Johnny Cash is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in music, particularly in the realms of country and rock and roll. As one of the best-selling music artists in history, he sold over 90 million records worldwide and is considered a legend of country music, shaped by influences from rock and roll, blues, and gospel. Over his illustrious career, Cash released more than 50 studio albums and earned 18 Grammy Awards, including honors for “Best Country Album” and “Best Male Country Vocal Performance.”
Despite his success, Cash struggled with heavy drinking and addiction to prescription pills, but he eventually overcame these issues, continuing to enjoy a long and celebrated career.
Born J.R. “Johnny” Cash on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, he was one of seven siblings. His love for music began early, nurtured by exposure to gospel and radio, and he learned to play guitar from his mother and family friends. According to an NPR interview, Cash’s mother enrolled him in singing lessons, but his teacher discouraged him from changing his distinctive voice.
At the age of 12, Cash experienced a life-altering tragedy when his older brother, Jack, died in a table saw accident. Cash carried the guilt from this event throughout his life, once remarking, “I knew that when I left there at the age of 18, I wouldn’t be back.“
Cash later married Vivian Liberto in San Antonio, and they had four daughters together: Roseanne, Kathy, Cindy, and Tara. The family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, where Cash worked as an appliance salesman and formed a band with guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. Cash sought a recording contract with Sun Records, a label that would go on to shape the music scene by signing talents like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Cash was initially rejected by Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, who didn’t believe gospel music would sell. Cash recalled, “I was fully confident that I was going to see Sam Phillips and to record for him that when I called him, I thought, I’m going to get on Sun Records. So I called him and he turned me down flat. Then two weeks later, I got turned down again.”
Undeterred, Cash eventually won over Phillips by performing original music that blended country with rock and roll. This led to his first recordings, “Hey Porter” and “Cry! Cry! Cry!” In the 2005 biopic Walk the Line, Joaquin Phoenix portrayed Cash, recreating the pivotal scene of Cash’s audition for Phillips.
Cash’s next record, Folsom Prison Blues, was a commercial success, as was “I Walk the Line.” In 1957, he became the first Sun Records artist to release a full-length LP. However, despite his achievements, Cash eventually left Sun Records to sign with Columbia Records.
By the late 1950s, Cash had achieved both critical and commercial recognition. However, during this time, he began struggling with heavy drinking and an addiction to amphetamines and barbiturates. In an interview with Country Music Magazine, Cash candidly reflected on his drug use, saying, “I got into the habit of amphetamines. I took them for seven years. I just liked the feel of them. It lifts you and, under certain conditions, it intensifies all your senses.“
In the 1960s, while on tour, Cash was arrested by a narcotics squad in Texas. Though authorities suspected him of smuggling illegal drugs, they discovered over 1,000 pills—amphetamines and sedatives—in his guitar case. He was released on a $1,500 bail and paid a fine.
Reflecting on the toll his addiction took on him, Cash stated, “You took more pills to cover up the guilt feelings. I got to play one against the other, the uppers against the downers, and it got to be a vicious, vicious circle. And they got to pulling me down.“
His substance abuse began to affect his career, as his demanding tour schedule of up to 300 shows a year took a physical and emotional toll. Cash also divorced his wife and had to cancel several performances. Despite these personal struggles, he earned critical acclaim, including a Grammy Award in 1967 for his duet “Jackson” with June Carter.
Eventually, Johnny Cash married June Carter, who played a significant role in helping him battle his addiction. Throughout their life together, June made numerous attempts to keep Cash off drugs, often flushing his pills down the toilet and supporting him through multiple stays in rehab facilities.
“I’d talk to the demons, and they’d talk back to me – and I could hear them. I mean they’d say, ‘Go on, John, take 20 more milligrams of Dexedrine, and you’ll be alright.’”
Despite his efforts, Cash struggled with relapse for over a decade, cycling in and out of rehab. In 1992, he entered a rehabilitation facility for the final time and successfully overcame his addiction.
“Over time, you realize that amphetamines are slowly burning you up … Then you get paranoid; you think everyone is out to get you. You don’t trust anyone – even those who love you the most.“
Cash became renowned for his prison performances, which began in the late 1950s. He persuaded his record company to capture one of these concerts for a live album, resulting in Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison in 1968 and Johnny Cash at San Quentin in 1969. Both became highly successful.
In 1980, at the age of 48, Cash became the youngest living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
Later in his career, Cash experienced a resurgence after signing with Rick Rubin’s American Recordings label. Under Rubin, Cash released several albums, including American Recordings, which won the Grammy for “Best Contemporary Folk Album.” The follow-up, Unchained, earned the Grammy for “Best Country Album” in 1997.
In May 2003, June Carter Cash passed away unexpectedly. Just a few months later, in September, Johnny Cash died in Nashville, Tennessee, due to complications from diabetes.
Cash’s legacy endures through his music, as he remains one of the most influential figures in both country and rock and roll history. His battle with prescription drug addiction and eventual sobriety stands as a powerful testament to overcoming addiction, a particularly relevant story given the ongoing opioid crisis today. His lyrics and music continue to inspire millions worldwide.
