While growing up in the Great Depression era, Johnny Cash takes an interest in music and eventually leaves his Arkansas town to join the Air Force in Germany. While there, he buys his first guitar and writes his own music, and proposes to Vivian. They marry, settle in Tennessee, and welcome the first of their four daughters. He supports the family by being a salesman, then meets a man who can help him pursue his music dream, and he starts recording. He is soon on a short tour to promote his songs, which turns into the occasion of meeting the beautiful, already-famous June Carter. Their secret relationship grows over a longer tour with Jerry Lee Lewis, but June eventually leaves it because of Johnny's drug-addict behavior. After he gets home, his marriage falls apart, and when he sees June at an awards show years later, he forces her to tour with them again, promising to support her and her own two daughters. While the tour goes on, the relationship between June and John grows, and she helps him overcome his drug addiction. True love and care helped John eventually stop the drug usage, and finally proposes to her in front of an audience at a show.