Pick a Day

Johnny Cash is born J.R. Cash in Kingsland, Arkansas, the fourth of seven kids. He starts using the name John R. Cash when he joins the Air Force in 1950 (they wouldn't accept initials), and becomes Johnny Cash when he signs with Sun Records in 1954. One of the most popular and influential musicians of his time, Cash gets inducted into the Country, Rock And Roll, Gospel and Songwriters hall of fames.

Johnny Cash joins the US Air Force, enlisting at 18 just six weeks after graduating from high school in Dyess, Arkansas. He serves as a Morse code intercept operator and rises to the rank of Staff Sergeant before being honorably discharged in 1954 and launching his music career.

America learns of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's death when Air Force Staff Sergeant Johnny Cash intercepts a coded message from Russia. Cash enlisted in 1950 after he turned 18 and was assigned to the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile of the US Air Force Security Service at Landsberg, West Germany, where he proved his skill as a Morse Code operator.

Rising young star Elvis Presley performs at the opening of Memphis' Lamar-Airways shopping mall, and, afterward, meets audience member Johnny Cash for the first time.

Sun Records signs John R. Cash, recently discharged from the Air Force, to a record deal, where he joins Elvis Presley on the roster. Label boss Sam Phillips renames him Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian, welcome their daughter, Rosanne Cash. She grows up to be a country singer like her dad.

Johnny Cash releases his second single, "Folsom Prison Blues." It becomes far more popular in 1968 when Cash releases a live version recorded at the titular California penitentiary and released on his album Live From Folsom Prison.

Johnny Cash records "I Walk The Line" at Sun Studio in Memphis. His label boss, Sam Phillips, has him speed up the tempo, which is a good call: The song becomes Cash's first #1 Country hit.

Johnny Cash releases "I Walk The Line," a pledge of fidelity to his first wife. When the song becomes a hit, Cash finds it much harder to be true and strikes up an affair with June Carter, whom he later marries.

With his song "I Walk The Line" climbing the charts, Johnny Cash makes his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. There, he meets his future wife, June Carter.

At Sun Studio in Memphis, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis jam together on a few tunes. Johnny Cash shows up later to get in the picture and complete what becomes known as the "Million Dollar Quartet."

Johnny Cash appears for the first time on national TV when he appears on The Jackie Gleason Show.

Sun Records stars Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins begin a tour of the South in Little Rock, Arkansas, with Jerry Lee Lewis as a support act.

His contract up at Sun Records, Johnny Cash leaves Memphis, moves to Los Angeles, and signs with Columbia Records.

Johnny Cash suffers an attack of acute appendicitis while preparing for a show in Ottumwa, Iowa, and is hospitalized.

Johnny Cash plays one of his first jailhouse shows when he performs at San Quentin prison in San Rafael, California. Among those in the captive audience is Merle Haggard, who is serving time for burglary.More

Introduced by Johnny Cash, 13-year-old Dolly Parton makes her Grand Ole Opry debut singing George Jones' "You Gotta Be My Baby." She receives three encores.

In Nashville, Johnny Cash records "Ring Of Fire," a song co-written by his friend and collaborator June Carter that was first recorded by her sister Anita. The song becomes one of his biggest hits, and June marries Johnny five years later.

Billboard publishes its first Country and Western Albums chart. Johnny Cash gets the first #1 with Ring of Fire.

Johnny Cash is stopped by US Customs officials at the Mexican border on suspicion of heroin smuggling and found to be holding over 1,000 prescription narcotics and amphetamines. He receives a suspended sentence.

Johnny Cash plays two shows for inmates at Folsom Prison in California. Unlike his previous prison concerts, they are recorded and packaged into his acclaimed live album At Folsom Prison.More

Johnny Cash marries June Carter of the gospel stars The Carter Family a week after proposing to her on stage at a show in London, Ontario. Their marriage holds up until her death in May 2003, with Johnny passing away four months later.

Johnny Cash wins best album at the Country Music Awards for his live release Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.

Johnny Cash plays one of his many prison concerts, this one at San Quentin State Prison in California. Recorded and released as the album Johnny Cash At San Quentin, it goes to #1 for four weeks and secures Cash's outlaw cred.

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash record some duets in Nashville, with "Girl From The North Country" eventually ending up on Dylan's Nashville Skyline album, for which Cash writes liner notes.

The Johnny Cash Show makes its debut on ABC, with Bob Dylan duetting with Cash on "Girl From the North Country" and Joni Mitchell performing "Both Sides Now." The show runs until 1971, a total of 58 episodes.

Johnny Cash's album Johnny Cash At San Quentin, the soundtrack to a documentary of the same name featuring Cash performing at the prison, hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

Johnny Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash is certified Gold.

Johnny Cash plays for President Richard Nixon at the White House, performing his song "What Is Truth." Nixon requested a song called "Welfare Cadillac," which Cash politely declines to play. Near the end of the show, Cash says, "We pray, Mr. President, that you can end this war in Vietnam sooner than you hope or think it can be done."

Johnny Cash is pleasantly surprised when the taping of his variety show is revealed to be an episode of This Is Your Life, with friends and family paying tribute.