before there was a man in black, there were the sun records years, when cash began defining his peculiar and witty version of country music. born in arkansas in 1932, cash began recording as a top artist for sun records, for which he released his first full-length lp. this double lp set documents all the hits from 1955 to 1958, before cash signed to columbia records. these 35 “first steps” helped build the legend and are considered the milestones of an incredible career that ended with those passionate and soulful albums on the “american recordings” series released between 1994 and 2003, the year jr cash died on sept 12.