Introduction
The Man in Black’s Darkest Secret: What Almost Killed Johnny Cash in 1983?
Johnny Cash, the iconic “Man in Black,” lived a life as raw and real as his music. From his humble beginnings as a sharecropper’s son in Arkansas to his rise as a global superstar, his story is legendary. But beneath the surface of fame and acclaimed albums lay a decades-long battle with addiction, a struggle so intense that it almost claimed his life in 1983. For 40 years, his family kept the full extent of this period hidden, until now. His son, John Carter Cash, has finally shed light on the drugs, the numerous rehab stays, and a bizarre encounter with an ostrich that nearly killed his father.
From Cotton Fields to Country Star: The Early Years
Born J.R. Cash on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, Johnny’s childhood was marked by the harsh realities of the Great Depression. His parents, Ray and Carrie Cash, were sharecroppers, and young Johnny and his siblings toiled in the cotton fields. Music, especially gospel, became their escape.
A pivotal moment that profoundly shaped him was the tragic death of his older brother, Jack, in 1944. Jack, only 15, was killed in a sawmill accident. Johnny, just 12, was devastated. This loss deepened his quiet nature and pushed him towards writing as a way to process his pain. He found inspiration in gospel artists like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whose blend of spiritual music and electric guitar would later influence his own sound.
In 1950, at age 18, Johnny joined the U.S. Air Force. It was during his enlistment that he officially became John R. Cash, as the recruiter wouldn’t accept initials. Stationed in Germany as a Morse code intercept operator, he bought his first guitar for $5 and formed a band, the Landsberg Barbarians. It was also in Germany, after watching a documentary about Folsom Prison, that he penned the future classic, “Folsom Prison Blues.”
After his military service, Cash arrived in Memphis in 1954, determined to make it in music. His initial audition with Sam Phillips at Sun Records, the label that launched Elvis Presley, was famously rebuffed: “Go home and sin, then come back with a song I can sell.” Undeterred, Cash returned with “Hey Porter” and “Cry! Cry! Cry!”, which became his first single in 1955. His big break came with “I Walk the Line,” released in 1956. This unique song, which reportedly evolved from an accidental guitar tuning in the Air Force, soared to number one on the country charts, stayed there for 43 weeks, and sold over 2 million copies, making Johnny Cash a national name. His distinct “boom chicka boom” sound, created by guitarist Luther Perkins’ simple bass-string picking and a dollar bill stuffed under Cash’s guitar strings to mimic drums, became his signature.
The Downward Spiral: Addiction and Personal Turmoil
While his career ascended, Johnny Cash’s personal life began to unravel. He married Vivian Liberto in 1954, with whom he had four daughters. However, the relentless touring schedule and the pressures of fame led him to increasingly rely on pills to stay awake. By the 1960s, his addiction was severe, with reports of him taking nearly 100 pills a day. This period was marked by reckless behavior, including starting a forest fire in California in 1965 (resulting in an $82,000 fine) and multiple arrests for public intoxication and recklessness.
One of his most humiliating moments came in 1965 in El Paso, Texas, when he was arrested at the airport with 1,163 pills in his guitar case. Facing serious jail time, he was fortunate to receive a $1,000 fine and a 30-day suspended sentence, thanks to the intercession of fellow country stars.
His marriage to Vivian crumbled under the weight of his addiction, infidelity, and the constant public scrutiny, particularly after the El Paso arrest. They divorced in 1966.
June Carter and Redemption: A Turning Point
Johnny Cash met June Carter backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in 1956. Though both were married at the time, their connection was undeniable. Their friendship blossomed into a profound musical partnership, leading to hit duets like “Jackson” (1967) and the iconic “Ring of Fire” (1963), which June co-wrote about her forbidden love for Johnny.
In 1967, at the depths of his addiction, Cash famously drove into Nickajack Cave, planning to disappear forever. But a profound spiritual experience within the cave led him out, where June and his mother were waiting. While not an immediate cure, it marked a turning point. June became his rock, throwing away his pills, staying by his side, and helping him reconnect with his faith.
After years of struggle, Johnny proposed to June on stage in 1968, and they married the same year. Their marriage was a bond of love, music, faith, and survival.
The Prison Concerts and the Man in Black Persona
Cash’s career was rejuvenated by his legendary prison concerts. On January 13, 1968, he performed at Folsom State Prison, resulting in the album At Folsom Prison, which shot to number one on the country charts. This success was followed by At San Quentin in 1969, featuring the hit “A Boy Named Sue,” which topped the pop charts and sold millions. These shows solidified his image as a voice for the marginalized and forgotten.
Riding this wave, ABC gave him his own show, The Johnny Cash Show, which premiered in 1969. The show was groundbreaking, mixing country with folk, rock, and jazz, and featured diverse artists from Bob Dylan to Neil Young. Cash used his platform to advocate for social justice, famously refusing to censor “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” and inviting controversial figures like Pete Seeger.
His iconic black attire, initially worn simply because it was the only clean outfit he had, evolved into a powerful statement. In 1971, he penned “Man in Black” to explain his choice: he wore black for the poor, the struggling, the prisoners, the soldiers, and all those suffering injustice.
The Fading Years and a Shocking Relapse
By the 1980s, Cash’s career was waning. Despite being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980 as the youngest living inductee at 48, his albums weren’t charting well. In 1986, Columbia Records, his label for nearly 30 years, dropped him—a devastating blow. However, he found renewed success with the supergroup The Highwaymen, alongside Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson, whose debut album hit number one in 1985.
It was during this period, in 1983, that Johnny Cash experienced one of his most severe relapses. His family found him barely conscious in a Florida hotel, and he was rushed to the hospital. This incident, kept private for decades, highlights the perilous depths of his addiction.
John Carter Cash later revealed that his father’s struggles were more persistent than many knew. Johnny went to rehab approximately 30 times throughout his life. A particularly bizarre and life-threatening incident occurred in 1985 on his farm: fueled by drugs, he believed an ostrich was attacking him and tried to confront it, resulting in a severe, near-fatal stomach wound from the bird’s claw. He initially resisted medical help, feeling he deserved the pain due to his drug use. Even in his later years, he had one last relapse, but with his family’s support and unwavering faith, he ultimately achieved sobriety in his final years.
The American Recordings and Final Legacy
In 1993, at 61, Cash’s career seemed all but over. But a chance meeting with producer Rick Rubin, known for his work with hip-hop and heavy metal artists, sparked one of the greatest comebacks in music history. Rubin envisioned stripping down Cash’s sound to just his voice and guitar, focusing on raw, emotional performances.
This collaboration resulted in the critically acclaimed American Recordings series. The first album, released in 1994, was an instant success, earning a Grammy. Subsequent albums, like Unchained (1996) and American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002), continued to garner praise. His haunting cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” (2002) became a cultural phenomenon, with its poignant music video featuring a frail Cash reflecting on his life. Even Trent Reznor, the song’s original writer, admitted, “that song isn’t mine anymore.”
Johnny Cash’s health declined significantly in his final years; he was diagnosed with a rare disease in 1997. Yet, he continued to record, producing 60 songs in his last few months, driven by the belief that he would “die if I don’t have something to do.”
The death of June Carter Cash in May 2003, his wife and partner of 35 years, was a devastating blow. Four months later, on September 12, 2003, Johnny Cash died at 71. While officially due to complications from diabetes, those closest to him believed he died of a broken heart.
Posthumously, an enormous trove of unreleased recordings was discovered. His son, John Carter Cash, has since overseen the release of several albums, including American V: A Hundred Highways (2006), which became his first number-one album on the Billboard 200 since 1969, and Out Among the Stars (2014), a collection of forgotten recordings from the early 1980s that proved his enduring power.
Johnny Cash’s deep faith, a constant in his life even through his struggles, was the bedrock of his existence. He started every day reading the Bible, and his songs, particularly “The Man Comes Around,” were filled with spiritual references. Despite his battles and mistakes, he never abandoned his belief, ultimately finding sobriety and peace in his final years.