What was the title of Johnny Cash's first #1 country hit?

Johnny Cash’s first No. 1 country hit was “I Walk the Line.” Cash wrote and recorded the song in 1956 at Sun Studio in Memphis, with Marshall Grant on bass and Luther Perkins on lead guitar. It was released by Sun Records with “Get Rhythm” as its B-side.

The song became Cash’s breakthrough hit on the country charts, spending weeks at the top and eventually selling more than two million copies. Its lyrics describe resisting temptation and remaining faithful, reflecting Cash’s marriage to Vivian Liberto at the time.

A common mix-up is “Folsom Prison Blues,” which came earlier and was an important hit but was not Cash’s first country No. 1. “Ring of Fire” became one of his signature songs later, while “A Boy Named Sue” was a major 1969 hit. “I Walk the Line” also crossed over to the pop market, reaching No. 19.