"So Doggone Lonesome" is a song written by country singer Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...

. He and his band (The Tennessee Two) recorded the song in a studio session at Sun Records

Sun Records

Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...

 studios at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

; the session took place on July 30, 1955, when the trio also recorded "Luther Played The Boogie" (a homage to the group's lead guitarist, Luther Perkins

Luther Perkins

Luther Monroe Perkins was an American country music guitarist and a member of the Tennessee Three, the backup band for singer Johnny Cash. Perkins was an iconic figure in what would become known as rockabilly music...

) and "Mean Eyed Cat", the latter of which Cash reprised on his Unchained album for Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin

Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...

's American Recordings.

Cash was a great admirer of Ernest Tubb

Ernest Tubb

Ernest Dale Tubb , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music...

, and wrote "So Doggone Lonesome" with him in mind. Many of Cash's self-penned recordings were written with a certain artist in mind, including "Get Rhythm

Get Rhythm

"Get Rhythm" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. It was released in September 1969 as a single.-Content:...

", originally written for Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

.

Legend has it that Tubb heard "So Doggone Lonesome" on the radio, which inspired him to record his own version of the song. It is certainly a fact that Tubb did record "So Doggone Lonesome" and performed it on the Grand Ole Opry, but the real inspiration for his decision to do so is unclear. Additionally, Cash is reported to have said he only believed he had truly "made it" as an artist when he heard Tubb singing one of his songs.

Chart performance

Chart (1956)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	4