Who was June Carter Cash? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Valerie June Carter

Died At Age: 73

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Carl Smith (m. 1952–1956), Edwin Lee Nix (m. 1957–1966), Johnny Cash (m. 1968–2003)

father: Ezra Carter

mother: Maybelle Carter

siblings: Anita Carter, Helen Carter

children: Carlene Carter, John Carter Cash, Rosie Nix Adams

Born Country: United States

Country Singers American Women

Died on: May 15, 2003

place of death: Nashville, Tennessee, United States

U.S. State: Virginia

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1

When did June Carter Cash release her first solo album?

June Carter Cash released her first solo album, "Press On," in 1999.
2

What was June Carter Cash's contribution to the music industry?

June Carter Cash was known for her distinctive singing style and songwriting talents, contributing to the country and folk music genres.
3

Did June Carter Cash write any books?

Yes, June Carter Cash wrote an autobiography titled "Among My Klediments" in 1979.
4

What instrument did June Carter Cash play?

June Carter Cash was a talented musician who played the autoharp, guitar, and banjo.
5

How did June Carter Cash influence Johnny Cash's music career?

June Carter Cash played a significant role in Johnny Cash's life and music career, inspiring some of his hit songs and collaborating with him on various projects.

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Childhood & Early Life

June Carter Cash was born as Valerie June Carter to Maybelle Addington Carter and Ezra Carter in Maces Spring, Virginia.

She learnt to play autoharp from her mother. Besides this, she also learnt playing banjo and guitar during her childhood days. At that time she developed a particular guitar style which later came to known as the Carter scratch.

In 1937, she performed at public events with her sisters Helen and Anita as the Carter Sisters. Their show also featured June’s humorous comic performances and monologues.

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Career

In 1949, the Carter Sisters, their mother Maybelle and the group’s lead guitarist Chet Atkins moved to Springfield, Missouri, to perform regularly at KWTO, the radio station there.

In 1950, this group joined the Grand Ole Opry, a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville. After watching June’s performance at the Opry in 1955, director Eliza Kazan suggested her to study acting.

Thereafter, she studied acting at The Actor’s Studio in New York City. In 1957, she acted in various supporting roles on ‘Gunsmoke’ and ‘The Adventures of Jim Bowie’. Both of these are American Western television series.

In 1958, she acted in the film ‘Country Music Holiday’. She also featured on the television show “Shindig”. In the early parts of 1960, she started her career in music again by performing with her mother and sisters. It was during this period when she and other members of the Carter Family performed with Johnny Cash for a number of years.

June and Johnny cash produced a number of successful musical compositions like “If I Were a Carpenter”. As a solo artist, she recorded “The Heal” in the 1960s.

In 1966, she appeared in country music film ‘The Road to Nashville’. In 1972, she acted as Mary Magdalene in a religious film ‘Gospel Road’. Produced by Johnny Cash, this film did not receive success at box office.

In 1979, she remained busy with writing the story of her life. She published it in the form of a book titled “Among My Klediments”. In 1987, she published another account of her life story “From the Heart”.

During the 1980s and 1990s, she started accepting acting roles again. She made appearances on television programs like ‘Little House on the Prairie’, ‘Dr. Quinn’, ‘Medicine Woman’ and so on. In 1997, she acted in the film ‘Apostle’.

In 1999, she returned to her recording jobs and released a collection of traditional folk songs. At that time, she recorded the album “Press On” that bought her a Grammy Award for best traditional folk album.

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Major Works

In 1963, along with Merle Kilgore, she wrote the song “Ring of Fire”. It acquired top position on the charts for seven weeks.

Awards & Achievements

In 1968, along with Johnny Cash, she won Grammy Award for Best Country Performance, for their duet performance of “Jackson”. Written in 1963, this song tells the story of a married couple.

Together they won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for their duet performance of “If I Were a Carpenter”. Written by Tim Hardin, this song achieved number eight position in the US chart.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1952, she married Carl Smith. They had a daughter namely Rebecca Carlene. They got divorced in the later part of 1950s.

She married Rip Nix, a police officer of Nashville, in 1957. They had a daughter namely Rosie.

On March 1, 1968, she tied the nuptial knot for the third time with Johnny Cash. Their only son’s name was Johnny Carter Cash.

During her heart valve replacement surgery, she passed away at the age of 73.

Musician and actress Jewel will portray the character of this legendary actress and singer in a television film titled ‘The June Carter Cash Story’ which will be broadcast in 2013.

To honour her memory, she was given two Gammy Awards posthumously for her single “Keep on the Sunny Side” and the album “Wildwood Flower”.

Facts About June Carter Cash

June Carter Cash was a talented multi-instrumentalist, known for playing the autoharp, guitar, and banjo.

She was a prolific songwriter and her compositions have been recorded by numerous artists across different genres.

June Carter Cash was a dedicated advocate for the preservation of traditional country music and the history of the genre.

June Carter Cash was a loving and supportive wife to Johnny Cash, standing by him through thick and thin during their long and storied marriage.

2004	Best Female Country Vocal Performance	Winner
2004	Best Traditional Folk Album	Winner
2000	Best Traditional Folk Album	Winner
1971	Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group	Winner
1968	Best Country & Western Performance Duet, Trio or Group (Vocal or Instrumental)	Winner

June Carter Cash Biography

You wanted to know

When did June Carter Cash release her first solo album?

What was June Carter Cash's contribution to the music industry?

Did June Carter Cash write any books?

What instrument did June Carter Cash play?

How did June Carter Cash influence Johnny Cash's music career?