Changes

Originally from Arkansas, he broke into both country music and early rock and roll on the famed [[Sun Records]] label of [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]], with his biggest hit from those years being "I Walk the Line".  In 1958 he made the jump to [[Columbia Records]] where he remained until 1987.  He recorded a series of concept albums in the 1960s ranging from several albums of [[Gospel music]] to albums about [[American history]] (''Ride This Train'' and ''Songs Of Our Soil''), [[blue collar]] workers (''Blood, Sweat, and Tears''), [[American Indian]]s (''Bitter Tears''), and novelty songs (''Everybody Loves a Nut'').  He continued to hit with major hit singles during this period as well, with songs like "Ring of Fire".  However his career ran into increasing trouble because of a spiraling drug problem.

Originally from Arkansas, he broke into both country music and early rock and roll on the famed [[Sun Records]] label of [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]], with his biggest hit from those years being "I Walk the Line".  In 1958 he made the jump to [[Columbia Records]] where he remained until 1987.  He recorded a series of concept albums in the 1960s ranging from several albums of [[Gospel music]] to albums about [[American history]] (''Ride This Train'' and ''Songs Of Our Soil''), [[blue collar]] workers (''Blood, Sweat, and Tears''), [[American Indian]]s (''Bitter Tears''), and novelty songs (''Everybody Loves a Nut'').  He continued to hit with major hit singles during this period as well, with songs like "Ring of Fire".  However his career ran into increasing trouble because of a spiraling drug problem.

His marriage to [[June Carter Cash]] marked a turnaround in his career.  He got off drugs, recorded two very popular albums, ''At Folsom Prison'' (1968) and ''At San Quentin'' (1969) both recorded live before [[prison]] audiences, and accepted [[Jesus Christ]] as his personal savior.  His early 1970s albums continued his commercial success and included a few Christian songs on each album.  Typical was his 1971 album ''Man In Black'', which introduced the nickname he would be known by ever since, included another major hit single in the title track, and featured [[Billy Graham]] on one Gospel track.  However his commercial success began to fall off considerably after 1976.  His last major hit single was "One Piece at a Time" in 1976.  He continued to record throughout the rest of the 1970s and the 1980s.

His marriage to [[June Carter Cash]] marked a turnaround in his career.  He got off drugs, and recorded two very popular albums, ''At Folsom Prison'' (1968) and ''At San Quentin'' (1969), both recorded live before [[prison]] audiences.  His early 1970s albums continued his commercial success and included a few Christian songs on each album.  Typical was his 1971 album ''Man In Black'', which introduced the nickname he would be known by ever since, included another major hit single in the title track, and featured [[Billy Graham]] on one Gospel track.  However his commercial success began to fall off considerably after 1976.  His last major hit single was "One Piece at a Time" in 1976.  He continued to record throughout the rest of the 1970s and the 1980s.

Cash's career made another comeback starting in 1994 after being signed by producer [[Rick Rubin]]'s American label.  The series of albums that followed, starting with ''American Recordings'', introduced Johnny Cash's music to a brand new, younger audience.  A cover of "Hurt", which was originally by [[Nine Inch Nails]], became a major hit and the video for it won several awards.

Cash's career made another comeback starting in 1994 after being signed by producer [[Rick Rubin]]'s American label.  The series of albums that followed, starting with ''American Recordings'', introduced Johnny Cash's music to a brand new, younger audience.  A cover of "Hurt", which was originally by [[Nine Inch Nails]], became a major hit and the video for it won several awards.