Died On This Date (May 15, 2003) June Carter Cash / Country Music Icon

June Carter
June 23, 1929 – May 15, 2003

juneJune Carter was born into country music’s iconic Carter Family on May 23, 1929.  By the time she was just ten, she was performing as part of the family group.  In 1961, the Carter Family went on the road with Johnny Cash where a romance blossomed between June and Johnny.  Two years later, Carter co-wrote “Ring Of Fire,” apparently inspired by Cash, who made it one of country music’s greatest recording’s ever.  In 1968, Carter and Cash married.  In later years, Cash would publicly credit Carter for saving his life by forcing him to kick his legendary drug habits.  Together Carter and Cash recorded several songs together, including the Grammy-winning “Jackson,” and “If I Were A Carpenter.”   Carter set her sites on writing and acting during the ’70s and ’80s, publishing two autobiographies and appearing in The Apostle, and on television’s Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.  She returned to recording in the late ’90s, releasing the Grammy-winning Press On in 1999.  June Carter Cash died unexpectedly on May 15, 2003 due to complications from heart surgery.

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Press On - June Carter Cash

 

Died On This Date (September 12, 2003) Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash
February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003

Technically considered a country music artist, Johnny Cash actually transcended the genre to be one of the most important singer-songwriters of any music, period.  With an authoritative deep voice, a cannon of songs that sounded like a freight train coming your way, and lyrics that made you feel as if he lived them, Cash exemplified all that is American music.  To many, he and his wife and musical partner, June Carter Cash are considered country music’s first couple.  During a career that spanned almost 5o years, Cash was equally at home performing rockabilly, folk, gospel, country, rock ‘n roll and blues.  His stable of songs included some of the greatest of any genre, “Walk The Line,” “Hey Porter,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “A Boy Named Sue.”   Cash regularly covered songs by some of the world’s greatest artists, such as Bruce Springsteen, Trent Reznor, Depeche Mode, Bob Dylan, U2 and Tom Petty.  In many cases, his interpretations eclipsed the originals, and most of the original artists would agree to that.  Cash’s final years were bittersweet.  Although he was experiencing a true renaissance thanks to a series of haunting albums produced by Rick Rubin,  he was living through both physical and emotional pain.  In the late ’90s he was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease associated with diabetes and was hospitalized with a serious case of pneumonia that damaged his lungs.  And in May of 2003, he lost his wife June due to unexpected complications of heart surgery.  The 71 year old Johnny Cash passed away less than four months later.

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At Folsom Prison (Live) - Johnny Cash

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