Johnny Cash

Some time later, when he had formed a small band, he tried to get signed to a record label. His first attempts were rejected because the songs were too similar to existing ones. Still, he was asked to write more material. Eventually he managed to convince the label that he was worth signing. After his first hit (Hey Porter, http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Sy5YkmpG64) the band's name was changed to The Tennessee Two. From then on they were known as Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two. His (or their) third song I Walk The Line did very well on the American charts. After a few more hits, Johnny decided to add a drummer and became Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three. His success led him to become addicted to drugs and alcohol. Despite this, he remained popular with the public, but had to spend time in prison several times because he smuggled and dealt drugs, and once was caught (stoned) with drugs in his guitar case. After a quarrel with his record label, he left America and signed with another company. After a friend helped him get off alcohol, he divorced his second wife and married June Carter. After another change of record label, he released many more songs. After he died in 2003 (in part due to his very unhealthy lifestyle), several unreleased songs were still released. Throughout his life, Johnny Cash wrote more than 1500 songs.

In 2006, a film about his life, Walk The Line, was released, and in my opinion it portrays very well how he lived. This film was never shown in the Netherlands.

He knew Elvis well, and together with Elvis was the best-selling artist of around 1970. Still, many people don't know him because his major breakthrough was only in America.

Chart history:

Johnny Cash's I Walk The Line spent 6 weeks at number 1 on the American charts in 1956. This was certainly his highest charting ever. Many of his other songs have charted at one time or another, but a reliable list cannot be found here. He was one of the most popular country singers ever.

Discography

Cash wrote more than 1500 songs, but listed here are some of his well-known songs that also did well on the American charts. Taken from Wikipedia.

1957-1967

* Johnny Cash and His Hot and Blue Guitar

* Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous

* The Fabulous Johnny Cash

* Hymns by Johnny Cash

* Songs of Our Soil

* Greatest Johnny Cash

* Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams

* Ride This Train

* Now There Was A Song

* Now, Here's Johnny Cash

* Hymns from the Heart

* The Sound of Johnny Cash

* All Aboard the Blue Train

* Blood, Sweat and Tears

* Ring of Fire

* The Christmas Spirit

* Keep on the Sunny Side

* I Walk the Line

* The Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash

* Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian

* Orange Blossom Special

* Ballads of the True West

* Mean as Hell

* Everybody Loves a Nut

* Happiness is You

* Johnny Cash & June Carter: Jackson

* Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits

* Carryin' on with Cash and Carter

1968-1978

* From Sea to Shining Sea

* Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison

* The Holy Land

* Johnny Cash At San Quentin

* At Madison Square Garden

* Johnny Cash

* Original Golden Hits, Volume I

* Original Golden Hits, Volume II

* Story Songs of the Trains and Rivers

* Got Rhythm

* Johnny Cash Sings Folsom Prison Blues

* The Blue Train

* Johnny Cash Sings the Greatest Hits

* Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash: Jackson

* Johnny Cash: The Legend

* The Walls of a Prison

* Sunday Down South

* Showtime

* Hello, I'm Johnny Cash

* The Singing Storyteller

* The World of Johnny Cash

* Johnny Cash Sings I Walk the Line

* The Rough Cut King of Country Music

* The Johnny Cash Show

* I Walk the Line - Movie Soundtrack

* Little Fauss and Big Halsy - Movie Soundtrack

* Man in Black

* Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis Sing Hank Williams

* Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music

* The Johnny Cash Collection: Greatest Hits Volume II

* Understand Your Man

* Original Golden Hits, Volume III

* A Thing Called Love

* Give My Love to Rose

* America

* The Johnny Cash Songbook

* Christmas: The Johnny Cash Family

* The Gospel Road

* Any Old Wind That Blows

* Now, There Was a Song

* The Fabulous Johnny Cash

* Johnny Cash and His Woman

* Sunday Morning Coming Down

* Ballads of the American Indian

* Ragged Old Flag

* Five Feet High and Rising

* The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me

* Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories

* The Children's Album

* John R.Cash

* Johnny Cash at Osteraker Prison

* Look at Them Beans

* Strawberry Cake

* One Piece at a Time

* Destination Victoria Station

* The Last Gunfighter Ballad

* The Rambler

* I Would Like to See You Again

* Greatest Hits, Volume III

* Gone Girl

1979-1989

* Johnny Cash - Silver

* A Believer Sings the Truth

* Rockabilly Blues

* Classic Christmas

* The Baron

* Encore

* The Survivors

* A Believer Sings the Truth, Volume I

* The Adventures of Johnny Cash

* Johnny Cash - Biggest Hits

* Johnny 99

* Songs of Love and Life

* I Believe

* Highwayman

* Rainbow

* Class of '55: Cash, Perkins, Orbison & Lewis

* Heroes: Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings

* Believe in Him

* Johnny Cash: Columbia Records 1958-1986

* Johnny Cash is Coming to Town

* Classic Cash

* Water From the Wells of Home

1990-2000

* Johnny Cash: Patriot

* Boom Chicka Boom

* Johnny Cash: The Man in Black 1954-1958

* Best of Johnny Cash

* The Mystery of Life

* Johnny Cash: The Man in Black 1959-1962

* Come Along and Ride this Train

* The Essential Johnny Cash

* American Recordings

* Highwaymen: The Road Goes on Forever

* Unchained

* Johnny Cash: The Hits

* VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson

* Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison and San Quentin

* Johnny Cash: Crazy Country

* Johnny Cash: Timeless Inspiration

* Johnny 99

* The Man in Black: His Greatest Hits

* I Walk the Line: The Very Best of Johnny Cash

* Johnny Cash: Super Hits

* Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins: I Walk the Line/Little Fauss and Big Halsy

* Just As I Am

* Rockabilly Blues

* Cash on Delivery: A Tribute

* The Legendary Johnny Cash

* Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash: It's All in the Family

* Sixteen Biggest Hits

* Return to The Promised Land

* Love, God and Murder

* At San Quentin

* A Living Legend

* Super Hits

* American III: Solitary Man

2001-2006

* Sixteen Biggest Hits: Volume II

* Roads Less Traveled

* Essential Johnny Cash

* Twentieth Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Johnny Cash

* American IV: The Man Comes Around

* Kindred Spirits: Tribute to Johnny Cash

* Dressed In Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash

* Unearthed (Box Set)

* A Concert: Behind Prison Walls

* Christmas with Johnny Cash

* Live Recordings from the Louisiana Hayride

* My Mother's Hymn Book

* The Legend of Johnny Cash

* Cash the Legend

* Personal File

* Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash 16 Biggest Hits

* American V: A Hundred Highways

Links:

Johnny Cash - Official site

Johnny Cash - San Quentin

Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue

Johnny Cash - Wikipedia English

Johnny Cash - Walk The Line