African American ancestor. The family moved to California in 1958, first to Los Angeles, then Ventura, where Cash and her sisters were raised by their mother. (Vivian and Johnny separated in the early 1960s and divorced in 1966.) After graduating from St. Bonaventure High School, she joined her father's road show for two and a half years, first as a wardrobe assistant, then as a background vocalist and occasional soloist. She made her studio recording debut on Johnny Cash's 1974 album The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me, singing lead vocal on a version of Kris Kristofferson's "Broken Freedom Song". In 1976, Johnny Cash recorded the Rosanne Cash composition "Love Has Lost Again" on his album One Piece At A Time. Though she did not appear on this track, it was Rosanne Cash's first professionally recorded work as a composer. That same year, she briefly worked for CBS Records in London before returning to Nashville to study English and drama at Vanderbilt University. She then relocated to Los Angeles to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Hollywood. She recorded a demo in January 1978 with Emmylou Harris' songwriter/sideman Rodney Crowell, which led to a full album with German label Ariola Records. Music career 1978–1980: First American release Her self-titled debut album was recorded in 1978, but Ariola never released it in the United States, and it has since become a collector's item. Mainly recorded and produced in Munich, Germany, with German-based musicians, it also included three tracks recorded in Nashville and produced by Crowell. Though Cash was unhappy with the album, it attracted the attention of Columbia Records, which offered her a recording contract. She began playing with Crowell's band The Cherry Bombs in California clubs. Crowell and Cash married in 1979, and Cash started work on her first Columbia LP. The album, Right or Wrong, was released in early 1980, and produced three Top 25 singles. The first, "No Memories Hangin' Around", a duet with country singer Bobby Bare, reached 17 on the Country Singles chart in 1979. It was followed by "Couldn't Do Nothing Right" and "Take Me, Take Me" in 1980. Cash, pregnant with her first child, was unable to tour in support of the album, which was nevertheless a critical success. Cash and Crowell moved to Nashville in 1981. 1981–1989: Critical and commercial success Cash's career picked up considerable momentum with the release of