We are very excited this morning to reveal the second stamp in the new Music Icons series. This one honors Johnny Cash (1932–2003).
Known to many simply as “the Man in Black,” Johnny Cash sang of love, loss, hardship, and faith, telling the story of the nation one person at a time. Best remembered internationally as a country music artist with an unmistakable bass-baritone voice, Cash also influenced folk, gospel, rock, and other genres. His many hits include “I Walk the Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”
For the stamp art, art director and stamp designer Greg Breeding chose a photograph of Johnny Cash taken during the photo session for Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash (1963). The photo was taken by Frank Bez for Columbia Records (now part of Sony Music Entertainment). Breeding designed the square stamp and pane to resemble the appearance of a 45 rpm record sleeve.
The Johnny Cash stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate. A release date has not yet been set.