Johnny Cash – $60 million
Greatest Hits: I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash is one of the most successful singers, selling more than ninety million albums worldwide. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Known for his hard-edged music. “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash” was his opening line. Before each concert, he would make the simple introduction, shirking the showboat popular in the rock genre (but less so in country music). Cash’s legacy was remembered in Walk the Line, distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Johnny Cash
Joni Mitchell – $50 million
Greatest Hits: Woodstock, Big Yellow Taxi
Joni Mitchell’s Blue album is one of the greatest. She is a guitarist, pianist, and poet. She mixed folk, pop, jazz, and rock elements in her music and began singing in the streets and small bars. She was actively active in the counterculture of Baby Boom, with regular advocacy and demonstrations. Her “Big Yellow Taxi” songs, “Woodstock,” and Both Sides, Now all released by Reprise Records, were among her biggest hits. Also noted for her adaptability. She changed her look and voice many times, becoming a pop and electronic influence.
Joni Mitchell