Substance Abuse, Fame and "I Walk The Line"

The turning point in Cash's fame and popularity, came with the release of "I Walk the Line." Having released three songs previously and been met with only a mediocre reception, this song shot him to mainstream popularity, he became a superstar, selling over 2 million copies, and remaining in the charts for 43 weeks. His distinguished hybrid genre style put him in the eyes of a mass audience, and powerful baritone voice established him as an iconic artist. As his career and popularity grew very quickly, and whilst sharing an apartment with Waylon Jennings (who was addicted to amphetamines) Cash found himself dependant on substances to keep up with his busy and erratic schedule and ever-increasing popularity.

Being at the height of his constantly rising fame, and his drug problems increasing with it, his "Outlaw" status became cemented as part of his projected image, instead of being a side-effect of his career. His self destructive behaviour from the drug addiction led to the divorce from his first wife, and also started more issues with his career, with the drugs causing ill-health and thus impacting on his ability to perform. His constant struggle was that he was depressive and clouded by pain, so used drugs to dull the pain that eventually caused more than it eased. Cash said himself that he was a paradox, a contradictory person, and he truly believed that his stage name of Johnny Cash was "the one that caused all the trouble."