John R. Cash was an influential American country singer-songwriter. Born in Kingston Arkansas, Cash grew up listening to gospel music and Irish music. By age 12, he was already composing his own music with his guitar. 

 

After he graduated high school, Cash enlisted in the army at the start of the Korean War and created his first band “The Landsberg Barbarians, during his time at Landsberg. After being discharged in 1954, Cash got married and moved to Tennessee to study to become a radio announcer. At the same time Cash auditioned for music producer Sam Phillips and eventually succeeded, releasing his first two singles recordings Hey Porter and Cry! Cry! Cry! at Sun Recordings. After a few years with the studio, Cash left for Columbia Records in 1958, where he soon released his single Don’t Take Your Guns to Town.

 

As his game grew, Crash began to tour, taking his music  to unique corners across the country including prisons. Despite battling substance abuse, Cash continued to make hits, drawing people to his music thanks to his controversial criticisms of the America. Government particularly towards Native Americans.

 

Cash quickly became one of the most influential music artists of the 20th century, having sold well over 90 million albums. Between 1954 and his death in 2003, Cash released 67 albums