Tag Archives: June Carter Cash

Music Monday: May 15, 2023

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

On May 6, 1968 Columbia Records released “At Folsom Prison” by country legend Johnny Cash. It was the first live record of his career and both a critical and commercial success. It hit #1 on the country albums chart and #13 on the Billboard 200 Album chart as well.

The concert was held 55 years ago on January 13, 1968. The Man In Black was joined by guests June Carter (they did not marry until March 1968), Carl Perkins, The Statler Brothers, The Tennessee Three-guitarist Luther Perkins, bassist Marshall Grant and drummer W.S. “Fluke” Holland-along with Columbia staff producer Bob Johnston who pulled it all together to make the album complete. It was so successful Cash followed this record with another live prison album, At San Quentin, released in 1969. That hit the #1 spot on both the country & national album charts.

Today’s song was originally released in 1967 as a duet with Carter. It became a #2 hit that year and won the duo a Grammy Award in 1968 for Best Country & Western Performance, Duet. If you do not know how the story ends by now, Cash went on to become one of country music’s greatest artists. He continued collaborating with Carter, who became his wife & partner, for the next 35 years until her death on May 15, 2003. Cash died four months later on September 12, 2003.

“When I breeze into that city
People gonna stoop and bow
All them women gonna make me
Teach ’em what they don’t know how“.

Folsom vinyl 2

Ad for Folsom Album

Top: The cover for the 1968 release. Bottom: The ad for the album which appeared in Cashbox Magazine in May 1968, courtesy of Johnny Cash’s website. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

 Johnny Cash & June Carter: “Jackson” ( Recorded live at Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968. Written by Jerry Leiber (credited under Gaby Rodgers, who was his wife & his occassional pen name) and Billy Edd Wheeler.

Stay safe and well.

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25 Days Of Christmas Music 2022: Day 13

Posted in 25 Days Of Christmas Music, Christmas by

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the countdown.

Day 13 2022

A sweet vintage Christmas card image found on Pinterest. (Original source unknown.)

Country Queen Loretta Lynn recorded today’s song twice. The first time was in 1966 for the album, “Country Christmas” & then again in 2016 for “White Christmas Blue“. The latter record was prodiced by Lynn’s daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash (son of Johnny & June Carter Cash).

Lynn re-recorded six of the tracks from the first album for the second one, including today’s song. Each is wonderful and done in Lynn’s signature style. Both are included here for your enjoyment. I am partial to the 1966 version but am adding both to my playlist because why not? It’s Loretta Lynn.

“And when those blue
Snowflakes start falling
That’s when those blue
Memories start calling“.

Loretts

Loretta Lynn circa 2021. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Loretta Lynn: “Blue Christmas” (2016, written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson).

Loretta Lynn: “Blue Christmas” (1966, written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson).

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, happy listening!!!

Let’s Take A Moment Day 347

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Feb 2021 Blog

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Today is the 89th birth anniversary for The Man In Black, Johnny Cash, He was born February 26, 1932 in Arkansas. He grew up listening to gospel music, learned to play guitar before he was a teenager & formed his first band while he was in the U.S. Air Force in the early 1950’s. Today’s song was released in May 1956, over a year before his first album came out in October 1957.

His work is some of the best ever recorded in country music history and he lived an early life strife with tragedy, addiction & hard times, including a divorce from his first wife & mother to his four daughters. But love turned his life around when he married his fellow singer, longtime friend and eventual love interest June Carter in 1968. Their son was born two years later and the couple continued working together for the next three decades.

Cash was always very vocal of how Carter’s love changed him, although he still fought his addiction with several stints in rehab during their marriage. But despite the tough outlaw image he earned over the years, he never shied away from admitting how much love & happiness he found with his wife. They were married 35 years before Carter died in 2003. Cash followed her four months later. They remain one of the greatest love stories in music history, country or otherwise.

“I find it very, very easy to be true
I find myself alone when each day is through
Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a fool for you
Because you’re mine, I walk the line“.

Johnny and June circa 1968

Johnny Cash with the love of his life, June Carter Cash, circa 1968. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Johnny Cash: “I Walk The Line” (1956, written by Johnny Cash).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 125

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Thoreau music quote

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Today’s song has been covered by a myriad of artists including Robert Plant, The Four Tops, Bob Seger, Johnny Cash (as a duet with his wife, June Carter Cash) and Leon Russell, and all of them are great versions.  But my favorite one was recorded by Walden Robert Cassotto, better known by his stage name, Bobby Darin.  It was a top ten hit for him in 1966.  If you are not too familiar with Darin, it is very easy to write him off as a novelty act because of his first hit song, “Splish Splash”.  But make no mistake, he was an excellent musician playing guitar, piano and drums.  He also wrote and recorded songs in all different types of musical genres including pop, rock & roll, jazz, swing, country & folk.

That is how he took us from “Dream Lover”, “Mack The Knife” and “Beyond The Sea” in the 1950’s to today’s song and “Simple Song of Freedom” in the 1960’s.  He began his career as a songwriter at The Brill Building in NYC, the same place where Carole King & Gerry Goffin started.  It was there that Darin met & was signed by record executive Ahmet Ertegun, who discovered people like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton (when he was in the band, Cream), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Led Zeppelin.  I think Darin’s vocal has a haunting sadness in it that just resonates throughout today’s song.  And with superb lyrics by songwriter Tim Hardin and a beautiful arrangement, this tune just had everything it needed to be something both remarkable & unexpected all at once.

“Save my love through loneliness
Save my love for sorrow
I’ve given you my onlyness
Come give your tomorrow.”

Bobby-Darin-The-Direction-Albums-

Bobby Darin circa 1969.  (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bobby Darin:  “If I Were A Carpenter” (1966, written by Tim Hardin).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.