Who is June Carter

Songwriter, singer, actress, comedienne, and matriarch of country music, June Carter Cash was born Valerie June Carter in Maces Springs, VA, on June 23, 1929. Taught by her mother (the legendary Mother Maybelle Carter of the Carter Family) to play autoharp, June entered the spotlight in 1937 singing with her sisters Helen and Anita, eventually performing as the Carter Sisters after the death of June's uncle A.P. Her good humor and quick wit prompted June to perform comedy skits and monologues during the show, and led to a novelty recording of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with country comics Homer & Jethro which eventually hit number nine on the country charts in 1949.

In 1952, Carter married Carl Smith, with whom she performed at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, and their daughter, Rebecca Carlene (later to record under the name Carlene Carter), was born in 1955. After their divorce in the late '50s, Carter was managed by Colonel Tom Parker and toured with Elvis Presley, and while living in Nashville, she met and briefly married local police officer Rip Nix with whom she another daughter, Rosie. Although Carter dabbled in acting during the '50s, she returned to the musical stage in 1961 when the Carters joined Johnny Cash's road show. Rumor has it that Cash had kept an eye on June since her appearances with the Carter Sisters in the early '50s, commenting, "I'm going to marry that girl someday" (despite the fact that both of them were still married to other people at the time). In 1963, Carter co-wrote the song "Ring of Fire" with Merle Kilgore, which Cash (supposedly June's inspiration for the song) took to number one. Their Grammy-winning duet "Jackson" came true when Cash and Carter "got married in a fever hotter than a pepper sprout" in 1968. Cash has long credited June for forcing him to shake his addiction to amphetamines and encouraging his spiritual development, saying, "she is the person responsible for me still being alive. She came along at a time in my life when I was going to self-destruct." Another Grammy (for "If I Were a Carpenter") and the birth of Carter's third child, son John Carter Cash, followed in 1970.

June Carter Cash left the spotlight for most of the '70s and '80s, stating, "I worked with John, but I had enough sense to walk just a little ways behind him. I could have made more records, but I wanted to have a marriage." She did, however, write two autobiographies (1979's Among My Klediments and 1987's From My Heart) and also did some acting, notably on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and alongside Robert Duvall in The Apostle. She did eventually return to recording, releasing a collection of both traditional folk songs and Carter Cash originals entitled Press On in 1999 which won a Grammy for best traditional folk album. Johnny Cash's health seemed to deteriorate throughout the '90s just as his career went through a renaissance, and many fans were shocked when June Carter Cash died suddenly on May 15, 2003, following complications from heart surgery. Given the fact that she had remained apparently rock solid as he got weaker and weaker, it seemed as though Johnny might pass on, but Carter Cash would live forever. Luckily, she does live on today; through the children she raised (many of whom have become musicians themselves), through her writing and appearances on film, through the contributions she made to her husband's life, and most clearly in the music she left behind.

~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide

Albums
1975 - Appalachian Pride
1999 - Press On
1999 - It's All In The Family (Appalachian Pride & The Children's Album)
2003 - Wildwood Flower
2003 - Louisiana Hayride (Issuing of Previously Recorded Material)
2005 - Keep On The Sunny Side: June Carter Cash - Her Life In Music
2005 - Church In The Wildwood: A Treasury Of Appalachian Gospel
2005 - Ring Of Fire: The Best Of June Carter Cash
2006 - Early June

Albums with Johnny Cash
1967 - Carryin' On With Johnny Cash And June Carter
1973 - Johnny Cash And His Woman
1979 - Johnny And June
1999 - It's All In The Family (Appalachian Pride & The Children's Album)
2006 - Duets
2006 - Collections

Singles
Year Song US Country
1949 "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (w/ Homer and Jethro) 9
1956 "Juke Box Blues"
1965 "It Ain't Me Babe" (w/ Johnny Cash) 4
1967 "Jackson" (w/ Johnny Cash) 2
"Long Legged Guitar Pickin' Man" (w/ Johnny Cash) 6
1970 "If I Were A Carpenter" (w/ Johnny Cash) 2
1971 "A Good Man" 27
1972 "If I Had a Hammer" 29
1973 "The Loving Gift" 27
1973 "Allegheny" (w/ Johnny Cash) 69
1976 "Old Time Feeling" 26
2003 "Keep On The Sunny Side"

Walk the Line is one of my all-time favorite movies!

Whether you like country music or not the award winning movie is incredible. With Joaquine Pheonix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter this movie makes for a great music story, love story and one of those "can't see it too many times" movies!

You watch trailers and much more at Walk the Line- The Johnny Cash Movie

One of the most memorable things about Johnny Cash was June Carter...one of the most memorable things about June Carter was Johnny Cash.

From the very first moment that Johnny Cash first met June he had his mind set on her, even though he was married at the time. Once his first marriage was over, he asked June many time to marry him. Countless times she told him no. And for good reason, too.

Finally, one day, while performing on stage, Johnny Cash asked June to marry him, while she blushed it off at first, she finally said yes. From that day forward, Johnny Cash and June Carter were inseparable.

The two were not only married and lived together but, they would sing together, tour together and love forever.

Their love was so strong...everyone knew it. One of the greatest signs of their love is the song Johnny and June by Heidi Newfield. Follow the link and you can watch the video, read the lyrics and much more!

It's a song everyone should hear! As we can all relate to it at one point in our life!

June Carter Cash was an great singer, song writer and performer!



June Carter Cash helped Johnny Cash recover from drugs and get his life together....Helping to save someones life is the unbeatable!



June Carter was always there and helped everyone she could. Not just Johnny, but everyone! She never said no and never walked away from someone needing help! She was great mother, friend, and performer.