The Johnny Cash Show (TV series)

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Johnny Cash, 1969
Johnny Cash, 1969

The Johnny Cash Show was an American television music variety show presented by Johnny Cash. The 58-episode series ran from June 7 1969-1971 on ABC. The Show reached no. 17 in the Nielsen ratings in 1970.[1]

Johnny Cash opened the show each time, and its regulars included members of his touring troupe, June Carter Cash 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.

It featured many folk/country musicians of the time, such as Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury, Neil Young, Merle Haggard, James Taylor and Tammy Wynette. It also featured other musicians such as jazz great, Louis Armstrong, who died eight months after recording the show.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The show started with an hour-long tryout offered by the ABC as "a summer replacement for their Saturday Night variety extravaganza The Hollywood Palace. [1] 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".[1]

The show was recorded at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, then home of the Grand Ole Opry.[1] 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. Kienzle suggests that as well as providing entertainment, the show operated as a "Country Music 101".[1]

Johnny 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 song on another network had "caused a firestorm".[1] He premiered his Man in Black song on an episode filmed at Nashville's Vanderbilt University's campus.

[edit] 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.

Tracklist:

DVD 1

  1. Johnny Cash - Ring Of Fire
  2. Bob Dylan - I Threw It All Away
    • From season 1, episode 1, originally aired 7. June 1969.
  3. Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Girl From The North Country
    • From season 1, episode 1, originally aired 7. June 1969.
  4. Kris Kristofferson - Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)
  5. Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash - Blue Yodel #9
    • From season 2, episode 6, originally aired 28. October 1970.
  6. Stevie Wonder - Heaven Help Us All
    • From season 2, episode 8, originally aired 11. November 1970.
  7. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
    • From season 1, episode 15, originally aired 27. September 1969.
  8. Linda Ronstadt and Johnny Cash - I Will Never Marry
  9. George Jones - Medley (White Lightning with Johnny Cash, She Thinks I Still Care, Love Bug, The Race Is On)
  10. Johnny Cash - Hey Porter
  11. Waylon Jennings - Medley (Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line, The Singing Star's Queen, Brown Eyed Handsome Man)
  12. Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man
    • From season 2, episode 17, originally aired 28. January 1971.
  13. Marty Robbins - Medley (Big Iron, Running Gun, El Paso)
    • From season 1, episode 17, originally aired 28. January 1970.
  14. Johnny Cash - Come Along And Ride This Train
  15. Johnny Cash - As Long As The Grass Shall Grow
  16. Johnny Cash - Man In Black
  17. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
    • From season 2, episode 20, originally aired 17. February 1971.
  18. Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash - Cripple Creek
  19. Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash - Worried Man Blues
  20. Johnny Cash - Sunday Morning Coming Down
  21. Johnny Cash - Old Time Religion
  22. Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, The Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins and The Tennessee Three - Daddy Sang Bass
  23. Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters - Wildwood Flower
  24. Neil Young - The Needle And The Damage Done
    • From season 2, episode 20, originally aired 17. February 1971.
  25. Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three - Tennessee Flat Top Box
  26. Joni Mitchell and Johnny Cash - The Long Black Veil
    • From season 1, episode 6, originally aired 19. July 1969.
  27. Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three with Carl Perkins - Big River

DVD 2

  1. Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line
  2. June Carter Cash - A Good Man
  3. Derek and the Dominos - It's Too Late
    • From season 2, episode 14, originally aired 6. January 1971.
  4. Derek and the Dominos with Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins - Matchbox
  5. Charley Pride - Able Bodied Man
  6. Chorus & Johnny Cash - Country Gold Intro
  7. Bill Monroe And His Blue Grass Boys - Blue Moon Of Kentucky
    • From season 2, episode 8, originally aired 11. November 1970.
  8. Loretta Lynn - I Know How
    • From season 1, episode 30, originally aired 29. April 1970.
  9. Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
  10. Johnny Cash - Ride This Train
  11. Johnny Cash - America The Beautiful
  12. Johnny Cash - This Land Is Your Land
  13. The Everly Brothers with Ike Everly and Johnny and Tommy Cash - That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine
  14. Ray Charles - Ring Of Fire
  15. Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue
  16. Conway Twitty - Hello Darlin'
  17. Mother Maybelle Carter - Black Mountain Rag
  18. Tony Joe White and Johnny Cash - Polk Salad Annie
  19. Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman
    • From season 2, episode 10, originally aired 25. November 1970.
  20. Neil Diamond - Cracklin' Rosie
  21. Ray Price - For The Good Times
  22. Roy Orbison - Cryin'
    • From season 1, episode 15, originally aired 27. September 1969.
  23. Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash - Pretty Woman
    • From season 1, episode 15, originally aired 27. September 1969.
  24. Johnny Cash - Wanted Man
  25. Chet Atkins and Johnny Cash - Recuerdo De La Alhambra
  26. Chet Atkins - Medley (Back Home in Indiana, Country Gentleman, Mister Sandman, Wildwood Flower, Freight Train)
    • From season 1, episode 30, originally aired 29. April 1970.
  27. June Carter Cash with Homer And Jethro - Baby, It's Cold Outside
  28. Merle Haggard - No Hard Times
  29. Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash - Sing Me Back Home
  30. Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes
    • From season 2, episode 16, originally aired 21. January 1971.
  31. Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, The Carter Family and The Statler Brothers - The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago
  32. Roy Clark - Medley (In The Summertime, 12th Street Rag)
    • From season 1, episode 6, originally aired 19. July 1969.
  33. The Statler Brothers - Flowers On The Wall
  34. Johnny Cash - Working Man Blues
  35. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash - Jackson
  36. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash - Turn Around
  37. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash - I Love You Because
  38. Hank Williams Jr. - Medley (You Win Again, Cold Cold Heart, I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You, Half As Much)
  39. Johnny Cash - A Wonderful Time Up There

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Kienzle, Rich (2007) "Notes for The Best of the Johnny Cash TV Show" DVD Boxed Set (Reverse Angle Productions)