68 Years Ago Today, Johnny Cash Stepped Into the Studio To Record His Final Songs for Sun Records
Johnny Cash's last recording session at Sun Records took place on July 17, 1958, producing two tracks that symbolised the end of an era. "Down the Street to 301," composed specifically for him by producer Jack Clement, and "I Forgot to Remember to Forget," a number previously recorded by Elvis Presley in 1955, neither achieved substantial commercial success, but they documented a pivotal moment in the artist's career trajectory.
Cash's exit from Sun Records reflected broader creative and financial tensions with label founder Sam Phillips. Despite being Sun Records' most commercially consistent artist, Cash received only a 3 percent royalty rate—below the industry standard—and faced restrictions against recording gospel material. These constraints, combined with the perception that Phillips had redirected resources toward Jerry Lee Lewis after Presley's 1955 departure to RCA, prompted Cash to sign with Columbia Records in 1958, where he would spend 28 years and establish himself as an international icon.
- On July 17, 1958, Johnny Cash recorded his final two songs for Sun Records—"Down the Street to 301" and "I Forgot to Remember to Forget," concluding his four-year tenure with the label that launched his career.
- Cash departed because Sun Records owner Sam Phillips restricted his creative freedom (refusing gospel recordings) and paid him a 3% royalty despite him being the label's strongest seller, prompting him to sign with Columbia Records.
- The move proved pivotal: Cash spent 28 years with Columbia and became one of music's most iconic figures, while his final Sun Records tracks captured an artist in creative transition.