Johnny Cash passed away at age 71 on September 12, 2003 but his legend lives on.  The first album to span his entire career, 1955-2003, Ring of Fire: The Legend Of Johnny Cash (Universal Music Group/Sony BMG), was released internationally in November 2005. Ring of Fire: The Legend of Johnny Cash is the very first collection to span Johnny Cash’s entire 50 year career from the legendary Sun Records through to his work with Rick Rubin and American Recordings.  The release coincides with the highly anticipated film, I Walk The Line, starring Joaquin Phoenix – which opened in the US in November 2005 and is still performing well in the box office. The CD Ring of Fire: The Legend Of Johnny Cash is also eclipsing the movie soundtrack in the US and is currently sitting at #14 in the Billboard 20. Walk The Line, opens in Australian cinemas on February 2, 2006.

The CD includes a 16-page deluxe booklet with photos and essay by author Rich Kienzle and features 21 tracks landmark Cash tracks including I Walk The Line, Ring Of Fire, A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison blues, Jackson, San Quentin, Man In Black, Hurt, and the sensational version of U2’s One. Today, 50 years after his recording debut, Johnny Cash has taken his place among the immortals of American music.

Johnny Cash’s Sun Records tracks include his first single, Hey, Porter/Cry! Cry! Cry!, a Country Top 20 hit penned by Cash and produced by Sam Phillips.  Straddling country and rock ‘n’ roll, they scored further hits Stateside with Folsom Prison Blues, I Walk The Line and Get Rhythm.  Also featured from his Sun days are 1958’s Big River and Guess Things Happen That Way.

Cash signed with Columbia in 1958 and five years later had a pop hit with Ring Of Fire, a ballad co-written by June Carter, who in 1967 would duet with him on Jackson and later become his wife.  In 1969, the live Johnny Cash At San Quentin yielded his biggest US hit: the Shel Silverstein penned hit A Boy Named Sue.

Cash himself composed his personal philosophy on 1971’s Man In Black, which became his nickname for the rest of his days.  Also from his Columbia tenure is 1972’s A Thing Called Love (A Top 5 hit in the UK) and 1985’s Highwayman with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson.

Cash joined Mercury in 1986 and Ring of Fire: The Legend Of Johnny Cash includes a track from that period entitled The Wanderer, a duet with U2 written by Bono and U2, taken from the group’s 1993 release Zooropa. That same year Rick Rubin, known for producing rap and rock acts, offered to record Cash singing whatever he chose.  1994’s American Recordings brought Cash to a new generation and won him the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy.  On 1996’s Unchained, Cash brilliantly interpreted Soundgarden’s Rusty Cage as well as the Hank Snow classic I’ve Been Everywhere and copped the Grammy for Best Country Album.  Having previously dueted with U2, on 2002’s American III: Solitary Man he covered one of their best loved tracks One. On 2003’s American IV: The Man Comes Around, he revisited old favourite Give My Love To Rose and gave new meaning to Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus and  Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt (the video for Hurt was 6 times nominated at MTV’s 2003 VMA’s and also won a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video that same year).

Today, 50 years after his recording debut, Johnny Cash has taken his place among the immortals of American music. 

TRACK LISTING
1.  Ring Of Fire  
2.  I Walk The Line  
3.  Jackson  
4.  Folsom Prison Blues  
5.  A Boy Named Sue (Live) 
6.  Big River 
7.  Get Rhythm 
8.  Cry Cry Cry
9.  Hey Porter
10.  A Thing Called Love
11.  Guess Things Happen That Way
12. San Quentin (Live) 
13. The Man In Black
14.  The Highwayman 
15.  The Wanderer
16.  I’ve Been Everywhere
17.  Rusty Cage 
18.  Personal Jesus
19.  Give My Love To Rose
20.  One
21.  Hurt