The Johnny Cash Show is an American television music variety show that was hosted by Johnny Cash. The Screen Gems 58-episode series ran from June 7, 1969, to March 31, 1971, on ABC; it was taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show reached No. 17 in the Nielsen ratings in 1970.
Cash opened each show, invariably preceding the first number with his customary "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" greeting, and its regulars included members of his touring troupe, June Carter Cash (his wife) and the Carter Family, The Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins, and The Tennessee Three, with Australian-born musical director-arranger-conductor Bill Walker. The Statler Brothers performed brief comic interludes. An instrumental version of "Folsom Prison Blues" was used for the opening credits.
It featured many folk, singer-songwriter and country musicians, such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury, George Jones, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Merle Haggard, James Taylor, Tammy Wynette and Roy Orbison. It also featured other musicians such as jazz great Louis Armstrong, who died eight months after appearing on the show.
Background Cash had been approached by ABC to host a television show after the major success of his two live prison albums, At Folsom Prison and At San Quentin. The show started with an hour-long tryout offered by ABC as "a summer replacement for its Saturday night variety extravaganza The Hollywood Palace."Kienzle, Rich (2007) "Notes for The Best of the Johnny Cash TV Show" DVD Boxed Set (Reverse Angle Productions) While Cash had a large degree of freedom, he "had to accept some compromises by hosting showbiz royalty like Bob Hope, George Gobel, Kirk Douglas, Burl Ives, Peggy Lee and Lorne Greene. They gave the show gravitas that satisfied both advertisers and the network".
Format The show was recorded at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, then home of the Grand Ole Opry. The show was conceived by Bill Carruthers, who also served as executive producer and director for the first season. Stan Jacobson was also a producer on the show. Myles Harmon was the program executive for ABC Television. The first show featured Joni Mitchell, Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw, Fannie Flagg as a comic, and Bob Dylan.
The show included a "Country Gold" segment which featured legends rarely or never seen on network TV such as Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. Author Rich Kienzle suggests that as well as providing entertainment, the show operated as a "Country Music 101".
Cash persisted in the face of ABC "network anxieties" on several occasions. He refused to cut the word "stoned" from Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", he stood by his Christian faith "despite network anxieties", and persisted in bringing on Pete Seeger whose anti-Vietnam War song on another network had "caused a firestorm". He premiered his "Man in Black" song on an episode taped at Nashville's Vanderbilt University campus.
In 1970, Columbia Records released The Johnny Cash Show, a live album, as a tie-in with the TV series, though the record is not considered a soundtrack. The release is unusual as Columbia was affiliated with competing network CBS. Cash's version of Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", included on the series, is included on the album and was released as a single, which was a major hit for Cash.
One unusual taping occurred in 1971. Cash began the program assuming it was a regular episode. Moments after Cash greeted the audience, June Carter Cash came on stage and said she had a special guest. Ralph Edwards then joined the two on stage; as the audience erupted in a standing ovation, Cash realized that it was actually a taping for an installment of This Is Your Life honoring him.
Series overview
List of episodes
Season 1 (1969–1970) 32 episodes #AirdateGuests1.1June 7, 1969 Bob Dylan Joni Mitchell Doug Kershaw1.2June 14, 1969Gordon Lightfoot Dan Blocker Joey Scarbury Evie Sands The Carter Family The Statler Brothers1.3June 21, 1969Eddie Albert Jerry Reed Linda Ronstadt1.4July 5, 1969Buffy Sainte-Marie Doug McClure The Cowsills1.5July 12, 1969 Jeannie C. Riley Glen Campbell Joe Tex1.6July 19, 1969Ed Ames Joni Mitchell The Monkees Roy Clark1.7July 26, 1969Dale Robertson Marty Robbins Lynn Kellogg1.8August 2, 1969O.C. Smith Merle Haggard Merrilee Rush Carl Perkins1.9August 9, 1969 Diana Trask Pat Boone Tom T. Hall1.10August 16, 1969O.C. Smith Kenny Rogers and The First Edition Melanie Grandpa Jones1.11August 23, 1969Chet Atkins Lulu1.12August 30, 1969Roger Miller Odetta Carl Perkins1.13September 6, 1969Charley Pride Ian & Sylvia1.14September 20, 1969Cass Elliot Ramblin' Jack Elliot The Staple Singers Tommy Cash1.15September 27, 1969Roy Orbison Creedence Clearwater Revival Phil Harris Bobbi Martin1.16January 21, 1970Arlo Guthrie Jose Feliciano Bobbie Gentry1.17January 28, 1970 Glen Campbell Marty Robbins Nancy Ames1.18February 4, 1970Dusty Springfield Rod McKuen Kirk Douglas1.19February 11, 1970Ray Charles Neil Diamond Tammy Wynette1.20February 18, 1970Vikki Carr Pete Seeger1.21February 25, 1970Cass Elliot Kenny Rogers and The First Edition1.22March 4, 1970Brenda Lee Roger Miller Carl Perkins Pete Seeger1.23March 11, 1970O.C. Smith Hank Williams Jr. Linda Ronstadt1.24March 18, 1970George Gobel Merle Haggard Jeannie C. Riley1.25March 25, 1970Waylon Jennings Jackie DeShannon Michael Parks Statler Brothers Carl Perkins1.26April 1, 1970Kenny Rogers and The First Edition Roy Orbison Shel Silverstein1.27April 8, 1970Patti Page Tony White1.28April 15, 1970George Jones Bobby Goldsboro Judy Collins1.29April 22, 1970Lynn Anderson Burl Ives1.30April 29, 1970Chet Atkins Kris Kristofferson Ricky Nelson Loretta Lynn Doug Kershaw1.31May 6, 1970Merle Haggard Brenda Lee Charley Pride1.32May 13, 1970Tex Ritter Roy Acuff Marty Robbins Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass
Season 2 (1970–1971) 26 episodes #AirdateGuests2.1September 30, 1970Ray Charles Liza Minnelli Arlo Guthrie2.2September 23, 1970Jackie DeShannon Dennis Hopper Statler Brothers2.3October 7, 1970Joni Mitchell Joe South George Lindsey2.4October 14, 1970José Feliciano Bobby Bare Linda Ronstadt Mac Davis2.5October 21, 1970Peggy Lee The Guess Who Marty Robbins Tommy Cash2.6October 28, 1970Louis Armstrong Tennessee Ernie Ford Kenny Rogers and The First Edition2.7November 4, 1970Burl Ives Statler Brothers2.8November 11, 1970George Gobel Stevie Wonder Ian & Sylvia Bill Monroe2.9November 18, 1970Kris Kristofferson Cass Elliot Statler Brothers Lorne Greene2.10November 25, 1970Glen Campbell Stoneman Family Tony Joe White2.11December 2, 1970Homer & Jethro Statler Brothers Merle Haggard Bonnie Owens Anne Murray2.12December 16, 1970Jackie DeShannon Hank Snow Carl Perkins Al Hirt2.13December 25, 1970"The Johnny Cash Christmas Show" Statler Brothers Everly Brothers Roy Orbison2.14January 6, 1971Derek and the Dominos Eric Andersen2.15January 13, 1971Gordon Lightfoot Bill Anderson Statler Brothers Homer & Jethro2.16January 21, 1971"The History of Country Music: Part 1" Roy Acuff Eddy Arnold Carl Perkins Marty Robbins Buck Owens Merle Haggard2.17January 28, 1971"The History of Country Music: Part 2" Chet Atkins Merle Haggard Sonny James Gordon Lightfoot Webb Pierce Takahiro Saito B.J. Thomas Kitty Wells Tammy Wynette Minnie Pearl Faron Young Carl Perkins2.18February 3, 1971Ballads Of The True West2.19February 10, 1971Comedy, Country Style2.20February 17, 1971James Taylor Linda Ronstadt Neil Young The Dillards Tony Joe White2.21February 24, 1971Make A Joyful Noise Mahalia Jackson Edwin Hawkins Staple Singers Blackwood Brothers The Oak Ridge Boys Stuart Hamblen Billy Graham2.22March 3, 1971"Circus for Children Of All Ages"2.23March 10, 1971Conway Twitty Statler Brothers2.24March 17, 1971Statler Brothers2.25March 24, 1971The Carpenters Red Lane Charley Pride Bob Luman Tommy Cash2.26March 31, 1971Merle Travis
Cancellation The show was canceled in 1971 in response to the Prime Time Access Rule, which eliminated a half-hour of network prime time programming from all of the major networks' nightly schedules. Cash's show was one of many that had strong rural followings that were canceled across the networks in what came to be known as the "rural purge."
Revival In 1976, CBS ran a revival of the show, Johnny Cash and Friends, as a replacement series for four weeks from August 29 to September 20, 1976. The new show was taped at the newly constructed Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Aside from musical performances, this series also featured a greater emphasis on comedy, with Steve Martin and Jim Varney appearing as regulars, and with June Carter Cash performing several comedy routines as "Aunt Polly" (reviving a character she had performed early in her career).
Following Johnny Cash and Friends, an annual Johnny Cash Christmas Special series was launched, starting in 1976, with specials airing almost every year until 1985.
The Best of The Johnny Cash TV Show A DVD set featuring 66 live performances from the show, called The Best of The Johnny Cash TV Show, was released in Region 1 on September 18, 2007. The DVD set was hosted by Kris Kristofferson and directed by Michael B. Borofsky, and was produced by Reverse Angle Productions for Sony Pictures Entertainment and Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. An accompanying CD, featuring selected numbers from the show (some of them not on the DVD set), was also released.
DVD track list
DVD 1 Johnny Cash – "Ring Of Fire" Bob Dylan – "I Threw It All Away From Season 1, Episode 1, originally aired June 7, 1969. Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash – "Girl From The North Country From Season 1, Episode 1, originally aired June 7, 1969. Kris Kristofferson – "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash – "Blue Yodel No. 9 From Season 2, Episode 6, originally aired October 28, 1970. Stevie Wonder – "Heaven Help Us All From Season 2, Episode 8, originally aired November 11, 1970. Creedence Clearwater Revival – "Bad Moon Rising From Season 1, Episode 15, originally aired September 27, 1969. Linda Ronstadt and Johnny Cash – "I Never Will Marry George Jones – Medley ("White Lightning" with Johnny Cash, "She Thinks I Still Care", "Love Bug", "The Race Is On") Johnny Cash – "Hey Porter" Waylon Jennings – Medley ("Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line", "The Singing Star's Queen", "Brown Eyed Handsome Man") Tammy Wynette – "Stand By Your Man" From Season 2, Episode 17, originally aired January 28, 1971. Marty Robbins – Medley ("Big Iron", "Running Gun", "El Paso") From Season 1, Episode 17, originally aired January 28, 1970. Johnny Cash – "Come Along And Ride This Train" Johnny Cash – "As Long As The Grass Shall Grow" Johnny Cash – "Man in Black" James Taylor – "Sweet Baby James" From Season 2, Episode 20, originally aired February 17, 1971. Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash – "Cripple Creek" Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash – "Worried Man Blues" Johnny Cash – "Sunday Morning Coming Down" Johnny Cash – "Old Time Religion" Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, The Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins and The Tennessee Three – "Daddy Sang Bass" Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters – "Wildwood Flower" Neil Young – "The Needle and the Damage Done" From Season 2, Episode 20, originally aired February 17, 1971. Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three – "Tennessee Flat Top Box" Joni Mitchell and Johnny Cash – "The Long Black Veil" From Season 1, Episode 6, originally aired July 19, 1969. Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three with Carl Perkins – "Big River"
DVD 2 Johnny Cash – "I Walk The Line" June Carter Cash – "A Good Man" Derek and the Dominos – "It's Too Late" From Season 2, Episode 14, originally aired January 6, 1971. Derek and the Dominos with Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins – "Matchbox" Charley Pride – "Able Bodied Man" Chorus & Johnny Cash – "Country Gold Intro"