Johnny Paycheck, born Donald Eugene Lytle on May 31, 1938, in Greenfield, Ohio, was a prominent American country music singer and songwriter renowned for his role in the outlaw country movement. He began playing guitar at the age of six and was performing professionally by the age of 15. After a stint in the U.S. Navy, which ended in a court-martial and two years in military prison for assaulting a superior officer, he moved to Nashville to pursue a music career.

Initially performing under the names Donny Young and Donald Young, Paycheck worked as a session musician and harmony vocalist for artists like Ray Price, George Jones, and Faron Young. He released his debut single in 1958 and made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 1959. Adopting the stage name Johnny Paycheck in the mid-1960s, he found success with hits such as "She's All I Got" in 1971 and the iconic "Take This Job and Shove It" in 1977, which became a cultural anthem for the working class.

Despite his musical success, Paycheck's life was marred by legal troubles and substance abuse. He spent time in prison for a barroom shooting incident in 1985 and faced various legal controversies throughout his life. Nonetheless, his music, characterized by its raw and honest portrayal of life's struggles, left a lasting impact on the country genre.

Johnny Paycheck passed away on February 19, 2003, in Nashville, Tennessee, due to complications from emphysema and asthma. His legacy as a defining figure in outlaw country endures, celebrated for his contributions to the genre and his embodiment of its rebellious spirit.