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Only one man can be given the name 'The Man In Black' Joquin Phoenix tried to imitate him at the best but came far from duplicating him. The one man who has inspired the rebel in every country music artist from Hank Williams, Jr. to Toby Keith and Tim McGraw to all of the Rock n' Roll rebels of the past 40 years is no doubt Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash grew up in Dyess, Arkansas. He married young and eventually served in the United States Air Force. After his brief stint in the service he made a trek to Memphis, Tennesee and Sam Phillips' famous Sun Studios. It was here that he became friends and shared the recording studio with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis. It was these four that Phillips donned the 'Million Dollar Quartet'.

Johnny's first big hit and one of his most famous was 1955's 'Ring of Fire' that went #1 on both the country and rock n' roll charts. It was then that his career started to take off but almost ended due to alcohol and drug abuse.

Johnny always said that his second wife June Carter Cash of The Carter Family fame saved his life. They sang together through the 60's and 70's with hits like 'Jackson' and she was even featured on Johnny's most famous album 'Live From Folsom Prison' which he recorded back in 1969.

The late 60's and 70's saw The Johnny Cash Show premiering on ABC which ran from 1969-1972. It was here that Johnny brought on the biggest acts and celebrities of the day such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Derek and the Dominoes, and Ray Charles. The Johnny Cash Show was very popular back in that day and time.

The 1980's saw another revival of Johnny Cash when in 1984 he released 'Highwayman' with The Highwaymen. This was a supergroup consisting of pals Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Cash. This was also the decade that brought Johnny's daughter Roseanne to the limelight in country music. She was well known for her hits "Tennesee Flattop Box" and "Seven Year Ache".

The 1990's saw Johnny Cash's collaboration with mega producer Rick Rubin of Def Jam Records fame. His album 'Cash' is well sought after by music fans old and young alike. This union with Rick Rubin also gave Johnny has last and final acclimation when in 2002 his remake of Nine Inch Nails 'Hurt' earned him a Grammy Award.

Johnny Cash passed away September 12, 2003 at age 71 from the ravages of cancer. Though he left us that day, his spirit will live on in music forever.

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