Johnny Cash Influence

It was once said by Elvis that, “he never expected to be someone important.” That same man sold over a billion records and won three Grammy Awards. Elvis Presley was an outstanding musician beginning in his early life, throughout his career, and up until his death.

Johnny Cash achieved many accolades in his long, influential life. Debatably the most noteworthy is how he is one of three artists, Elvis, Hank Williams, and Cash, who is a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Becoming a member of both is not an easy feet for any artist. In order to do so one has to be the very best in each style of music. Cash at 48 became the youngest performer to ever be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (Danker). Kris Kristofferson put it the best way, “You felt like he should've had his face on Mount Rushmore” ( Kristofferson). This view was really how the American public viewed J.C. He was an American hero on par with Presidents or war heroes. He was given as

Elvis Presley is one of the biggest names in rock and roll. Singer, musician and actor he was an American icon. He is best known as the King of Rock and Roll. His musical influence included the country and pop music of the time, the gospel music he sang in church and the black R&B music he listened to as a teenager (Comprehensive History of Elvis Presley’s Dynamic Life). Elvis has influenced American culture not only while he was living but also in today’s 21st century. It wasn’t easy for him to be accepted; in fact many adults and the older generations of his time were appalled by his performances and his music. In time though, people were able to accept him and he became well-known all over the world. Even after his death Americans are

With an estimated one billion units sold and counting, Elvis Presley is thought to be the most commercially successful solo musical artist of all time (Meacham 1) Born in Tupelo Mississippi and later relocating to Memphis Tennessee, Elvis was a natural star. At just age ten he won fifth place at his first singing contest and at 11 gets his own guitar. Elvis then won a school talent show by singing and playing his guitar, earning the most applause out of any of the contestants. He would soon after that become a trucker, but his dreams of becoming a star were not crushed yet. Elvis gyrated his hips into America's heart as the most influential figure in American history.

What can be said for the music artist Elvis Presley, other than he is most undoubtedly the reason that Rock and Roll survived past its start, and grew to the massive popularity that it still grasps onto to this day. Although he may have been born a simple white southerner, he masterfully intertwined country music with the raw emotion of gospel and blues in order to create his own breed of unmatchable music. By him taking two vastly different genres of music from two equally different cultures, he successfully managed to blur the prominent color line that divided all of America up until the 1950s. He did all of this while enthralling the youth of America and singlehandedly caused an idea of teenage rebellion that lasted far past his popularity,

Elvis “The King” Presley has always been a popular musical artist since the 1950’s. His music was striving and is still popular today. From the start he was bound to become a musician. His music had created its own type of genre which is why it is so unique. Even from the grave he is still known for not only his songs, but the conspiracies surrounding him and his death. Elvis was a figure that was for sure ahead of his time.

He was a poor man who became rich, a white boy who dressed and sang like he was black, and a mamma’s boy who was also a rebel. Elvis scared white children’s parents. They saw this child who could be their kid acting like a juvenile delinquent and they feared his music would ignite rebellion in their children. The teenage population was huge and the people were well enough off that the kids had money to spend and a desire to spend it. When Elvis started singing, suddenly they knew what they wanted to spend their money on. They wanted everything that Elvis had and they wanted to do everything that he did. He inspired a whole generation to be different. He showed them they could dance and they could be feminine and manly at the same time. Elvis showed the kids that they could have fun and they could have fun together regardless of race. Elvis inspired a graduation and he consequently became known as the King. He was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the King of the baby boomers generation. Not only did Elvis encourage blacks and whites to get along together and have fun, inspire the fashion and musical tastes of a generation, and demonstrate that not all men must be manly, but he also started America on the path of children and their parents listening to different music. The teens of the 1950s loved rock music and that started the trend of each generation having their own music that they felt spoke to them. The 60s folk music, the 70s

Everyone knows a guy by the name of Tupac Shakur, but how do people know Mr. Shakur? Maybe it is by the hardcore gangster and obscene rap lyrics directed towards people, more so aimed towards his east coast rivals. As years went on, more and more people viewed a handful of Tupac’s music as a true work of art, containing strong messages along with stories from his troubled childhood and young adulthood. Later on in both Tupac’s life and career, he began to realize the demise of the African American culture as a whole. During his last stint in prison, not only did he realized all of this wrongdoing throughout this life, but also the negative influence rap and hip hop had over the young African American community. What happened during his incarnation,

Although you could say I am partly biased due to the fact that he was born and raised in the great state of Arkansas. Nonetheless, his music is loved by people all over the country for several reasons. For example, probably the biggest reason why people loved Johnny Cash is because of his humble personality which caused all of his songs to feel very down to earth which related to a multitude of people from all classes. From experiencing many struggles in his own life, Cash was able to translate his own emotions and thoughts into lyrics with rhythmic beats that attracted the average individual who shared the same feelings. Even though I am not able to see him in concert since he passed away, listening to his live recorded songs makes me realize that the rock and roll icon still lives through the music he poured his life

Paul told Elvis “that if it weren’t for him there would be no Beatles, that he made it possible for everyone else, that he was the king”. Everyone looked up to him when it came to his music, in 1955 Elvis began to develop his fans they were drawn to his unusual musical style with his gyrating hips and good looks. Presley opened the door for white americans to listen to African American music, his popularity increased the opportunities for African Americans which had a positive effect on racial relations. Without Presley nobody would have the courage to form a band or have more opportunities for other

Hank Williams Jr. Also help people which made an impact on society. One thing he did was help tornado victims in the Northeastern United States. Another thing he did that was really popular was Monday night football. Monday night football was a big thing in the 80’s. that is one thing he was well known for. It's also one thing that helped him become really popular.

He came from a dirt-poor family from Mississippi and became a worldwide sensation who was loved by millions. He is, without a doubt, one of the most influential musicians of all time. His “overnight” rise to fame could not have been accomplished without persistence and passion. If Elvis was not passionate about what he was doing, he would not have been the major success that he was. Because of his talent and love for all different types of music and film, he was able to overcome the barrier of poverty and create numerous movies and become the King of Rock and

“His star ascended higher still in 1958, when he departed from Sun Records and signed with Columbia Records...” (Biography In Context) Cash struggled with substance abuse, especially after his divorce with Liberto, which greatly affected his career. On the flip side of this, he married June Carter, in the spring of 1968, and she helped reform him. Later, he put out his first multimillion-selling album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison (1968). This album earned two Grammy Awards. The second prison album, Johnny Cash at San Quentin (1969), helped fuel his image as “...an unrepentant bad boy...” (Biography In Context) After that, he worked with his gospel, folk, and patriotic side. “...young audiences who had flocked to the Folsom and San Quentin albums did not appreciate his gospel and patriotic themes, forcing him to fall back on his core country audience.” (Biography In Context) In 1980, Johnny Cash was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1985, he “...joined Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson to tour and record as the Highwaymen.” (Biography In Context) Shockingly, in 1986, Columbia Records refused to re-sign him to a record contract due to resurging drug dependence. Regardless, in 1990, Johnny Cash was then inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. Providentially, Cash got a record deal with Rick Rubin. Rubin would help redeem Cash’s recording career and produce his last four

Elvis Presley was best known for his integration of R&B and country music. The public was scared that not only Presley would integrate music but also the white and black community. Which was something he did actually achieve according to Little Richard “He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn’t let black music through. He opened the door for black music” (Elvis After 198). Parents were afraid of his music, considering it was said that he had a voice of a black man. He caused controversy, a white man singing black music on the radio.This controversy grew as Presley grew in

When historians look at history and at reasons why society changed many focus on conflicts like wars, civil rights, and poverty. However, there is so much more that over time changed America. One of the most influential subjects that helped this change was Elvis Presley. Through his music, which was influenced by black artists, he allowed white Americans to view a new group of performers. He tested social boundaries that helped him change American culture. His appearance and singing would end up changing the teenage world by introducing new trends in fashion and music. Presley was the reason why we have Rock-N-Roll. As a business and a singer, he brought America together into a new type of society; therefore he is a