CMT Blog: June Carter Cash

Once the lead singer of Trick Pony, Heidi Newfield is out on her own now and looking ready for the challenge. Her album, What Am I Waiting For, comes out in August and her first single, "Johnny and June," is in rotation on CMT. Those famous names are obviously a reference to Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, as is just about everything else in the lyrics. Nearly every line calls out a song title or famous exploit of the Man in Black, which can get slightly irritating after a while, but I don't think she's trying to cash in on the reference. I think it's more about a girl inspired by the famous couple, wishing for a fairy tale love story. Plus, that black Cadillac in the video is sweeeeeet. I wonder if you could make that into a hybrid?

Keith Urban rocks the stage, Heidi Newfield pays tribute to Johnny & June, John Mellencamp takes a stroll, Dan Tyminski rides the rails and Whitney Duncan enters the video world. Those are this week's new music videos, as viewed and commented upon by our music video evaluation panel. Break out the popcorn and beer. And roll video.

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Who knew country's feisty Texan could paint, too? Bid on this original Miranda Lambert "Bleeding Heart" painting, and proceeds will go to the Cause for Paws charity event. Even with all that going on, Lambert still had time to talk about designers and lip gloss with OK Magazine.

Hopeful celebrations are everywhere as local record shops band together to fight to stay alive with clever promotions built around Record Store Day this Saturday.

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Today is the one-year anniversary of a tragedy in the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville - an incident that's already showing signs of becoming legendary. The former home of Johnny Cash and June Carter was undergoing a restoration by new owner Barry Gibb when it caught fire and burned to the ground.

The event is already captured in a piece of folklore on George Strait's new album, Troubadour. "House Of Cash," a duet with Patty Loveless plays with the facts and the symbolism to reach new levels of understanding. Cleverly crafted by songwriters Monty Holmes and Leslie Satcher, it suggests the ghosts of Johnny and June simply would not allow another soul to occupy the place. "No one sleeps in Cash's bed," says the chorus, "but the Man in Black and the woman he wed."

An appropriate thread of other-world spirituality runs through "House Of Cash." It's hellfire-and-brimstone dark in tone, and by incorporating a song June wrote about Johnny -- "The ring of fire comes full circle" -- it makes some interesting connections. Johnny, of course, believed in the afterlife and played with its images by remaking the cowboy classic "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." June's "Ring Of Fire" was co-written with Merle Kilgore, who made a deal with Johnny Horton that whoever went first would send a specific message from the other side. After Horton died in a car accident, the exact, agreed-upon words were spoken to Kilgore, who believed it was indeed a sign from Horton's spirit.

Was the 2007 fire a parting message from Johnny and June? Probably not, but it makes for a friggin' great song.

See photos from the House of Cash.

One of my fondest memories of visiting New York City for the first time is my last meal in Manhattan. The loud noises, the people, the honking, the buildings -- it can all be somewhat overwhelming, especially to someone like me who comes from fields and fields of corn. As I sat scarfing down a huge Chipotle chicken burrito (walking in New York makes you really hungry), I started to feel a bit anxious. Yet, amid the hustle and bustle, I heard a soothing voice that sounded all too familiar. As I sat in that small booth, in a city so foreign to me, June Carter Cash sweetly piped through the speakers. Instantly, I felt better. “Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,” I quietly sang to myself. I have to admit, I’ve never felt more at home than in that tiny booth in Times Square.

However, my most exciting adventure took place at the Empire State Building. Fortunately, I was not struck by any taxis amidst my continuous gawking and “ahh”-ing at the enormous buildings and advertisements. Looking out from the observation deck, it was beautiful and like nothing I had ever experienced. I then looked over at my boyfriend and he was down on one knee with a beautiful ring. What?! (I was having a Faith Hill moment.) This was totally unexpected and I was speechless. Luckily, I managed a feeble “Yes.” At this point, my heart was pounding, my palms sweating, I was in New York and … now engaged! And though I don't plan to move (or really even visit) there anytime soon, I will never forget my first trip to New York City.

When I was a child back in the previous century I dreaded that annual Thanksgiving essay when I was forced to tell my teacher everything for which I was thankful. Of course I trotted out the expected home and family, even my stinky little brother, but I also threw in the important things, like David Cassidy and bubble gum.

Then age happened, or, as I like to think of it, maturity, and the realization slowly began to dawn upon me that I do have things in my life for which to willingly give thanks. Nowadays I truly am grateful for my home, job and family, even my younger brother, who isn’t quite so stinky these days, and I’m also thankful for things I never would have dreamed of way back when, like the fact that my mother sang to me. My mother taught me to row, row, row my boat in the bathtub, she sang the Beatles in the garden, she waxed the floor with Loretta Lynn, and the dishes were washed with the Platters. (“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” remains one of my favorite songs.) My mother gave her life, and mine, a soundtrack. I particularly remember one autumn day when Mom was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Johnny and June Carter Cash sang “If I Were a Carpenter.” Johnny sang. June sang. Mom sang. I lay under the old converted Victrola and listened, not daring to add my voice for fear it would disrupt the moment.

Now the tides of time have turned, and it’s my son telling me to puh-lease quit singing and stop embarrassing him. His love of music is evident – he plays the guitar, trombone and a little drums, and he, like his older brother, listens to everything from Nirvana to Johnny Cash to Tchaikovsky. I just hope one day he can look back and say it was because his mother sang to him.

The upcoming (Sept. 18) release of two DVDs of performances from The Johnny Cash TV Show contains an astonishing array of artists and styles and influences. The DVDs contains no less than 66 performances. Artists include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Waylon Jennings, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, George Jones, James Taylor, Tammy Wynette, Kris Kristofferson, Linda Ronstadt, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Roy Orbison, Mother Maybelle Carter, June Carter Cash, Marty Robbins and more. In many cases, this was each artist’s debut appearance on network TV -- and this was back when the big three networks controlled TV, in 1969-71.

Something else that’s astonishing to realize now in retrospect is that Cash ended each show with a gospel song and often did more than one on each show. I’m sure ABC was not terribly pleased with its role in spreading Southern gospel, but it did. Can you imagine that happening today? I think it should. What say you?

So, we are back from Europe for nine days and then we go back next Wednesday for a quick jaunt to France to play a festival. As I re-read that sentence, I NEVER thought that would be something I'd hear myself say. I HATE FLYING, and so does my guitar player, so we are not ever allowed to sit next to one another on the plane.

I digress. So, on our nine-day "break," we are playing five shows, some of which are Wal-Mart in-stores, which by the way, have been going really well. I didn't know what to expect doing an in-store not in a record store. The first day was outside (100-degree Texas heat does not bode well for dancing). However, yesterday at the show, we were inside and there were people literally dancing in the aisles.

More and more times at shows, kids are walking up saying things about how they appreciate what I'm doing. One teenage girl said, "I thought I HATED country, but if THIS is country, then I'm down with it." She's now a huge fan and brings all her other friends to our shows. Today a 5-year-old walked up to me and said, "I've already told my dad, but I wanna be a country singer just like you." Guess we've got our answer to the Possum's "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes."

After our set, I was talking with a DJ from a local country radio station about "country" music. He was saying he really appreciated my "kind" of music. I said, "By 'kind' do you mean real country music?" He said yes and that it was a throwback to the old-school music, and that nobody sings that anymore. He said, and I quote, "I think more people should try to put out music that has meaning again. People are STARVING for it." I took that as a HUGE compliment, as my musical heroes are all old-school: Merle, Loretta, Tammy, George, Conway, Jerry, Gary, Little Jimmy, Keith, Wanda, Patsy, Marty, Porter, Dolly, Waylon, Willie, Kris, Johnny and June, Carl and Pearl, and the list goes on. It's called "classic country" for a reason. It will always be classic. I think with what we do, you can tell we are influenced by the above referenced, but it has a certain element of modern.

This led us to our next phase of the conversation. I asked him, "So, as a DJ, maybe you can help me answer this question: What does it mean when someone says mine or someone's music is "TOO COUNTRY FOR COUNTRY RADIO”? He giggled.

My point exactly.

I mean, seriously, is that what it's come to? You sing country music and yet it's TOO COUNTRY for country? I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter. My email is sunnysweeneyband "at" gmail.com if you would prefer not to respond publicly for fear of suffering "the wrath." HA!

Being the performing child of a famous or at least successful artist has never been easy. Think Liza Minnelli. In country, there is more of a tradition for that but that does not guarantee an easy path. Here are a few recent star-children in country music: John Carter Cash, Carlene Carter and Rosanne Cash (Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash); Dean Miller (Roger Miller); Pam Tillis (Mel Tillis); Bobby Bare Jr. (Bobby Bare); Ronny Robbins (Marty Robbins); and Lorrie Morgan (George Morgan). In folk and bluegrass, there have been Doc & Merle Watson and Ralph Stanley and Ralph II, among many others.

Now a folk child reaches across to country music to try his hand at some standards and lesser-known material.  Teddy Thompson, son of famed duo Richard and Linda Thompson, brings a fresh take to country songs that have been around for decades. His new CD, Upfront and Down Low, is a mostly gorgeous collection of vintage country and one Thompson original. It mostly works but sometimes brings mixed results. A cha-cha arrangement of the old Elvis Presley hit “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” doesn’t work for me. Strings here sometimes can’t decide if they’re violins or fiddles. Obviously that’s intentional but it’s also sometimes distracting.

I can tell you one thing: A sturdy song like Merle Haggard's “(My Friends are Gonna Be) Strangers” flatly rejects an airy string arrangement. The listener doesn’t reject it. The song does. Country songs were not made for British drawing rooms or as an accompaniment to afternoon tea. On the other hand, his take on such songs as Dolly Parton’s “My Blue Tears” and Bob Luman’s “Let’s Think About Living” (by Boudleaux Bryant) and the Bailes Brothers’ obscure tune “My Heart Echoes” are exhilarating fresh looks at old material. He gets an A+ for inventive song selection. A real bonus is the hidden track, which is a loving rendition of the old Gerry Goffin-Jack Keller song, “Don’t Ask Me to Be Friends,” which was recorded by both the Everly Brothers and Cliff Richard in the 1960s. I like Thompson’s voice here a lot. It can cut through a cluttered arrangement with his clean British twang. He obviously loves country music. I’d like to hear more country from young Thompson. I think he has a lot to say with it.