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b.
February 26, 1932
Kingsland, Arkansas,
USA
d.
September 12, 2003,
Nashville, Tennessee USA |
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Johnny
Cash was an influential American country music and rock music
singer, guitarist and songwriter and the husband of June Carter
Cash. Cash was
known for his deep, distinctive voice, the boom-chick-a-boom or
"freight train" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, and his
dark clothing and demeanor, which earned him the nickname "The Man
in Black." He started all his concerts with the simple
introduction: "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." Much of Cash's music,
especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow,
moral tribulation and redemption. Hits include "I Walk the Line",
"Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "Man In Black" and a cover
of the Nine Inch Nails song, "Hurt". He also recorded several
humorous songs, such as "One Piece At A Time", "The One on the
Right Is on the Left" and "A Boy Named Sue"; bouncy numbers such
as "Get Rhythm"; and various train-related songs, such as "The
Rock Island Line".In a career that spanned almost five decades,
Cash was the personification of country music to many people
around the world, despite his distaste for the Nashville
mainstream. Yet, like Ray Charles, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and
Elvis Presley, Cash was a musician who transcended genre. He
recorded songs that could be considered rock and roll, blues,
rockabilly, folk and gospel, and exerted an influence on each of
those genres. Moreover, he had the unique distinction among
country artists of having "crossed over" late in his career to
become popular with an unexpected demographic, young indie and
alternative rock fans. His diversity was evidenced by his presence
in three major music halls of fame: the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of
Fame. Only ten performers are in both of the first two, and only
Hank Williams Sr. and Jimmie Rodgers share the honor with Cash of
being in all three. His pioneering contribution to the genre has
also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

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