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'''John R. "Johnny" Cash''' (Born '''J.R. Cash''', February 26, 1932-September 12, 2003) was an [[United States|American]] country singer. He is one of a small number of people to hold dual membership in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was also an actor and author.

'''John R. "Johnny" Cash''' (Born '''J.R. Cash''', February 26, 1932-September 12, 2003) was an [[United States|American]] country singer. He is one of a small number of people to hold dual membership in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was also an actor and author.

==Early Life==

==Early Life==

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.

Cash was born in [[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]] to Ray Cash Carrie Cloveree Rivers as J. R. Cash. He was renamed John R. Cash by his parents and used that name when he enlisted in the United States Air Force since they would not accept initials as his name, and he used Johnny Cash as a stage name. Cash's siblings' names were: Roy, Margaret Louise, Jack, Reba, Joanne and Tommy. Cash always felt guilt over the saw accident that killed his older brother Tommy (who Cash was very close to) at the age of fifteen. 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.

 

==Personal Life==

==Personal Life==

His marriage to [[June Carter Cash]] marked a turnaround in his career.  He rededicated his life to [[Jesus Christ]], got off drugs, and recorded two very popular albums, ''At Folsom Prison'' (1968) and ''At San Quentin'' (1969) both recorded live before [[prison]] audiences. Many of the prisoners were deeply moved by his testimony and accepted Christ as their Savior.<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2003/005/5.00.html Jim Hefley's biography of Johnny Cash]</ref>  

His marriage to [[June Carter Cash]] marked a turnaround in his career.  He rededicated his life to [[Jesus Christ]], got off drugs, and recorded two very popular albums, ''At Folsom Prison'' (1968) and ''At San Quentin'' (1969) both recorded live before [[prison]] audiences. Many of the prisoners were deeply moved by his testimony and accepted Christ as their Savior.<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2003/005/5.00.html Jim Hefley's biography of Johnny Cash]</ref>