On This Day in 1976, Johnny Cash Was at No. 1 for the Last Time With a Song Based on an Oklahoma Urban Legend

On this day (June 8) in 1976, Johnny Cash was at the top of the Hot Country Songs chart with “One Piece at a Time.” It also reached No. 29 on the Hot 100. It would be his final single to top the country chart or reach the all-genre tally. In fact, Cash would only send two more singles to the top 10.

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Cash was an incredibly versatile performer. He is widely remembered for serious songs like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Ring of Fire,” and “I Walk the Line.” However, he was no stranger to novelty songs. One of his best-known songs, “Boy Named Sue,” falls into that category. His straightforward delivery on those comedy tracks brought out the comedy in the lyrics like salt brings out the sweetness in a good cookie recipe.

According to Songfacts, Wayne Kemp was inspired to write “One Piece at a Time” after hearing about an airman at an Oklahoma Air Force base who stole parts to build a helicopter. Kemp’s version of the story is about a man who stole parts from his assembly line job to build a Cadillac. Most likely, the song is just as much of a true story as the tale that inspired it.

Kemp liked the song so much that he planned to record it. Then, Don Davis, Cash’s producer, heard it. He convinced the songwriter to let the Man in Black cut it for his next album.

Johnny Cash’s Late Career Hits

“One Piece at a Time” was Johnny Cash’s final No. 1 as a solo artist. He did have more hits, though. “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” reached No. 2 on the country chart in 1979. Then, in 1981, “The Baron” peaked at No. 10.

While this was his last solo No. 1, Cash reached the top of the country chart once more with some help from his friends. He, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings topped the chart in 1985 with “Highwayman.” Later that year, the group notched a top 20 hit with “Desperados Waiting for a Train.”

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