It's hard to believe that this Monday, February 26th, would have been the 75th birthday of the country music sensation Johnny Cash. This American singer and songwriter who was regarded as the "Man in Black" due to his gravelly voice and somber appearance, grew up in abject poverty during the Depression. His daily encounters with coal miners, convicts, cowboys, farmers, laborers, and railroad workers provided him with material and purpose evident in his songs. His music reflected his humble origins as he brought gravitas, honesty, and power to every note. His accolades not only included eleven Grammy Awards but a lifetime achievement award and a Kennedy Center Honor.
His song "I Walk the Line" was his first big hit and launched his national following. After his next single "There You Go" climbed to the top of the country charts, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. By the time he was thirty, he had written more than fifty songs and sold more than six million albums. After moving to Columbia Records in 1968, he reached the folk singing audience.
In the late 1960s, he released the highly successful albums At Folsom Prison and At San Quentin which were recorded before a live audience. His friendship with Bob Dylan brought him recognition by the rock generation. In 1969, he hosted his own television show, made the transatlantic hit "A Boy Named Sue", and later appeared in several movies.
Throughout the years, he and his wife June Carter were treated as country music royalty. Both he and Elvis Presley were inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Further insights into the life and music of this extraordinary musician may be procured from Johnny Cash's Cash, Michael Streissguth's Johnny Cash: The Biography, and Steve Turner's The Man Called Cash: The Life, Love, and Faith of an American Legend. His compact discs include America, God, and Johnny Cash: Artist's Choice.