JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE

Johnny Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 - September 12, 2003) was a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Primarily a country music artist, his songs and sound spanned many other genres including rockabilly and rock and roll (especially early in his career), as well as blues, folk and gospel.

Cash was known for his deep, distinctive bass-baritone voice, the "freight train" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, his demeanor, and his dark clothing, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black". He traditionally started his concerts with the introduction "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash".

Much of Cash's music, especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption. His signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm", "Hurt" and "Man in Black". He also recorded humorous songs, such as "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue", a duet with June Carter called "Jackson", as well as railroad songs such as "Hey Porter" and "Rock Island Line."

He sold over 90 million albums in his nearly fifty-year career and came to occupy a "commanding position in music history".

Cash was of Scottish royal descent but he learned this only upon researching his ancestry.After a chance meeting with former Falkland laird, Major Michael Crichton-Stuart, he traced the Cash family tree to 11th century Fife, Scotland.Scotland's Cash Loch bears the name of his family.

He had believed in his younger days that he was mainly Irish and partially Native American (he had been told he was one-quarter Cherokee). Even after learning he had no Native American ancestry, Cash's empathy and compassion for Native Americans was unabated. These feelings were expressed in several of his songs, including "Apache Tears" and "The Ballad of Ira Hayes", and on his album, Bitter Tears.

Johnny Cash was born J. R. Cash in Kingsland, Arkansas to Ray and Carrie (née Rivers) Cash, and raised in Dyess, Arkansas.

Cash was reportedly given the name "J.R." because his parents could not agree on a name, only on initials. When he enlisted in the United States Air Force, the military would not accept initials as his name, so he adopted John R. Cash as his legal name. In 1955, when signing with Sun Records, he took Johnny Cash as his stage name. His friends and in-laws generally called him John, while his blood relatives usually continued to call him J.R.

Cash was one of seven children: Jack, Joanne Cash Yates, Louise Garrett, Reba Hancock, Roy, and Tommy. His younger brother, Tommy Cash, also became a successful country artist.

By the age of five, J.R. was working in the cotton fields, singing along with his family as they worked. The family farm was flooded on at least one occasion, which later inspired him to write the song "Five Feet High and Rising". His family's economic and personal struggles during the Depression inspired many of his songs, especially those about other people facing similar difficulties.

Cash was very close to his brother Jack, who was two years older. In 1944, Jack was pulled into a whirling table saw in the mill where he worked, and cut almost in two. He suffered for over a week before he died.Cash often spoke of the horrible guilt he felt over this incident. According to Cash: The Autobiography, his father was away that morning, but he and his mother, and Jack himself, all had premonitions or a sense of foreboding about that day, causing his mother to urge Jack to skip work and go fishing with his brother. Jack insisted on working, as the family needed the money. On his deathbed, Jack said he had visions of heaven and angels. Decades later, Cash spoke of looking forward to meeting his brother in heaven. He wrote that he had seen his brother many times in his dreams, and that Jack always looked two years older than whatever age Cash himself was at that moment.

Cash's early memories were dominated by gospel music and radio. Taught by his mother and a childhood friend, Johnny began playing guitar and writing songs as a young boy. In high school he sang on a local radio station; decades later he released an album of traditional gospel songs, called My Mother's Hymn Book. He was also significantly influenced by traditional Irish music that he heard performed weekly by Dennis Day on the Jack Benny radio program.

Cash enlisted in the United States Air Force. After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and technical training at Brooks Air Force Base, both in San Antonio, Texas, Cash was assigned to a U.S. Air Force Security Service unit, assigned as a morse code decoder on Russian Army transmissions, at Landsberg, Germany. On July 3, 1954, he was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. Then, he returned to Texas.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• JOHNNY
• CASH
• 1932-2003
• JUNE
• CARTER
• VIVIAN
• WALK
• THE
• LINE
• RING
• OF
• FIRE
• JACKSON
• MAN
• IN
• BLACK
• FOLSOM
• PRISON
• BLUES
• COCAINE

[drumboyringo94]

WOW! THAT MUST OF BEEN AMAZING !

[squincegoddess]

Excellent , I love Cash and one of my all time favorite movies was walk the line! Excellent photos I am going to fav!

[partydude9999]

Awesome! 5*****

[MarcusErection]

Johnny Cash was an Anti-American LIBERAL. He supported unions, called for 'charity' and 'equality' (socialism) as well as women's rights, he even championed environmentalism and ending the Vietnam war. I can't believe how many people who consider themselves 'conservatives' will listen to this man's liberal propaganda and even defend him. He committed adultery and used drugs, as well. Some hero.

[WingsOfASnowhiteDove]

I love it, great loss to the Cherokee.

[6763lovehelenhunt]

does anybody know what song ., has the line . as children gets older

[Cartercash4ever]

Anyone who says j r cash hated america is a jerk and stupid. He loved america and was patriotic.

[Cartercash4ever]

Here's to you j. R. Cash. Happy 78th birthday!

[Cartercash4ever]

Let's not forget j. R. S birthday this month n the release of the last American album! R. I. P. J. R. !

[Cartercash4ever]

Hey ride on we all miss j. R. ! He was n is the coolest ever! R. I. P. J. R. Cash

[tableconnect]

I am a rock person however Johnny Cash was the coolest of the cool. I always went to a Johnny Cash Concert in Fort Worth in my days of my youth and loved the show everytime. I miss Johnny Cash - The Best Period..