Johnny Cash

Johnny got his first guitar in Germany, while working for the Air Force, for $5.

At the age of 17, Johnny entered his first talent show and won $5.

When Johnny was young, his mother played the guitar and the family would sing hymns on the front porch.

Johnny's father was Ray and his mother was Carrie.

In 2005, a movie based on Johnny's life, Walk the Line, was released.

Cash died at age 71.

Though primarily classified as 'Country Music', Johnny's music contains elements of Rock & Roll, Folk Music, BlueGrass, Blues, and Gospel.

Johnny's longtime lakeside home in Hendersonville, Tennessee was bought by a corporation owned by the Bee Gees member Barry Gibb in January 2006.

Contrary to popular belief, Johnny never spent more than one night in jail. He was once held over night in custody after being caught smuggling 1163 methamphetamine tablets across from Mexico.

Johnny proposed to his wife, June Carter over thirty times before she accepted.

Johnny recorded a cover of Ewan MacCall's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.

Johnny's album The Man Comes Around features his cover of the Trent Reznor hit Hurt. Reznor was very angry at first, but after he heard the song, and saw the video for the first time, he was deeply moved, and found Johnny's cover beautiful.

The single Thirteen was written especially for Johhny by 'Goth Rocker' Glenn Danzig.

Johnny recorded a cover of Tom Petty's single I Won't Back Down.

Johnny was know by his trademark all black attire, and his baritone voice.

Johnny's top three selling records of all time were: I Walk the Line, A Boy Named Sue, and Ring of Fire.

Johnny wrote his autobiography in 1975, Man In Black, which is now out of print.

Johnny played a rural southern sheriff in a television movie called Murder In Cowetta County , a drama based on a true story in 1983.

Johnny appeared in a Television Western called A Gun Fight with Kirk Douglas in 1971.

Johnny's first single was titled Hey Porter, he recorded it for 'Sun Records' in 1955.

The last song written by Cash, "Like the 309", is featured on his posthumous album, American V: A Hundred Highways.

Johnny recorded a cover of Depeche Mode's single 'Personal Jesus'.

Johnny recorded a cover version of U2's 'One'.

Johnny had recorded entire 'Live' albums at both Folsom and San Quentin Prisons, in front of a receptive audience full of inmates.

Johnny was friends with every U.S President starting with Richard Nixon. He was least close with George Bush, and Bill Clinton because of his personal distrust for them, and his declining health.

Johnny had kicked his drug habit, but then in the early 1980's, was attacked by a male adult ostrich that lived on his farm. He received critical injuries, that led to the use of pain pills. He becam re-addicted, and entered the Betty Ford Clinic, where he met Ozzy Osbourne.

Nick Cave did a duet with Johnny Cash on the Hank Williams song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," released on Cash' s 2002 album American IV: The Man Comes Around.

Johnny graduated from Dyess High School in 1950.

Johnny's first "non-farming" job was at the age of 14. He carried water for the men on work gangs.

Johnny's father, Ray, was the lead for the country band, Dixie Rhythm Ramblers.

Johnny's mother had him take vocal lessons at the age of 13. But after only 3 lessons, the teacher told him to never take another lesson and never change his natural singing voice.

At the age of 12, Johnny was profoundly affected by the accidental death of his brother, Jack.

Johnny and June won their first Grammy for their duet performance on "Jackson" in 1967.

Johnny appeared in the TV commercial (singer) for General Electric aircraft engines in 2003.

Johnny appeared in TV commercials for the American Oil Company (Amoco) in the early 1970s.

Johnny appeared in TV commercials and endorsement for Lionel model trains in the early 1970s.

Johnny appeared in a TV commercial for Nissan cars in 1997.

Johnny was addicted to speed (usually with alcohol or morphine as a chaser) through much of his 20s until 1967, when June Carter Cash and numerous members of his family and friends staged an arduous but successful intervention. It is thought that Cash had an addictive personality which he may have inherited from his genes, as many members of his family were addicts to various vices.

Johnny's album Bitter Tears contains original songs told from the viewpoint of American Indians.

Johnny was voted the 31st Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Johnny's favourite singer was Dwight Yoakam.

Johnny was ranked #1 of the 40 greatest men in country music.

The scar on the right side of Johnny's jaw was the result of a botched attempt to remove a cyst while he was serving in the Air Force in Germany.

Johnny suffered from phobias of flying and of snakes.

Johnny is the brother of country singer, Tommy Cash.

Johnny to this day is the only person besides Hank Williams to have been inducted into the Songwriters, Country Music, and Rock And Roll Halls of Fame.

Johnny was originally named only JR, but when he joined the military an officer ordered him to choose a "proper" name for his records, so he went with John.

Johnny's video for 'Hurt' was voted the 48th greatest music video of all time in a Channel 4 (UK) poll.

Johnny recorded more than 1,500 songs and they can be found on about 500 albums, counting only American and European releases

More of Johnny's albums (45) remain in print today than most artists ever make.

Johnny was the youngest person ever chosen for the Country Music Hall of Fame and the only person ever selected for the Country and Rock Music Hall of Fame, until this 1998, when Elvis Presley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Johnny had been married twice. His first wife was Vivian Liberto (1955 - 1967) (divorced) and they had 4 daughters together. His second, and most famous marriage was to June Carter Cash (March 1, 1968 - May 15, 2003) (her death), they had 1 child together.

Johnny was approximately 6'2" or 1.88 m tall.