Called Love
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- I Still Miss Someone
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- Man In Black
- Understand Your Man
- There You Go
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- Girl from the North Country
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
- Five Feet High and Rising
- Orange Blossom Special
- (Ghost) Riders In the Sky
Johnny Cash: 16 Biggest Hits
January 1999
Album Tracks
- Daddy Sang Bass
- A Boy Named Sue
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
- Flesh and Blood
- Man In Black
- One Piece At a Time
- (Ghost) Riders In the Sky
- I Walk the Line
- I Still Miss Someone
- The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- In the Jailhouse Now
- Ring of Fire
- Understand Your Man
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- Folsom Prison Blues
The Essential Johnny Cash (1955-1983)
June 1998
Album Tracks
- Doin' My Time
- Big River
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- The Ways of a Woman In Love
- Thanks a Lot
- Oh, What a Dream
- What Do I Care
- All Over Again
- I Still Miss Someone
- Hey Porter
- I'd Just Be Fool Enough (To Fall)
- Walking the Blues
- Frankie's Man, Johnny
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- Sing It Pretty, Sue
- Pickin' Time
- Five Feet High and Rising
- The Old Account
- (There'll Be) Peace In the Valley (For Me)
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Luther Played the Boogie
- Get Rhythm
- I Walk the Line
- Home of the Blues
- Give My Love to Rose
- Rock Island Line
- I Got Stripes
- 25 Minutes to Go
- The Wall
- Busted
- Bad News
- Dirty Old Egg-SUcking Dog
- Orange Blossom Special
- Ring of Fire
- Understand Your Man
- Jackson
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Blistered
- See Ruby Fall
- The Ballad of Boot Hill
- The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
- The Big Battle
- When the Roses Bloom Again
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
- Dark As a Dungeon
- The Long Black Veil
Ring of Fire - The Best of Johnny Cash
February 1995
Album Tracks
- Remember the Alamo
- Tennessee Flat-Top Box
- (There'll Be) Peace In the Valley (For Me)
- Ring of Fire
- I'd Still Be There
- What Do I Care
- I Still Miss Someone
- Forty Shades of Green
- Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
- The Rebel - Johnny Yuma
- Bonanza!
- The Big Battle
Super Hits
November 1994
Album Tracks
- One Piece at a Time
- Ring of Fire
- Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
- I Walk the Line
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Understand Your Man
- Big River
- I Still Miss Someone
- Jackson
- A Boy Named Sue
Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian)
October 1994
Album Tracks
- As Long As the Grass Shall Grow
- Apache Tears
- Custer
- The Talking Leaves
- The Ballad of Ira Hayes
- Drums
- White Girl
- The Vanishing Race
At San Quentin (The Complete 1969 Concert)
May 1994
Album Tracks
- Wanted Man
- A Boy Named Sue
- (There'll Be) Peace In the Valley
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Ring of Fire
- He Turned the Water Into Wine
- Daddy Sang Bass
- The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago
- Closing Medley: Folsom Prison Blues /I Walk the Line / Ring of Fire / The Rebel - Johnny Yuma
- Big River
- I Still Miss Someone
- Wreck of tsanhe Old 97
- I Walk The Line
- Darlin' Companion
- I Don't Know Where I'm Bound
- Starkville City Jail
- San Quentin
- San Quentin
The Gospel Collection
July 1992
Album Tracks
- These Things Shall Pass
- He'll Be a Friend
- God Will
- He'll Understand and Say Well Done
- God Must Have My Fortune Laid Away
- When I've Learned
- I Got Shoes
- Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
- If We Never Meet Again
- When I Take My Vacation In Heaven
- It Was Jesus
- When the Savior Reached Down for Me
- Taller Than Trees
- I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone
- My God Is Real (Yes, God Is Real)
- These Hands
- I Saw a Man
- Are All the Children In
- The Old Account
- Lead Me Gently Home
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
- Snow In His Hair
- Lead Me Father
- I Call Him
At Folsom Prison (Live)
January 1991
Album Tracks
- The Wall
- Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog
- Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart
- Joe Bean
- Jackson
- Give My Love to Rose (feat. June Carter) [Live]
- I Got Stripes
- The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
- Green, Green Grass of Home
- Greystone Chapel
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Busted
- Dark As the Dungeon
- I Still Miss Someone
- Cocaine Blues
- 25 Minutes to Go
- Orange Blossom Special
- The Long Black Veil
- Send a Picture of Mother
Classic Cash: Hall of Fame Series (Re-Recorded Versions)
September 1990
Album Tracks
- Peace In the Valley
- Don't Take Your Guns to Town
- Home of the Blues
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- I Got Stripes
- I Walk the Line
- Ring of Fire
- Ballad of Ira Hayes
- The Ways of a Woman in Love
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Get Rhythm
- Suppertime
- Tennessee Flat Top Box
- Long Black Veil
- Thing Called Love
- I Still Miss Someone
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Blue Train
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
- Five Feet High and Rising
Highwayman
June 1986
Album Tracks
- The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over
- Highwayman
- The Last Cowboy Song
- Jim, I Wore a Tie Today
- Big River
- Committed to Parkview
- Desperados Waiting for a Train
- Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)
- Welfare Line
- Against the Wind
Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash
November 1964
Album Tracks
- I Forgot to Remember to Forget
- Two Timin' Woman
- Story of a Broken Heart
- Always Alone
- Country Boy
- Goodnight Irene
- Wide Open Road
- Thanks a Lot
- Big River
- Belshazzar
- Born to Lose
- New Mexico
Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous
January 1958
Album Tracks
- I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You
- Home of the Blues
- Big River
- Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- There You Go
- I Walk the Line
- Don't Make Me Go
- Train of Love
- Guess Things Happen That Way
- Ways of a Woman In Love
- Next In Line
- You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven
With His Hot and Blue Guitar
January 1957
Album Tracks
- Wreck of the Old '97
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Doin' My Time
- Rock Island Line
- I Heard That Lonesome Whistle
- Country Boy
- If the Good Lord's Willing
- Cry, Cry, Cry
- Remember Me, I'm the One Who Love's You
- So Doggone Lonesome
- I Was There When It Happened
- I Walk the Line