On This Day in 1955, Johnny Cash Landed His First Single on the Country Chart, Kicking Off a Long String of Hits

On this day (November 26) in 1955, Johnny Cash made his chart debut with “Cry! Cry! Cry!” which peaked at No. 14. It was the Man in Black’s debut single and the first of a long line of hits. Over the next few years, he released several singles, with most of them reaching the top 10.

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After receiving a discharge from the United States Air Force, Cash signed a record deal with Sun Records. However, things got off to a bumpy start. When he brought his song “Hey, Porter” to the studio, no one was excited. They cut the song, but Sun owner Sam Phillips didn’t believe it would be a hit. As a result, he sent Cash to find a song that would sell.

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That night, Cash went home and penned “Cry! Cry! Cry!” and brought it back to Phillips the next day. The song’s subject matter and the arrangement put together by the Tennessee Two–Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant–was more in line with what Sun wanted to release. The label backed the song with “Hey, Porter” and released it in June 1955. In November, it peaked at No. 14 on the country chart, proving that there was a market for Cash’s music.

Johnny Cash Finds Early Success

Johnny Cash’s career took off quickly. His debut single narrowly missed the top ten. His next six singles found the upper reaches of the chart. Two of those–“I Walk the Line” and “There You Go”–went to No. 1. The rest of the decade would see him finding similar chart success.

While his early success is impressive, one single marks the moment he became a star. “I Walk the Line,” which he released in 1956, was his first No. 1 single. Moreover, he wrote the song for his first wife, Vivian Liberto. At the time, he was preparing to go on tour with his label mate, Elvis Presley. Liberto was concerned that Cash would be tempted by the throngs of young women who flocked to Presley’s shows. The song was his public promise to her that he would remain faithful while on tour.

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