Born in Arkansas, Johnny Cash began his musical career in the early 1950s, following his discharge from the Air Force. Cash developed his sound with Luther Perkins (lead guitar) and Marshall Grant (bass). Their debut, "Hey Porter"/"Cry! Cry! Cry!" emerged in 1955 on Sun Records followed by "Fulsome Prison Blues" and "I Walk the Line." In 1958 Carl Perkins' drummer, W.S. Holland, joined and Cash switched to Columbia Records, and another single, "Don't Take Your Guns to Town," sold half a million. Cash married June Carter in 1968 and they had several hit duets.
Solo, Cash recorded AT FOLSOM PRISON, which remains his best album and a contender for the best country record of all time. Shel Silverstein gave him "A Boy Named Sue," which became Cash's only Top 10 pop hit. Cash has recorded many religious albums, including THE GOSPEL ROAD with Kris Kristofferson, Larry Gatlin, and the Statler Brothers. Cash moved to Mercury Records in 1986 and found success immediately with "The Night Hank Williams Came to Town" and an all-star album, WATER FROM THE WELLS OF HOME, with Emmylou Harris, the Everly Brothers, and Paul McCartney. His contribution to country music is inestimable.
