"Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash" is the sixteenth album by singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, released in 1963 on Columbia Records. This compilation album gathers tracks from singles and an EP released between 1959 and 1963, covering Cash's early years with Columbia. Notably, it marked the first time these tracks were compiled into an LP format, with the exception of "I Still Miss Someone," which had previously appeared on the 1958 album "The Fabulous Johnny Cash."
The album includes "Ring of Fire," one of Cash's most iconic songs, which made its LP debut here. This track, in particular, helped propel the album to great success. "Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash" became the first number one album when Billboard introduced their Country Album Chart on January 11, 1964. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on February 11, 1965, marking Cash's first Gold LP.
Despite being a compilation, "Ring of Fire" holds a special place in Cash's discography, standing as the only Columbia Records "greatest hits" collection included in the comprehensive "Johnny Cash: The Complete Columbia Album Collection" box set. The album's enduring popularity and critical acclaim solidify its importance in preserving Cash's early Columbia recordings and showcasing his distinctive country music style to a broader audience.
