Johnny Cash, born J. R. Cash, (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was a Grammy Award winning American country singer-songwriter. Cash is widely considered to be one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. He was known for his deep, distinctive voice, the boom-chick-a-boom or "freight train" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, his demeanor, and his dark clothing, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black." He traditionally started his concerts with the simple introduction "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." Johnny Cash sold over 90 million albums in his nearly 50-year career and came to occupy a commanding position in music history.