▲Cash and country singer Faron Young were close friends. When Young died, the Cash family asked Young's son if they could sprinkle some of his ashes on their garden. But the wind blew the ashes onto Cash's windshield, so he wiped them!

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A poignant cover of 'Hurt' from Nine Inch Nails was a huge hit for Johnny Cash. The song was part of Cash's last studio album, released before he died.

▲Johnny Cash didn't write his hit song 'Ring of Fire.' The song was actually written by his then future wife, June Carter. They were both married to different people at the time.

▲Cash bought his first guitar while deployed in Germany. The story goes that this was when he started writing music, including his first hit, 'Folsom Prison Blues.'

▲The man known for his outlaw anthems never actually served a prison sentence. But he was arrested seven times and spent a few nights in jail.

▲Johnny Cash wrote 'Chicken in Black' as an attempt to upset his record label so that they would be let him out of his contract. His strategy worked!

▲Due to health complications, Cash went into a coma for 12 days.

▲Johnny Cash once released 500 chicks into a hotel! Cash and his band bought 500 baby chickens and let 100 of them loose for each of the five floors of the hotel.

▲Former US President Jimmy Carter was June Carter's cousin. The former American leader and the couple maintained a close friendship.

▲While serving in the US Air Force in Germany, Cash became a Morse code interceptor. Reportedly, he was the first American to hear the news about Stalin's death.

▲Cash's overheated party truck inadvertently started a fire in Las Casitas National Forest, and he almost made a bird species extinct! According to an LA Weekly article, 49 of 53 endangered California condors died in that fire.

▲In 2005, Johnny Cash's biopic hit theaters. The movie starring Joaquin Phoenix as Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter was nominated for five Oscars, with Witherspoon winning for Best Actress.

▲The Man in Black didn't always wear black. It was actually not until the '70s that his image started to have a more somber tone. Even so, he could be seen wearing colors other than black.

▲His passion for writing was not limited to songwriting. Cash's writings also include two autobiographies and a novel, just to name a few projects.

▲Cash was a devoted Christian. He delved deep into religious studies, and was even awarded a degree in theology and became an ordained minister.

▲Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson teamed up in 1985 to form The Highwaymen.

▲Cash had troubled marriages, both with his first wife, Vivian Liberto, and later with June Carter, with whom he broke up and reconciled numerous times.

▲Johnny Cash is the only artist to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll, Songwriter, and Country Music hall of fames.

▲Johnny Cash was born J.R. Cash. When he joined the Air Force in 1950, he had to change his name to John R. Cash, as they wouldn't accept names composed of initials.

▲Johnny Cash's older brother, Jack, died after suffering an accident with a table saw. Cash, who was 12, witnessed the accident, and his brother's death days afterwards. Cash then helped dig his brother's grave. His death deeply affected the musician.

▲Producer Rick Rubin introduced Cash to a whole new generation of fans. Together, they released six albums.

▲Johnny Cash participated in the epic recording session at Sun Studios in 1956, which became known as the Million Dollar Quartet. Other musicians present included Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins.

▲Johnny Cash was neighbors with famed singer Roy Orbison. They were close friends, and even worked together on a few occasions.

▲Muhammad Ali gave Johnny Cash a poem, which inspired him to write a Gospel song. However, it was later revealed that the boxer was not the author of the poem.

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Cash almost got killed by an ostrich. The animal hit him in the stomach, breaking five of his ribs.

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In addition to music, Johnny Cash also starred in various movies and shows. He even had his own TV show!

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Johnny Cash started smoking when he was 12. He later became addicted to alcohol and amphetamines.

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'At Folsom Prison' was the first album ever recorded in a maximum security prison. Cash went on to record live albums at other prisons, including San Quentin State Prison.

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Johnny Cash was born on February 26, 1932, passing away on September 12, 2003, more than 20 years ago. In this gallery, we pay tribute to his life and legacy by bringing you a selection of interesting facts about the country music legend.

Browse through this gallery and test your knowledge on Johnny Cash.