Johnny Cash, who is often referred to as the man in black had a career which spanned most of his life. Many know him as one of the pioneers of rock and roll and the rockabilly genre, however, his music transcended many genres including country, folk, and pop (Tunnell & Hamm, 2008). Cash inspired many other artists throughout his career including Bob Dylan and it is easy to see why (Tunnell, Hamm, 2008). In addition to being so popular, many of Cash’s songs discussed his deep personal struggles as well as social issues which he was passionate about.
Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, USA, and after finishing his term with the air force, Cash moved to Memphis, Tennessee (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). In 1954, he formed a band with Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant who became known as the
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Perkins played the electric guitar, Grant played the bass, and Cash played the guitar. Shortly after coming together, Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two were signed to Sun Records by Sam Phillips in 1955 which is when Cash’s whirlwind career began (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). Johnny Cash’s music helped make up what was known as the “Sun Sound” which was the specific type of rockabilly music which other artists like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis were producing for Sun Records (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). The music was characterized by guitar and the standing bass. One of the earliest hits which Cash had with Sun was the single “Cry, Cry, Cry”. Cash and his band toured all over the country with artists like Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and June Carter. The most popular period for