Eighties and the Hall

In 1980, at the age of 48, Cash became the youngest living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. During his induction speech Cash asked all those watching to open the doors different artists out there. He noted that it was the risk takers that would lead the way for the coming years of Country Music.

In 1983, John's health began to bother him. As a result of a freak accident involving an ostrich attack causing several broken ribs, Johnny again found himself addicted to pain medication. This health ailment was further compounded by an injured knee and a later incident with internal bleeding of the stomach. John struggle to regain his health and fight the demand of an addition to pain killers. He checked into the Betty Ford Clinic and was again able to get a handle on the demons that had plagued him over the past twenty years.

On trip overseas to Germany, Cash began an spontaneous teaming with three former Sun mates. On a stage in Germany, both Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis joined John for a surprise performance. Tapes rolled and with that came the album "The Survivors". This project was later followed up with the popular release "Class of 55"". Here, the same team of three was joined by another Sun mate, Roy Orbison. Together again, in the old Sun studio, the four rolled back the hands of time and sang of the magic that was Sun.

John has always been a giving man. He used his earnings to support mental health associations, a home for autistic children, refuges for battered women, the American Cancer Society, YWCA,Youth For Christ, Campus Life, and humane societies around the country. At the same time, he played benefits for Native American causes and endowed a burn research center in memory of his former guitarist Luther Perkins, who had died in a fire

In addition to performing for prison inmates, Johnny Cash has campaigned for prison reform, corresponded with inmates and helped many return to society. He surprised fans and critics alike in 1986 by writing Man In White, a best-selling novel based on the life of St. Paul. Cash proudly noted that this work was ten years in the writing.

In 1987, Johnny Cash received three multi-platinum records for previous sales of over two million copies each of Folsom Prison, San Quentin, and his collection of Greatest Hits. However, it was continuing to get harder to get air play on the Pop/Country stations. As he later bemused, the airplay may have slowed but the tour bus never never did. Near the end of the decade, Cash broke with his long time company of Columbia records. Many devote Cash fans resented the company's release of this legend. Supporters like Dwight Yoakam were very outspoken regarding the insult to the man whose sales had practically paid for the building that the executives were sitting in. In later autobiography, Cash shared no hard feelings towards the decision. He noted that both had lost interest in each other and he was also feeling in need of moving on. Cash would continue to record under the Polygram label and the the Mercury label. Nether of these two companies were able to the capture the real magic of the music of JRC. That recording magic would not be unlocked until the next decade.