Without question, Johnny Cash was a larger-than-life musical icon. Throughout his multi-decade long career, the Man in Black turned out hit song after hit song, including the classics “I Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire,” “A Boy Named Sue” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”
But Cash’s influence extends far, far beyond country, and far, far beyond music. His work with Bob Dylan and his late-in-life covers of, among others, Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt;” his genre-bending television variety show The Johnny Cash Show; and his commentary on a number of sociopolitical issues mean the artist’s legacy is multi-dimensional.
Although the singer died in 2003, countless artists still cite the late great as an inspiration. And while those familiar with Cash might think they know all there is to know about him, there is still plenty left to be uncovered — for example, the injury he sustained during one of his multiple arrests.
Read on to learn more about the music legend, including a story about causing a forest fire, why he recorded Chicken in Black and more:
WATCH: Unforgettable Johnny Cash Moments