Song of the Day: 'Girl From the North Country' by Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell

I suppose I'm a bit of an oddball because I love and know everything about Rosanne Cash but can barely tell you the first thing about her legendary father. But a Joni Mitchell bender on YouTube led me to this duet from "The Johnny Cash Show," which I am certainly glad to know about.

P.S. Even if Dad taught her about this Bob Dylan song, I still prefer Rose's VERSION!

Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's First Wife, Gets the Last Word in 'My Darling Vivian'

Can't rave enough about "My Darling Vivian," Matt Riddlehoover and Dustin Tittle's documentary about the other Mrs. Johnny Cash -- the drop-dead gorgeous one. Vivian Liberto was a deeply insecure 17-year-old from a strict Catholic family when she met and fell in love with Johnny Cash. Their romance lasted just three weeks before the Air Force deployed the 19-year-old future music legend to Germany for a three-year tour. After thousands of love letters, he returned to her native San Antonio where they married and became parents to the first two of their four daughters in less than two years. Johnny's career -- and dependence on drugs -- took off shortly thereafter, and things were never the same. Whether you're a Man in Black fan or not, you'll be moved by this raw but ultimately sympathetic look at a woman who was ill-equipped for what life -- and love -- brought her way.

And anyone from a large family -- I'm the adult child of an alcoholic with two older brothers and a younger sister -- will get a kick out of hearing how everyone has their own version of family history and, in a sense, the truth. Eldest daughter Rosanne comes off as the consummate cynic (the oldest is always the know-it-all -- and wait'll you hear what she has to say about stepdad Dick Distin!) while second child Kathy is the rye, sardonic, HILARIOUS one. Third in line, Cindy, strikes me as having been most hurt by the divorce, while baby Tara (the family sweetheart?) had a completely different experience as she never really knew her parents when they were truly together.

Vivian, who craved privacy above all else yet resented being erased from history, probably would not have been able to watch this warts-and-all examination of her life. (There's a scene involving her former son-in-law Rodney Crowell that was one of several that reduced me to tears.) But she no doubt would have appreciated that the record was finally set straight that it was she -- not Johnny's "savior" replacement bride -- who persevered and raised four beautiful daughters all but by herself.

The film was slated to premiere at South by Southwest, but because of the coronavirus crisis, it is showing on Amazon Prime for a limited time now.

Variety agrees, calling "My Darling Vivian" an exceptional documentary that separates fact from myth while telling the story of Johnny Cash’s first wife. Read HERE.

Footnote:

It's probably worth mentioning that director Matt Riddlehoover and producer Dustin Tittle are married, and that Dustin is the son of Kathy Cash. :-)

Remains of the Day (07/22)

NRL: Add Gavin Cooper to the list of reasons we're recording rugby

Dlisted: David Crosby either angrily left or was thrown off podcast interview

Towleroad: Beautiful gay strangers have chance hookup, but may have met somewhere before

BBC: The gay mayor shaking up politics in Catholic Poland

Back2Stonewall: Polish Pride marchers pelted with stones, firecrackers and bottles but continue on

Yahoo: Cat filter accidentally gets activated during press conference for double murder

Instagram: Looking forward to seeing Matt Riddlehoover and Dustin Little's upcoming documentary about Vivian Liberto, the beautiful mother of Johnny Cash's four daughters

Hot Slut of the Day: Froot Loops cereal straws

USA Today: Hundreds allege Donald Trump doesn’t pay his bills

Boy Culture: These two boys will definitely get you going

The Daily News: Ryan Adams cryptically teased that he has “a lot to say” and will share it soon, five months after he was accused of misconduct and emotional abuse

The Wow Report: "Roommates" Richard Madden and Brandon Flynn step out in L.A. to have dinner

Baseline: Hall-of-Fame-worthy accomplishments of Mary Pierce

NewNowNext: U.N. warns fight against HIV/AIDS has stalled

Greg in Hollywood: Gay blogger visits P-town for the first time and loved it!

TV Line: Am I the only one who thinks the unnecessary second season of "Big Little Lies" wound up being better than the first?

The Guardian: Alec Baldwin has distinguished himself by refusing to join other former Woody Allen cast members (among them Colin Firth, Timothée Chalamet and Greta Gerwig) in denouncing the legally exonerated filmmaker

OMG Blog: Top 10 steamiest nude scenes of 2019

Song of the Day: 'The Gambler' by Kenny Rogers

Read how Kenny Rogers -- who was brilliant when he guest starred on "Reno 911!" -- aced "The Gambler" HERE.

Kenny's signature song ...

The Bobby Bare original ...

Johnny Cash's version ...

Song of the Day: 'June's Sundown' by Carlene Carter

Carlene is seen here at Cash Cabin studio recording "June's Sundown" for the new album I mentioned last week of songs created from previously unknown poetry, lyrics and letters of "Big John," aka her stepfather Johnny Cash. Order HERE.

Stream the album HERE.

Carlene discusses writing the song from Johnny's poem.

Song of the Day: 'The Walking Wounded' by Rosanne Cash

Wow! Haven't seen a music video this moving in ages -- a beautiful black-and-white film powered by a haunting new track by Rosanne Cash that's included on "Johnny Cash: Forever Words," a just-released album featuring 16 songs created from her father's unearthed poetry, lyrics and letters set to music by an array of contemporary artists. (In addition to Rosanne, there's Chris Cornell, Jewel, T Bone Burnett, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, stepdaughter Carlene Carter, John Mellencamp and Elvis Costello.)

For nearly 60 years, the words of Johnny Cash have reached across cultural, spiritual and ideological borders. He was not only a singer of great songs, but a teller of universal truths about justice, faith, love, and independence. It was in this spirit that "Johnny Cash: Forever Words," was created. Recorded primarily at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tenn., and co-produced by John Carter Cash and Steve Berkowitz, "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" is also the musical companion to the best-selling "Forever Words: The Unknown Poems," a volume of Cash's unpublished writing edited by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. 

Order HERE.

Stream the album HERE.

Cash Family 'Sickened' by Neo-Nazi's Johnny Cash T-Shirt

Rosanne Cash is an outspoken liberal. So naturally her father's worst fans love to lecture her on what he would think of her beliefs -- because who knows what her father felt better than total strangers.

Normally Rose will ignore or point out how little these people actually knew about her dad. But when one of the Neo-Nazis in Charlottesville was photographed wearing a Johnny Cash shirt, the entire Cash brood decided they had to speak out. And speak out they did.

From HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Away in a Manger' by Johnny Cash

'Tis the season ...

Larry on the Spot

I placed some books on the edges of my new rug to try to flatten it out and my baby took an immediate interest in this Johnny Cash biography. 

You're Looking at Cuntry

From Carlene Carter's Facebook wall:

This was right after I made the sweeping statement that has haunted me all these years at The Bottom Line! If you don't know what I'm talking about that's fine with me! LOL

!

Song of the Day: 'Tennessee Flat Top Box' by Johnny and Rosanne Cash LIVE!

Incredibly rare of footage of Johnny Cash inviting his daughter Rosanne to sing "Tennessee Flat Top Box" with him at a backyard book party to celebrate the publication of wife June's latest book about Mother Maybelle Carter in 1989. (The person who posted it notes that the dinner was held out on the tennis courts of Johnny and June's house.) While some have argued that YouTube has destroyed the "you had to be there" mystique of one-off television moments and events, I can't help but marvel at something this precious. Also have to wonder if the Cashes themselves -- grandkids, etc. -- even know it exists.

Song of the Day: 'It Ain't Me, Babe' by Johnny Cash and June Carter

The lovebirds' cover of the Bob Dylan classic is just one of several highlights from "Carryin' On With Johnny Cash & June Carter," which was born the same year I was.

Film Bites: 'Lovelace,' 'My Father and the Man in Black' and '20 Feet From Stardom'

Have been dragging my feet writing about movies lately, so here are few words about three I have seen recently.

"Lovelace": It probably helped that I went into this thinking it wasn't going to be great, but I found Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman's biopic about the accidental star of the most famous pornographic film of all time to be well-crafted and entertaining -- if not completely disturbing. Sure, there was a ton of stuff they didn't cover. (If you want it all, I'd recommend the documentary "Inside Deep Throat.") But with all life stories, you have to pick your moments, and "Lovelace" showed how easy it was for an unsophisticated girl with a piece-of-work mother to be easily seduced and then forced into such a life. Amanda Seyfried brought a quirky naivete to the titular character, and Peter Sarsgaard seems like a likely Oscar nominee. My grade: B.

"My Father and the Man in Black":  Following the suicide of his father, Saul Holiff -- Johnny Cash's career-shaping early manager -- director Jonathan Holiff discovers a storage unit filled with letters and audio diaries, including recorded phone calls with Saul's marquee client during his crazed pill-fueled 1960s jags, triumphs at Folsom and San Quentin, wedding to June Carter, and his conversion in the early '70s to born-again Christian. By poring through all of these newly discovered items, the director learns a lot about the relationship between his father and Cash. But ultimately he learns even more about why Saul was never able to be a father to him, a deficiency that scarred the younger Holiff deeply. Hardcore Cash fans will undoubtedly enjoy this look behind the scenes -- Johnny's life is far more interesting than Saul's, naturally -- although at times it makes the film feel a bit exploitative. But ultimately anyone who loves memoirs and biographies -- even non-Cash fans -- will appreciate this familial autopsy and what is revealed. My grade: B-.

"20 Feet From Stardom": Morgan Neville's heartfelt documentary about the life of several backup singers is a treat from beginning to end, pulling no punches exploring the incredible highs and lows of ambitious and talented performers who often spend a lifetime on the brink of fame, but never quite reach it. While Darlene Love is the poster child for backup singers whose talent was exploited but rarely celebrated, it's fellow subjects Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and especially former Ikette Claudia Lennear who shine brightest here here. Don't miss this one. My grade: A.

In the Kitchen With Johnny Cash's Granddaughter

In this episode of "Big City Grits," Carrie Crowell and Matthew Porter's cooking Web series, we learn how to make chips and guacamole. Easy on the soap in that guac, Carrie. Oh, and I'm with Matty: I had no idea that's where tortilla chips came from! (See more HERE.)

Skip the Line

  Johnny Cash (Forever) stamps are now available online HERE.

Love the 45 rpm style page!

Song of the Day: 'It Ain't Me, Babe' by Johnny Cash and June Carter

 "Jackson" may be the couple's best known song, but their cover of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe" helped make "Carryin' On With Johnny Cash and June Carter" one of 1967's all-time best.

Song of the Day: 'Girl of 100 Lists' by the Go-Go's

The New York Times had a great piece in the Sunday Review about our love of lists -- let me list the reasons I love them! -- that included this rather adorable Things to Do Today note by Johnny Cash, which sold at auction on Dec. 5, 2010, for $6,250. Ironically, the song "Girl of 100 Lists" is probably my least favorite Go-Go's tune. Read HERE.

(Hat tip to World of Wonder)