 The love of a woman, given reluctantly, saves a man from addiction and self-destruction. Traces the life of Johnny Cash from his boyhood, with loss of a brother and of his father s affection, to 1968 when his outlaw side and his unhappiness give way to the twin triumphs of his concert at Folsom Prison and June Carter s acceptance of his marriage proposal. Along the way there s his first composition, first recording, first marriage, daughters, being smitten with June, divorce, pills and booze, an empty life, and the Carter family s nursing him back to health. June eases Johnny out of a ring of fire.