Phillips replied, “Well, Johnny Cash doesn’t run this operation, I do, thank you very much.” And with that he heard the phone click. Orbison would, however, soon get a deal with Sun Records.

Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash worked together many times over the years, reaching No. 2 on the country chart with one memorable song.

From historic veterans to present-day moguls, these managers helped turn artists into icons and built empires behind the ...