Final answer:
Johnny Cash's early recordings, such as "Cry, Cry, Cry," confirm that he had a baritone voice when he first signed with Sun Records in 1954. His voice range and distinctive quality placed him in the baritone category, which is between the bass and tenor voice types and characteristic of his music legacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Johnny Cash was renowned for his distinctive baritone voice throughout his career, which spanned multiple decades, from the 1950s through to the early 2000s. When he first signed to Sun Records in 1954, his voice was indeed unique, as can be heard in his early recordings such as "Cry, Cry, Cry." During this early stage, his voice was characterized as a baritone, which is a male voice type that lies between the bass and tenor voices. In the context of the New York Choral Society's classification, Cash's voice would not have been classified as either Tenor1 or Bass2 but rather fits within the baritone category which is not specified in the provided table.
Baritones generally have a voice range that extends from a G2 to a G4. Cash's voice might have changed slightly over the years, but he is still prominently known as a baritone, with his voice being a significant aspect of his music identity and contributing to his enduring legacy as a musician. His early work already exhibited the deep, rich vocal traits that would become a hallmark of his style. This indicates that even in the earlier parts of his career, he maintained that distinctive low baritone quality that he is well-known for.