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Visiting The Johnny Cash Grave & Home Site – Hendersonville, Tennessee

By Author DaniFNW

Posted on Published: March 28, 2018

Categories Tennessee

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My husband is a HUGE Johnny Cash fan. This was increased when we were stationed with Carey Cash (Johnny’s Great Nephew, and Author of A Table in the Presence ) He was able to hear stories first hand. So when we visit Nashville it was a must to visit the Johnny Cash Grave site and home site! Here are the tips you need to know.

So when we got on the road my husband had one request. He wanted a Johnny Cash day. This meant visiting the johnny cash grave , driving by his lake house, and a trip to the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville . The Museum will be covered in a post tomorrow! Come back to read it.

While visiting make sure to check out our list of  33 Amazing Free Things to Do in Nashville TN  but you if want a discount on paid attractions, make sure to check out the Nashville Sightseeing Pass .

If you are looking for more ways to save on your Nashville Vacation find discounts when you  stay in Nashville .  But you can also get a free $40 Airbnb credit when you sign up for a free account via my link .

Visiting The Johnny Cash Grave & Homesites – Hendersonville, Tennessee

We started our day heading to Hendersonville to visit The Johnny Cash Grave site. Once we got off the internet our GPS decided to be funny it had NO IDEA where it was going…. After 30 minutes and following it in the wrong direction 4 times I was able to use google maps on my phone and get us there.

I guess we needed the adventure!

We found the  Johnny Cash grave site, appropriately at the top of the hill.

So many people have left flowers and items for them. The gravesite is so well kept and I love the bible verses on them.

They also have a bench at their grave site the front says ‘I walk the line’

The back of the bench has a quote from Johnny Cash that my husband fell in love with.

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Hubby left his band made out of military uniform at the site.

We then headed to visit what is left of Johnny and June’s Home on the lake (featured in the movie ‘ I Walk the Line ’ ) the house burned to the ground during a 2007 remodel after it was sold, many believe because only John and June were meant to live there.

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The drive to the house is beautiful

A beautiful stone fence borders the property

Since the fire, there isn’t much left of the house.

This house was once 13,880-square-foot home that ran along on Old Hickory Lake and you can still see the foundation and stairs.

Set on a solid rock foundation, the house was sprawling and the property contained an outdoor swimming pool, bell garden, four large, 35-foot round rooms, 7 bedrooms, and 5 full baths.

But it has a killer view of the lake

Across the street is the house Johnny had built for his parents and he later lived there after June passed

From here we headed to Nashville to Visit the Johnny Cash Museum. Post to come on Monday!

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Jana O'Flaherty

Sunday 11th of September 2022

Thank you for this story! My husband absolutely loves Johnny Cash and June Carter. So much so our dos name is Cash and our cat is June Carter Cash. Our 10 year anniversary is May 2023. We are doing a 10 day road trip to all the things we love. He was singing Cash at karaoke the night he proposed to me. Nashville is one of our stops for 2 days. I can't wait to add this to my suprise Cash and Carter day!

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See Inside Johnny Cash’s Iconic $3.2 Million Waterfront Tennessee Estate [Pictures]

The iconic lakefront estate that once belonged to Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash last sold for $3.2 million, and as pictures show, the property is stunning.

The legendary property sits along the waterfront in Hendersonville, Tenn., an affluent Nashville suburb that is home to a number of country music business movers and shakers. The Hendersonville Standard reported in 2020 that Nashville hedge fund manager Cristan Blackman and his wife, Tina Blackman, bought the land from Lakehouse Holdings, a limited liability company owned by Texas businessman James Gresham.

“It’s such a majestic piece of property,” Cristan Blackman said at the time. “My wife and I are honored to own it.”

Johnny and June Carter Cash resided for more than three decades in a 14,000-square-foot home on the property that hosted a number of celebrities and dignitaries over the years, including Bob Dylan, Al Gore and Billy Graham. According to RolandNote.com , Cash purchased the land on Oct. 10, 1966, and built the mansion where the couple lived from 1968 until their deaths in 2003.

Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb purchased the estate in 2005, and the main house burned to the ground during renovations in 2007. The property has changed hands several times since.

The Blackmans announced plans to build a new home on the property and reside there. Cristan Blackman — who recalled riding in his grandfather's boat as a child and looking up at the Cash estate in wonder — said he wouldn't do anything to dishonor the legacy of the estate, which was designated with a marker from the Tennessee Historical Commission in 2019.

“I respect the property and I respect the community,” he states.

The former Cash estate features more than 1,000 feet of lake frontage and lush, spectacular views in every direction. A stone wall surrounds the entirety of the gated property, and there are beautiful rock walls and terraced steps all over the land.

A swimming pool, tennis court and covered boat dock are among the entities that survived the fire in 2007 and are still intact today, as well as a one-bedroom apartment building that June Carter Cash once used as a place to store her costumes.

Scroll through the gallery below to view the legendary estate.

PICTURES: See Johnny Cash's Iconic $3.2 Million Lakefront Estate in Nashville

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Explore Johnny Cash’s Tennessee Ranch-Turned Museum

Complete with a car built “one piece at a time”

Danny Lewis

Johnny Cash may have come from Arkansas, but for years his heart was in Tennessee. He performed and recorded in Nashville and Memphis, and he made his home on a little ranch in Bon Aqua. Now, after years of lying empty, the country star’s old home is now open to the public as the Storytellers Museum .

Cash didn’t come across the 107-acre ranch by traditional means. Back in the 1970s, he discovered that his accountant had been embezzling from him and buying up property all around the country. After Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, got wise, they forced him to sign over all the real estate to them. In the end, they sold all but one: the Bon Aqua ranch, Juli Thanki reports for the Tennessean .

"For me in '72, it was love at first sight ... a place that moved into my heart immediately, a place I knew I could belong," Cash wrote in his autobiography. "This is a great place for pottering. I can cook my own food, read my own books, tend my own garden, wander my own land. I can think, write, compose, study, rest and reflect in peace."

For years, the Cashs called the ranch home, and would often perform at a nearby general store. However, after Johnny Cash’s death in 2003, the house was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Almost a decade later, Brian and Sally Oxley decided to buy it, Amah-Rose Abrams reports for artnet News . Curiously, up until just a few years ago, Brian Oxley had never heard Cash’s music. However, when he discovered the late country musician’s “American Recordings,” he fell hard for the musician. After hearing that Cash’s ranch was for sale in 2015, they bought it for $895,000—arguably a steal, considering how much history they discovered at the site.

All sorts of memorabilia was left behind by the Cash family, including several guitars and a VHS tape with a recording of a performance at a nearby convenience store where Cash regularly played low-key and free shows. The couple also discovered a car whose design was inspired by the classic song “One Piece at a Time.” The house itself is full of history, with bullet holes in the wall left from the first time Cash taught his daughter Cindy how to shoot, Thanki reports. Later, when the convenience store went up for sale too, the Oxley purchased it as well.

Now, the Oxleys have transformed Cash’s home and venue into the Storytellers Museum. While the outside is simple, the museum houses the Oxleys' eclectic collection of Cash artifacts, from handwritten letters to song lyrics for "Saturday Night in Hickman County," a song inspired by his regular performances at the Bon Aqua convenience store. In keeping with Cash’s tradition of performing for locals, the museum will continue hosting concerts and performances at the old shop, Abrams reports. 

"I can feel his presence here so strongly," Cindy Cash tells Thanki. "Dad would have loved this."

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Danny Lewis is a multimedia journalist working in print, radio, and illustration. He focuses on stories with a health/science bent and has reported some of his favorite pieces from the prow of a canoe. Danny is based in Brooklyn, NY.

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Explore johnny cash’s sumner county, tennessee.

• Hendersonville , Historic Sumner , Music , Old Hickory Lake

While many people connect Johnny Cash to Nashville, most don’t realize that for 35 years both Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash lived outside of Nashville on picturesque Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Fans are still eager to connect with Johnny and June’s legacy, traveling to Sumner County to witness the place the famed family called home.

Johnny Cash died in September 2003, just 4 months after June’s death in May. Although his death was attributed to diabetes complications, many said Johnny died of a broken heart over the loss of June.

Johnny Cash on Old Hickory Lake

Johnny and June lived at 200 Caudill Drive in Hendersonville, Tennessee, 37075, but unfortunately the house no longer stands. It was lost to a fire in 2007 during renovations under the ownership of Barry Gibb, who is a member of the Bee Gees.

The Cash house on Old Hickory Lake was constructed in 1967 by famed architect Braxton Dixon (1921-2017). Dixon had been working on the house for himself, but Cash’s relentlessness persuaded Dixon to sell the house to Cash in 1968. The house was 13,880 square feet with 7 bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms, and 2 half bathrooms situated on a 4.6 acre lot. It’s unique design allowed for it to have 4 round rooms, providing maximum views of Old Hickory Lake.

Notable guests such as Marty Stuart (who was previously Johnny’s son-in-law), Billy Graham, Bob Dylan, President Jimmy Carter, President Ronald Reagan, and Vice President Al Gore are just a few famous faces who stopped by to visit with the Cash family.

It is also rumored that in 1969, musician Kris Kristofferson was so eager to grab Cash’s attention that he landed a helicopter on Cash’s property to present Cash with his demo, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.”

One of the last music videos that Johnny ever made, a cover of “Hurt” that had originally been recorded by Nine Inch Nails , was filmed in his Hendersonville house on Old Hickory Lake. You can view the “Hurt” video here.

Although the property is fenced off today, visitors often stop to view the remnants of Johnny and June Carter Cash’s property on Caudill Drive. As of January 2019, the property was listed for sale for $3.9 million. In February 2020, it was reported that the Cash property had sold . Cash’s mother Carrie, fondly referred to as “Mama Cash,” lived across the street along with Johnny’s dad. This video provides a peek inside Mama Cash’s house from 2018 when it was for sale and Tommy Cash, Johnny’s brother, shared wonderful memories of his family.

Historic markers have been placed at the Johnny and June Carter Cash property that share the stories of the Cash home as well as the significance of the orchard that was once owned by Cash’s neighbor and friend Roy Orbison of “Oh, Pretty Woman” fame. Visitors can read the signs at the property to learn more and to discover the Marty Stuart connection to the Cash property, too!

Johnny Cash’s Barbecue Joint

Johnny Cash was a barbecue fan and often frequented Center Point Pit Barbecue just down the road from Johnny’s house in Hendersonville. In fact, Center Point Pit Barbecue has such rave reviews that it caught the attention of the Food Network and was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in 2013 . You can watch Guy Fieri enjoy some eats from Center Point Pit in this video .

Visitors wanting to dine on the same barbecue and sides that Johnny Cash loved can visit Center Point Pit Barbecue. Operating hours are Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10am-8pm, or Sundays from 10am-3pm.

House of Cash

The House of Cash, which now houses Halo Realty , is located at 700 E. Main St. (also known as Johnny Cash Parkway), once served as an office of Johnny Cash (although never his house despite the name) as well as a museum of his music career. People would travel to see the museum and many were delighted when the opportunity arose to meet Johnny Cash himself!

Today above the door one can see the reminder that this used to be the “House of Cash.” In front of the property a sign memorializing Johnny Cash has been erected as part of the Tennessee Music Pathways driving trail created by Tennessee Vacation . Guests are encouraged to stop and visit the sign.

Johnny Cash Parkway

The main thoroughfare through Hendersonville is named the Johnny Cash Parkway in honor of the Man in Black! Stop by the sign, located at both end of the street, for pictures and drive along the only Johnny Cash Parkway!

Johnny & June Laid to Rest

Joanne Cash Yates, younger sister of Johnny Cash, reflects at his grave with a visitor from Florida.

After spending 35 years living in Sumner County, Johnny and June both passed away in 2003 and were laid to rest at Hendersonville Memory Gardens located at 353 East Main Street, Hendersonville, Tennessee, 37075 . Fans of Johnny and June from all over the globe travel to Hendersonville to pay their respects to the Man in Black and the love of his life.

Upon entering Hendersonville Memory Gardens, visitors can make a left into the cemetery. A sidewalk located across from the sign reading “Faith Cremation Garden” will lead guests directly to the Cash family’s resting places.

Other Cash and Carter family members laid to rest nearby include Johnny’s parents, Ray and Carrie Cash; Johnny’s sister Reba Cash Hancock; June’s parents Ezra and Maybelle Carter; June’s sisters Anita Carter and Helen Carter; and Rosie Carter Adams, daughter of June.

Music fans will also recognize folks such as Merle Kilgore, Luther Perkins, Sheb Wooley, Bob Luman, Charles Willis, John Robert Hughey, and Ferlin Husky who are also honored at Hendersonville Memory Gardens. A PDF map of the cemetery can be viewed here .

There is no doubt that Johnny Cash left a huge impression on the country music genre and that he is still very loved by fans from across the globe.

For more information, contact Visit Sumner TN by either stopping in 2310 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066, by calling (888) 301-7886, or by emailing [email protected]

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Inside the Remains of Johnny Cash’s Tennessee Lakeside Compound

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n the 1960s, Johnny Cash and his wife June moved into a stunning, one of a kind mansion along Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tenn. The compound would be their home until their deaths in 2003, and became a piece of Cash's lasting legacy. It was where they wrote songs and built their family. It was the lawn where Kris Kristofferson famously landed his helicopter in order to deliver a song by hand. It was also the place where Cash's haunting video for "Hurt" was filmed.

When it was new, the home was one of the few structures on the winding road toward the lake. Now, the property is surrounded by a suburb that could be the backdrop for any 90s American sitcom. After passing by an endless stream of brick McMansions, I was greeted by a rustic wood fence and guard shack. But sadly, only charred remnants of the home remain.

After Johnny and June died, the property was sold to Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees. He intended to restore the home to its former glory and continue its legacy as a musician's Mecca. Unfortunately, that all changed on April 11, 2007, when the home caught fire. Firefighters worked to calm the blaze, but most of the home was destroyed.

On what would have been Johnny and June's 49th wedding anniversary, I got to explore the remnants of the Cash's beloved property. Here's what I saw.

As you walk up the driveway, you're greeted by signatures in the sidewalk cement from the Cash family.

To enter the property, you have to pass by the guard shack. Inside, a computer and various items still sit untouched nearly a decade after the fire.

The home's garage was one of the few structures to survive the fire.

As you walk down the lower driveway, there is an open concrete slab where the home once stood.

The rock pathway down to the Cash's boat dock is still mostly intact.

Does this fireplace look familiar? It was the backdrop to one of the most recognizable scenes in Cash's video for "Hurt."

Johnny and June near the fireplace and now destroyed wooden staircase.

The uniquely placed colorful rocks and quartz crystals can still be found throughout the grounds.

Crystal quartz strategically placed in a wooden flower bed.

A carving of Johnny Cash inside one of the property's massive trees.

The still-covered swimming pool.

The Cash's gated tennis court.

The home's garden is eerily charming.

The family's secluded outdoor seating area.

So what is the future of this historic property? Texas businessman James Gresham bought the land from Gibb after the fire. Now he's put it up on the market for an asking price of $3.95 million. Gresham says he hopes to find a serious buyer who plans to honor Cash's legacy.

Fans can also visit Nashville's Johnny Cash Museum, which has a display of memorabilia and possessions saved from the rubble.

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Take a Private Tour of Johnny Cash's Famous Home

How would you like to live where two of American music's greatest icons made their home for 35 years? Johnny and June Carter Cash's three-story home in Hendersonville, Tenn., could be yours for $2.9 million.

Nestled on 4.6 acres of land on the outskirts of Nashville, the contemporary house at 200 Caudill Dr. was the couple's home until their deaths in 2003. It's located near the late Roy Orbison's former home that's now owned by another famous country couple -- Marty Stuart (Cash's former son-in-law) and wife Connie Smith.

Tommy Cash, Johnny's younger brother who scored three Top 10 singles of his own in 1969 and 1970, recently gave CMT News a private tour of the premises. A Hendersonville realtor, Tommy is showing the property to a carefully-screened list of potential buyers.

A security shack is at the front of the blacktop driveway leading to the Cash home.

"Most people respected his [Johnny's] privacy," his Tommy told CMT News. "When John was in good health, he and June would go out to the gates and say hello to the fans and sometimes even get up on the tour buses out there."

To the left of the house, there's a small pool and a bell garden where June once tended to her roses. It's the same area where a then-struggling songwriter named Kris Kristofferson landed his helicopter in a desperate attempt to get Cash's attention.

"Kris was trying to get him the song ["Sunday Morning Coming Down"] back in '69 and early '70, and Johnny never could get the song to listen to it," Tommy said. "Kris flew his helicopter out here ... brought Johnny the tape, and John said 'Well, if you would risk your life around these highline wires to come bring me a song, come on, and let's listen to it."

Built in 1967, the house boasts 13,880 square feet of living space featuring seven bedrooms, five full baths and two half baths.

"John and June moved into it in the early part of '68," Tommy said. "June had it beautifully decorated, and John loved it here."

Tennessee builder Braxton Dixon had been constructing the home for his family, but when the Man in Black saw it, he laid claim to the place.

"One day, Johnny happened along and said, 'I like this place. I like the round rooms, and I like the looks of his whole area,' and said, 'I want to buy it,'" Tommy said.

One of the four round rooms was June's chosen spot to entertain family and famous friends, including former President Jimmy Carter.

Johnny's favorite spot, however, was called the Lake Room, which sports a beautiful view of Old Hickory Lake. Tommy says his brother's muse was often inspired there.

"He wrote a lot of hit songs in this room and entertained family and friends, and Mom and Dad all the grandchildren," he explained. "This was a happy room, and we had all the Christmas parties in here over the years, every year for about 30 years in a row."

It was the same room where Johnny Cash sat at the piano for his last music video, "Hurt," and where many impromptu musical performances took place.

"Guitars were passed around, and people would sing their favorite song or a song they'd just written or maybe a hit record they were having at the time," Tommy said. "I remember nights when there were guests like Carl Perkins and Brooks & Dunn and Bob Dylan [and] Billy Graham."

Up the adjacent steps and above the Lake Room is a spot they called the Orange Room for its color of lights and bedspread. It served as the main guest room where many famous friends spent the night.

"My brother spent a lot of time in this room as he grew older," Tommy said. "He liked to be here with the great view of the lake. I think that he felt the presence of all the people that had been here in the house."

Red carpet walls and portholes in the shower stall prompted the Cashes nicknaming one room as the Elvis bathroom. The side of the door contains markings of height that measured Cash's nieces, nephews, son John Carter Cash (the tallest member of the family now) and the legend himself.

The most popular room in the house for the family was the 20-by-27-foot great room that contained a beautiful fireplace, in addition to an elevator that was installed in early 2003 because the performers' frail condition made climbing the stairs difficult. It traveled from the master bedroom suite to the family room.

Behind the great room is a 12-by-24-foot kitchen where the Cash brothers spent a lot of time.

"He'd get up and make his own coffee, and he always had lots of fruit bowls sitting around," Cash recalls. "I'd come up here, and we'd cook peanuts -- parched peanuts -- in the oven. He loved parched peanuts and Breyer's ice cream."

A huge chandelier hangs from the couple's master bedroom that is painted a shade of "June blue." The room still contains the couple's antique bed they used since 1988. The bed and six other pieces of furniture are part of the property's asking price.

Three types of people have been surveying the home for possible purchase.

"Some people would want to turn it into a museum," Tommy said. "Others would want to renovate it and make it their own beautiful home. ... Others want to just completely restore it and make it look like it did when it was originally new."

However, he has his own profile for the potential buyer.

"We're looking for that one person that will enjoy the house and respect the integrity of my brother and June Carter Cash," he said. "Just make it a wonderful home."

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  Johnny Cash's Bar & BBQ !

Located next door to the museum at 

121 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN

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Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash

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Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Step Inside Johnny Cash’s Former California Home 

By Laura Pacelli

In 1956, Johnny Cash had his first number-one hit on the Billboard charts with his song “I Walk the Line.” In an old interview, Cash recounted writing the song in Gladewater, Texas, during his first marriage. “At the time, I had recently gotten married, and I imagined I was telling my promise of affection,” he said. Though Cash’s most famous marriage was to June Carter, the song was written for Vivian Liberto, whom he shared a California home with until their divorce in 1966. The Ventura County abode was reportedly built to Cash’s specific specifications and was recently bought by a fan of the country singer. 

A curved fireplace is the central point in the living room. 

Nestled in rural California, the 4,500-square-foot ranch-style home overlooks Casitas Springs in a secluded location where Cash, Liberto, and their daughters could find peace and privacy. The sale of the home was represented by Adam McKaig and Melissa Borders of Douglas Elliman, who noted in the listing that Cash reportedly held concerts on the hill above the house after setting up several amplifiers so the whole town could hear. 

Many of the Cash-specific details remain, including the primary bedroom full of country motifs and a curved brick fireplace, custom wood interiors, and an original turntable mounted on the wall. The home also features a second primary suite for Liberto, as Cash reportedly stayed up much later working on his music. Other lingering remnants of the songwriting legend include a wood-paneled study where Cash reportedly wrote some of his greatest hits . Outside, the property boasts a swimming pool, barbecue area, and expansive views of the Ojai Valley.

The built-in turntable is one of the many Cash relics found throughout the home. 

Following Cash and Liberto’s divorce in 1966, she remained in the house until eventually selling it in the early ’70s, according to the Wall Street Journal . The current owners put the home on the market in June for $1.795 million, and the property recently sold to a fan for $1.85 million—$55,000 over the asking price. Below, peek inside the expansive property. 

The house is spread over almost six acres, strategically surrounded by hills, fields, trees, and flowers, which line a long private drive.

The 4,500-square-foot house is in rural Casitas Springs, California, a quiet place about two miles from Lake Casitas. 

Modern touches combine with the original country style, resulting in a successful and welcoming contrast.

According to real estate agency Douglas Elliman, Johnny Cash specifically selected many of the home’s features to create a one-of-a-kind sanctuary. 

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By Stefanie Waldek

Cash’s style choices are still an integral part of the home, including these wood-paneled walls that were popular when the home was built. 

The wood-paneled studio where Johnny Cash wrote music is still perfectly intact.

In the primary suite, views of the Ojai Valley ground the room. 

A bedroom, likely once used by one of Cash’s daughters, leads directly to the pool. 

A sign honoring Johnny Cash welcomes tourists and locals alike to Casitas Springs. 

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What does the tour include?

• Visitors purchase tickets at the Dyess Colony Visitors Center on 110 Center Drive. The tour begins at the Visitors Center with a brief film and exhibits.
• Visitors then head to a museum next door in the Dyess Colony Administration Building, which tells the story of the Dyess Colony and how growing up in the Colony influenced Johnny Cash and his music.
• After touring the exhibits, visitors travel to the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home for a guided tour.

There are restroom facilities in the Visitors Center, but there are no facilities at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home.

Hours: Tours begin at 9 a.m. with last tours of the day at 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Are you planning a visit?

If you are traveling on I-55 North to visit us please use the following directions (Your GPS will likely recommend the shortest distance, which is an unpaved gravel road. Here’s how you can avoid it.):

• Take Exit 41
• Turn left on to State Hwy 14W
• Travel about 5 miles before turning left on Hwy 297
• Check in at the Visitor Center (110 Center Drive)

Admission (includes all three buildings):

Regular Admission = $20 Reduced Admission = $15 (seniors 65+, military w/ ID, *groups)                                                                                                                    Students = $10 (youth 5-17)      K-12 Student Groups = $5 (1 chaperone free for every 8 students, bus driver(s) free) Free Admission = A-State Students, Children under 5, Members

*Groups consist of 8 or more

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Combination Tour:  JCBH and Southern Tenant Farmers Museum (combo tours begin at Dyess Colony)

Tuesdays – Saturdays, last tour begins at 1:00 PM. Please call us at 870-764-2274 for reservations.

Regular Admission = $25 Reduced Admission = $20 (seniors 65+, military w/ ID, *groups) Youth = $15 (ages 5-17)

K-12 Student Groups = $10 (1 chaperone free for every 8 students, bus driver(s) free) Free Admission = A-State Students, Children under 5, Members           

*Groups consist of 8 or more               

  PURCHASE NOW ONLINE                                  

All tours start at the Visitor Center, 110 Center Drive

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12 Must-See Acts At Stagecoach 2024: Tanner Adell, Charley Crockett & More

Before the country music festival returns to the California desert April 26-28, get to know some of the most buzzworthy artists set to take this year's Stagecoach Festival by storm.

In a matter of days, some of country music's best and most promising acts will come together in Indio, California for Stagecoach Festival 2024. The annual event has spotlighted an eclectic mix of talent since 2007, but this year's impressive roster of performers helped Stagecoach earn its largest number of ticket sales in the festival's 17-year history .

Held April 28-30 at the Empire Polo Club — the same scenic desert landscape as the long-running Coachella Music and Arts Festival — this year's Stagecoach Festival offers a diverse blend of artists that spans from headliners like Miranda Lambert and Eric Church to surf-pop icons the Beach Boys , hit rockers Nickelback and hip-hop star Post Malone . 

Along with this diverse roster of superstars, the 2024 Stagecoach lineup is filled with a captivating list of artists on the rise. From a singer/songwriter enjoying a much-deserved comeback to a skillful 25-year-old putting his own spin on the '90s country sound, this year's crop of talent is paving the way for the future of country music.

Stagecoach Festival 2024 is completely sold out, but country fans who didn't snag their ticket in time can still enjoy all the festivities by streaming performances live via Amazon Prime all weekend long. Before you head out into the California sun or get cozy in front of your TV, take a moment to learn more about these 12 must-see acts coming to Stagecoach this year.

Tanner Adell

Since the release of Beyoncé 's country-inspired album COWBOY CARTER , singer/songwriter Tanner Adell has become one of the genre's most talked about new artists. Before she was tapped as a guest vocalist on Beyoncé's cover of the Beatles ' classic "Blackbird," and original track "AMERIICAN REQUIEM," Adell had already garnered a dedicated fan base online. 

Thanks to viral hits like "Buckle Bunny," the playful title track of her 2023 debut album, the Nashville-based talent has earned praise from both critics and country listeners worldwide. From heartfelt ballads to beat-driven bops made to get you on the dance floor, Adell blends elements of radio-ready modern country and rhythmic hip-hop with ease.

Adell's Saturday performance at Stagecoach promises to be a fiery and fun showcase of her polished pop-country songbook.

While growing up in Washington state, Zach Top forged a deep connection to the sound of traditional country music . From Marty Robbins to Keith Whitley , the influence of the genre's past is deeply entwined in every track of the talented 25-year-old's brand new record, Cold Beer & Country Music . 

Top's 12-track LP has earned plenty of buzz for its new take on the neo-traditionalist style that dominated country radio in the late 1980s and early '90s. With engaging vocals reminiscent of the late Daryle Singletary and thoughtful lyricism, Zach Top provides a fresh new take on a familiar and formative sound.

Brittney Spencer

Over the past five years, Brittney Spencer has repeatedly proven why she's one of the most important and captivating voices within modern country music. From her acclaimed 2021 single "Sober & Skinny'' to her celebrated collaboration with country supergroup The Highwomen, Spencer's vocals are consistently as emotive as they are effortless.

Spencer's charismatic personality and boundless energy take center stage through every performance, making her live shows a can't-miss event. Her Sunday afternoon set at Stagecoach offers a chance to hear cuts from her stellar debut album, My Stupid Life, which dropped in January.

Vincent Neil Emerson

Texas native Vincent Neil Emerson first earned widespread praise with the 2019 release of his debut album, Fried Chicken and Evil Women, earning him comparisons to influential artists like Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. His narrative-driven lyrics and hauntingly raw vocals have won the hearts of country fans far outside the Texas plains.

Over the years, he's collaborated with fellow alt-country favorite Colter Wall and recruited the creative genius of Rodney Crowell, who serves as producer on Emerson's self-titled 2021 LP. With his most recent album, the Shooter Jennings -produced The Golden Crystal Kingdom, Emerson once again channels the old-school magic of the traditional country that only comes from a rare type of Texas troubadour.

Katie Pruitt

Although Katie Pruitt has been locally lauded as among the best of Nashville's modern crop of singer/songwriters for years, her rise into the mainstream is still overdue. The Georgia native's stunning 2020 debut album, Expectations, was hailed for its raw honesty and effortless vocal intricacies. 

When she takes the stage during the final day of Stagecoach 2024, Pruitt will be armed with a brand new batch of awe-inspiring songs. Released on April 5, her sophomore album, Mantras , delivers an unpredictable, genre-bending sound that displays a sense of artistry far beyond her years. Don't miss your chance to see Pruitt's mesmerizing live set, which is guaranteed to have you dancing and maybe even wiping away a few tears.

In just a few short years, beloved Mexican singer/songwriter Carin León has evolved from a regional hitmaker to an internationally known talent. His reflective and honest songs have connected with audiences globally, becoming one of Spotify's most streamed modern Mexican artists. 

Earlier this year, the two-time Latin GRAMMY-winner made his Grand Ole Opry debut, and will serve as the opening act for rock legends the Rolling Stones ' Hackney Diamonds Tour when it heads to Glendale, Ariz. this May. (And just one week before his Stagecoach debut, he also made his Coachella debut.) Fans who catch his Friday set may be lucky enough to see a live rendition of "It Was Always You (Siempre Fuiste Tú)," his fresh collaboration with fellow Stagecoach 2024 artist Leon Bridges .

Trampled By Turtles 

Thanks to their unique blend of bluegrass, folk, country, and a dash of rock and roll, Minnesota-based outfit Trampled by Turtles has become a music festival staple — and will make their third Stagecoach appearance (and first in 10 years) on Saturday. Their high-energy live sets channel the psychedelic magic of rock's jam band scene, subbing plucky acoustic instrumentation in the place of rolling electric guitar.

The long-running band will treat fans to an array of tracks from their impressive career, which spans 10 albums, including their critically praised 2022 LP, Alpenglow . Even if you aren't already familiar with Trampled by Turtles' extensive list of releases, you're sure to be captivated by their hypnotizing performance style and positive energy that radiates from the live stage.

Charley Crockett

Texas-born talent Charley Crockett is one of few modern artists who have proven worthy enough for the coveted title of "troubadour." The seasoned singer/songwriter's appearance at Stagecoach will coincide with the release of $10 Cowboy, his soulful and synth-tinged 16th studio album.

Crockett's mix of traditional country and thoughtful folk, infused with gritty 1970s pop, creates a nostalgic charm that captivates the live stage. His descriptive story songs and distinctive twang echo the genre's early greats while expanding those classic country themes into new and surprising sonic territory. His Stagecoach 2024 set is sure to deliver a blend of fresh album cuts along with fan favorites from his already-expansive catalog.

You may know Lola Kirke as an accomplished actress in both television and film, but the British talent is also one of country music's most surprising new artists. Her stylized mix of traditional country and edgy pop-rock is refreshingly fun and tailor-made for Stagecoach's good-time vibe. 

In recent months, Kirke has shared a string of infectious singles leading up to the release of her latest EP, Country Curious . In March, she dropped a stellar take on the Paula Cole classic "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?" featuring Stagecoach 2023 alumni Kaitlin Butts . Make sure you clean off your boots before Kirke's set, because there's a good chance she'll have a very special line dance lesson ready for the crowd.

Willie Jones

For nearly a decade, Louisiana-born talent Willie Jones has captivated country fans with fresh and genre-bending tracks, propelled by deep, rich vocals. Since first making waves with his rendition of Josh Turner 's "Your Man" during an audition for "The X-Factor" in 2012, Jones has been paving his own path in the genre. 

He's recorded two full-length records, including his irresistible 2023 LP Something to Dance To . His Stagecoach set will certainly be a boot-stomper, offering concertgoers a chance to experience the magic captured on his latest EP, The Live Sessions , which arrived on April 5.

Missouri native Sam Barber has evolved from a hopeful musician to a viral sensation with a major-label record deal. While passing the time at college, the gifted 20-year-old began recording covers of his favorite country tracks and shared them on TikTok, quickly garnering thousands of eager listeners. His down-to-earth charm, paired with surprisingly seasoned and gritty vocals, also earned the attention of Atlantic Records. 

In 2023, they shared Barber's debut EP, Million Eyes , which spawned the breakthrough radio single "Straight and Narrow." Now, fresh off the release of Live EP 001 and a string of new singles, Barber will bring his thoughtful yet edgy country sound to Stagecoach, marking another rapidfire career accomplishment.

Luke Grimes

Although you may know him best for his role as the chaotic charmer Kayce Dutton on the acclaimed television series "Yellowstone," Luke Grimes' creative talents expand far outside the small screen. A lifelong musician and lover of country music, Grimes took the stage at Stagecoach 2023 in support of his debut EP, Pain Pills or Pews . The project's raw and honest tracks earned critical acclaim and quickly led Grimes back into the studio, tapping Dave Cobb as producer for his vulnerable new self-titled LP, which arrived on March 8.

Whether you're a longtime fan of his acting or an already devoted listener, Grimes' set marks a pivotal moment in his ever-evolving musical career — and one of many can't-miss moments at this year's Stagecoach Festival.

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Photo: Beth Gwinn/Redferns

10 Ways Johnny Cash Revived His Career With 'American Recordings'

On the 30th anniversary of Johnny Cash's 'American Recordings' — the first of a six-part series that continued through 2010 — take a look at how the albums rejuvenated the country icon's career and helped his legacy live on after his passing.

It's fair to say that the 1980s hadn't been particularly kind to country legend Johnny Cash . Once considered the Don of the Nashville scene, the singer/songwriter suddenly found himself dropped by Columbia Records, recording terrible parody songs (remember "The Chicken in Black"?), and addicted to painkillers after a bizarre accident in which he was kicked by an ostrich .

But as the new decade approached, Cash's reputation gradually started to recover. A 1988 tribute album, 'Til Things Are Brighter , alerted a much younger indie generation of his catalog of classics. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. And then arguably the biggest band in the world at the time, U2 , invited him to take lead vocals on Zooropa 's post-apocalyptic closer " The Wanderer ." The scene was set for a triumphant comeback, and on 1994's American Recordings , the Man in Black duly obliged.

The Rick Rubin -produced album was far from a one-off. Cash delivered three American follow-ups in his lifetime (1996's Unchained , 2000's Solitary Man , and 2002's The Man Comes Around ). And two posthumous volumes (2006's A Hundred Highways, 2010's Ain't No Grave )  further bridged the gap between his statuses as country outlaw and elder statesman — and helped further his legacy as one of country's all-time greats.

As the first American Recordings installment celebrates its 30th anniversary, here's a look at how the series deservedly rejuvenated the career of an American recording legend.

It United Him With A New Muse 

Best known for his pioneering work with Run-D.M.C. , Beastie Boys , and Public Enemy , Rick Rubin seemed an unusual fit for a sixty-something country singer whose glory days were considered decades behind him. But left spellbound by Cash's performance at a Bob Dylan anniversary gig in 1992, the superproducer offered to make the Nashville legend a superstar once more.

Cash took some persuading, but eventually agreed to join forces on the assurance he'd be in the creative driving seat, and a new unlikely dream team was born. Rubin lent his talents to all six volumes of American Recordings — co-producing the middle two with Cash's son John Carter Cash – and won the first GRAMMY of his career for his efforts. The Def Jam co-founder would also later work his magic with several other '60s heroes including Neil Diamond , Yusuf and Neil Young .

It Saw Cash Lean Into Contemporary Music More Than Ever

Cash had never been averse to tackling contemporary material. He covered Bruce Springsteen 's "Highway Patrolman" in 1983, just a year after it appeared on The Boss' Nebraska . But the American Recordings series saw the Man in Black embrace the sounds du jour like never before, whether the grunge of Soundgarden 's "Rusty Cage," electro-blues of Depeche Mode 's "Personal Jesus," or most famously, industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails ' "Hurt."

On paper, this could have been nothing short of a disaster, the sign of an aging artist desperately latching onto a much younger musical generation in a transparent bid for relevancy. But instead, Cash elevates the Gen X classics into modern hymns, his sonorous voice injecting a sense of gravitas and Rubin's production stripping things back to their bare but compelling essentials. Far from an embarrassing grandad act, this was the sound of a man respectfully making the source material his own.

It Returned Cash To The Charts 

Cash had reached the lower end of the Billboard 200 in the '80s as part of supergroups The Highwaymen and Class of '55. But you had to go all the way back to 1976's One Piece at a Time to find his last entry as a solo artist. The American Recordings series, however, slowly but surely restored the Man in Black to his former chart glories.

Indeed, while its first two volumes charted at numbers 110 and 170 respectively, the third peaked at a slightly more impressive 88 and the fourth at 22, his highest position since 1970's Hello, I ' m Johnny Cash . The posthumous fifth entry, meanwhile, went all the way to No. 1, remarkably the first time ever the country legend had achieved such a feat with a studio effort (live album At San Quentin had previously topped the charts in 1971).

"Hurt" also became Cash's first solo US country hit in 14 years in 2003. And while it only landed at No. 56 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, it remains Cash's most-streamed song to date with over 600 million streams on Spotify alone.

It Included Masterful Collaborators 

As well as handing over the producer reins to Rubin, Cash also surrounded himself with some of the rock world's finest musicians. Tom Petty , Red Hot Chili Peppers ' Flea , and Fleetwood Mac 's Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood all lent their considerable talents to Unchained . Sheryl Crow and Will Oldham did the same on Solitary Man , while Nick Cave , Fiona Apple and Don Henley joined him in the studio on The Man Comes Around .

But Cash also kept things more traditional by recruiting fellow country legend Merle Haggard , 'fifth Beatle' Billy Preston , and "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" songwriter Jack Clement , while the presence of wife June Carter Cash and son John made the third American Recordings something of a family affair.

It Went Back To Basics 

While American Recordings was, in many respects, Cash's most forward-thinking album, it wasn't afraid to keep one foot in the past, either. For one, the star recorded most of its first volume in his Tennessee cabin armed with only a guitar, a throwback to his 1950s beginnings with first producer Sam Phillips .

Cash also trawled through his own back catalog for inspiration, re-recording several tracks he believed had unfairly gone under the radar including 1955 single "Mean Eyed Cat," murder ballad "Delia's Gone" from 1962's The Sound of Johnny Cash , and "I'm Leaving Now" from 1985's Rainbow .

It Proved He Was Still A Masterful Songwriter…

Although Cash's unlikely covers grabbed most of the attention, the American Recordings series showed that his stellar songwriting skills remained intact throughout his later years, too. "Meet Me in Heaven," for example, is a beautifully poignant tribute to the older brother who died at just 15, while the folksy "Let the Train Blow the Whistle" added to Cash's arsenal of railroad anthems.

"Drive On," meanwhile, is worthy of gracing any Best Of compilation, a powerful lament to those who came back from the Vietnam War with both emotional and physical scars ("And even now, every time I dream/ I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream").

…And Still A Master Interpreter 

As well as putting new spins on his own songs and various contemporary rock favorites, Cash further displayed both his interpretive and curatorial skills by covering a variety of spirituals, standards and pop hits first released during his commercial heyday.

The likes of early 19th century gospel "Wayfaring Stranger," wartime favorite "We'll Meet Again," and Simon and Garfunkel 's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" may have been firmly in Cash's wheelhouse. But more leftfield choices such as Loudon Wainwright III 's offbeat morality tale "The Man Who Couldn't Cry" proved that even when outside his comfort zone, he could stamp his own identity with aplomb.

It Made Him An Unlikely MTV Star 

Cash was 62 years old when American Recordings hit the shelves — not exactly a prime age for MTV play. Yet thanks to some inspired creative decisions, the career-reviving series spawned two videos that received regular rotation on the network. Firstly, "Delia's Gone" caught attention for two major reasons: it was directed by Anton Corbijn , the man renowned for his long-running creative partnership with Depeche Mode, and it starred Kate Moss, the world's biggest supermodel at the time, as the titular victim.  

Then nine years later, Cash picked up six nominations — winning Best Cinematography — at the MTV Video Music Awards thanks to Mark Romanek 's emotionally devastating treatment for "Hurt." Interspersing clips of the clearly fragile country singer at the rundown Museum of Cash with footage from his earlier days and artistic shots of decaying fruits and flowers, the promo perfectly embodied the transient nature of life. And it had the capacity to reduce even the hardest of hearts to tears.

It Added To His GRAMMY Haul 

Cash won almost as many GRAMMYs with his American Recordings series as he had during the previous 40 years of his career. The Man in Black first added to his trophy collection in 1995 when the first volume won Best Contemporary Folk Album. This was the first time he'd been recognized at the ceremony for his musical talents since the June Carter Cash duet "If I Were A Carpenter" won Best Country Performance for a Duo or Group with Vocal back in 1971  

Three years later, Unchained was crowned Best Country Album. And after picking up a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999, Cash won 2001's Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "Solitary Man," then again in the same Category for "Give My Love to Rose"in 2003. He posthumously won two more GRAMMYs for Best Short Form Video, in 2004 for "Hurt" and in 2008 for "God's Gonna Cut You Down." In total, the American Recordings series won Cash six more GRAMMYs, bringing his overall count to 13. 

It Was A Powerful Epitaph

In 1997, Cash was told he'd just 18 months to live after being misdiagnosed with neurodegenerative condition Shy-Drager syndrome (later changed to autonomic neuropathy). He ended up outliving this prognosis by a good four years, but during this period, he lost the love of his life and was forced to record his swansong in-between lengthy stints in the hospital.  

Little wonder, therefore, that the American Recordings series is defined by the theme of mortality: see "The Man Comes Around," a biblical ode to the Grim Reaper ("And I looked, and behold a pale horse/ And his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him"), Death Row anthem "The Mercy Seat," and funeral favorite "Danny Boy." As with David Bowie 's Blackstar , Cash was able to reflect on his impermanence in his own terms in a sobering, yet compelling manner that continues to resonate decades on. 

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Photo: Matt Paskert

Wyatt Flores On Speaking His Truth & Using Fame For Good: "I Want People To See That I've Gone Through It"

On his new EP, 'Half Life,' Wyatt Flores tackles everything from mental health to his complicated relationship with fame and religion. Ahead of his Stagecoach Festival debut, the rising country star discusses expressing "wherever I am in my heart."

When Wyatt Flores released his second EP, Half Life , on April 19, he ended his celebratory Instagram post with one simple wish: "I hope these songs make you feel something."

That's been Flores' mantra since the rising country singer first began releasing music just three years ago. Hailed as one of the genre's most honest new stars, Flores speaks his truth in his red dirt music, on stage, and on social media. As Half Life showcases, he's unafraid to broach life's toughest topics, from suicidal thoughts on "Devil" to a complicated relationship with religion on "I Believe In God."

"I like to keep it very based on what I felt, and just try and go for that emotion," Flores says of his music. "If you can somehow captivate [listeners] in the story and make them feel the emotion through the song, then you've done your job. I guess that's all I'm after."

His unabashed vulnerability has made his music resonate widely — and fast. In 2023, Flores went from playing for hundreds to thousands in a matter of months, garnering more than 325 million global streams and more than 13 million TikTok likes along the way. He consistently uses his rapidly growing platform to champion self-care and mental health, even taking a brief tour hiatus in February to get himself back on track.

Two months later, Flores assures that he's feeling rejuvenated and healthier than ever, sparking some happier tunes that even caught him by surprise (more on that later). He'll spend the summer playing a mix of headlining shows, festival stages and a few supporting slots for Mitski , first kicking things off with his debut at Stagecoach on April 26.

As Flores gears up for tour, he sat down with GRAMMY.com during some time off in his native Oklahoma to chat about his remarkable rise, the complexities of being so vulnerable, and how he feels like he's getting the "best of both worlds."

Do you remember the first show that you were like, "What is happening?"

Yeah, it was Asheville, North Carolina. It was either the last week of April last year or the first week of May, I can't quite remember. But that was my first ever sold-out headline show. I think the venue cap was like 550, and they were screaming so loud that I got off stage and I was like, "Did anyone feel like there was a trash can going off in their ear?" And then my bass player, Bill, was like, "No, that's the last time you'll hear that frequency." 

That was where everything changed. It kind of started making me realize how real this was getting. Then, everywhere we went, [it was a] sold-out crowd, and they're excited as all get out. I literally thought that I was living a dream. 

I played at, you know, the s—iest hole in the walls you could ever imagine. I just thought I was gonna be there forever. Honestly, I was still having fun doing that. But I just couldn't believe the dramatic change that happened.

At what point did it actually feel real?

It was probably when we played Dallas [in December of] last year. That was the biggest room that we'd ever played. I was like, 3,000 people bought tickets to show up to my show. And then I just kind of had to kind of process like what was actually going on. I kept questioning it for the longest time, but that night it was just different.

We had just played in Fort Worth, like, three months [before that], and that was 600 people. So when we played Dallas, that was when I just looked at the crowd and I was like, Okay, this is it.

That's interesting, because you had to cancel a stretch of shows not long after that. Was that kind of all correlating — taking it in, but being overwhelmed from all of it?

Yeah, because there's a lot of things that went on in my life that I never took the time to process, and that was one of the first things — being like, This is my life from now on . And I think that's what I liked about the Life Lessons project so much, was giving listeners an inside view on what it looks like to be on this side of the fence. Because everyone thinks that it's gotta be the most wild thing to be an artist, but I don't think they realize what comes with it. 

I'm still sitting here going, I shouldn't be on this interview with you . I don't deserve it. Like, I don't have the cool style, I show up in sweatshirts and s—ty Adidas shoes. I don't put myself on a pedestal.

I've never wanted to become something I'm not, and that's kind of been the hard point. Because, you know, you got folks from the hometown [saying], "Don't forget who you are!" And then all of a sudden you get lost in all of it. And then you're sitting there going, Do I even know who I am?  

Making some healthier changes kind of opened up some other wounds that I bottled up. I never processed my grandpa's death, and at the same time that that was all going down, I was also firing management — which, they say in Nashville, the manager should be the one person that you do trust. 

I took one week off so I could come back for [my grandpa's] funeral, and had to delay some shows there. And then I was homeless for two weeks from another situation. But I was like, Nope, I'm just gonna work my ass off. I'm just gonna show up, do what I need to do. And I never took the time to actually look at anything that had happened. And that's kind of where the falloff went, because I was just trying to survive the chaos.

I'm sure it's hard being in the spotlight period while  going through so much  at the same time.

For a while, there were certain things that I did not like about myself. [I felt like I was] changing personalities. I know most people can't see it, but that was something that I was struggling with. Everyone was seeing how happy I was through social media — because I'm not afraid to post the silly s— that goes down on the road; me being a jackass in the van or something like that — but then people expected that from me. 

I had to fully come to terms with, wherever I am in my heart, that's who I am right there in that moment. I don't have to portray this image that people see just because we post it on social media.

I also think it's amazing to have the platform you do and be so honest about how you're feeling. Because it's probably healing for you, but also going to be healing for the people who see it — even if it's challenging and really personal to admit.

I put down my phone for a really long time, which was one of the best things ever. [ Laughs. ] I came back and I went through my DMs. People were like, "Thank you for saying something because I finally had the encouragement to say something to my wife" or something else. I'm glad that it gave people the encouragement to speak up, because if I don't, then how will they? 

I look at my fans, and I'm blessed. There's no better fan base, they're the sweetest people ever. They are diehard fans, but they talk to me like I'm their friend, like they've known me forever. For them to trust someone enough to say something [about] how they feel or what's going on in their lives, that means the absolute world to me.

Clearly that means that what you bring to the table is what your fans are also going to bring to the table for you.

One of the things that I've been trying to work through, is realizing that I can listen to their problems, but I can't take their problems with me. And that was something that I had to learn. I was like, I can't do that to myself, or I'm gonna plummet .

There was a time when we were in Colorado, and someone had sent me these messages [about this girl], and I ended up looking [her] up. She was an eighth grade girl, and the last video she had posted on TikTok was of "Please Don't Go." She'd committed suicide a month after she had posted that. Her mom was trying to raise attention towards bullying and things like that. 

It was hard for us. But we had to look at it through a new perspective. And it's like, we can't change someone's decision, as badly as you want to. And we try and look at it from this perspective of, How long did that song keep them here? Time is valuable, and even if it was for another month, at least it kept them here just a little bit longer, kept them through the fight. Even though you don't always win.

We're not just out here playing music. I still love the party songs. "West of Tulsa" is always fun to look out in the crowd, and they're having a great time. But we're not just playing music because we're here to distract people from their problems. We're lucky enough that we do get to save lives, and we get to do it through music. But it's also one of those things where I'm sitting there going, I'm a 22-year-old kid from Oklahoma, and I have this power. Am I going to use it correctly?

Now that you know that your music is so powerful to so many people, has it changed the way that you approach your songwriting?

A little bit. You know, the songs that I write are songs that I feel. I'm ADHD as all get out, so when I show up to write, it's whatever I'm feeling that day. But yeah, there's a little bit in the back of my head that says, Watch out for something like this, you don't want to say the wrong message here . 

I want to write these songs that are sad, that are very dark, and lost is kind of the feeling. Because I want people to see that I've gone through it, so that way, they can get a better understanding that they're not the only one. 

My inspiration was to be the artist that had those songs that kind of pulled me through my stuff. There's all sorts of jokes and like memes about when the song doesn't hit you hard enough the first time so you play it again, or, like, when you're sitting in a vehicle after you've already gotten home but you sit there until the song ends. That was always kind of a goal for me. I was like, I want to be that song that kind of helps them get through the next day.  

That's the way I kind of look at it when I play these shows. And I sit back and I look at the crowd, and I'm like, I get to be a part of y'all's lives every single day, and that is the coolest thing that I've ever done.

It's funny, there's always that interview question like, "What are your goals?" but it sounds like you've already accomplished the main one.  

Oh, absolutely. I've been having to find new goals because I've lived my dream. Like, if I died tomorrow, I'd hang my hat proudly. I've helped people, I've played all the venues — well, I guess I haven't played Red Rocks yet. That's coming up, though.

I'm still thinking, because it's just now finally hit me that, like, You've kind of done the damn thing. So it's like, What do you want to do now? I have all these wild ideas. I usually throw out some out of pocket s— and then I let someone else come up with if it's gonna work or not. My business manager hates me. [ Laughs .]

Were you raised to be so connected with your feelings, or was it just kind of an innate thing for you?

I think I always felt out of place wherever I was. I was always kind of the weird kid. My friends hated me because I started talking about sappy s—. I'd want to have deep, meaningful conversations and sometimes they'd be like, "Would you just shut up?" [ Laughs .]

But what I realized is that I'm very big on connection. At some point, not fitting in and being different kind of all changed for me. I was like, I can't change it, so I might as well be it.

Have you ever questioned how honest you're being in your music?  

For the most part, I don't try and hold back. In some ways, it is scary, but in other ways, it's kind of just telling your truth so people don't get shocked by something that you do.

For the first time, I'm writing happier songs. And I'm skeptical to see how people take that. I mean, I've had Life Lessons and stuff like that, but yeah, this is definitely a weird time in my life where I'm like, I'm writing happy songs, and I don't even know how to feel about it. Now, I'm like, How do I share happiness? How do I contain that idea, and that emotion, and put it into a song so it comes out to the listener and they feel it?

You're allowed to be happy! And with everything that's been happening for you lately, I'm not surprised you're happy.

[Fans] always say "We made the right person famous." It's been two short years of really doing this thing. And we're blessed.

I freakin' love playing live, I just had other things going on in the background that I never took time [to process]. For a while, I wanted to blame a lot of things that wasn't it. And then, I went to Onsite [Workshops, a therapy, counseling and wellness retreat center in Tennessee] for like a week and got my head back to normal. 

Playing live is what makes it all worth it. I knew that I was going to have to work for this, and I'm getting to see the fruits of my labor. I'm finally getting some time off. I'm getting to actually spend some quality time, but I at least now know how to have quality time in the healthiest way. Because for a while, I couldn't shut the other brain off. I'd come home and I was still somewhere else. 

I can't believe that I get the best of both worlds. That usually doesn't happen where you get your cake and eat it too. S—, I might go fishing later! I get to be on the road, play to thousands of people, and then I get to go fishing? I think the only thing that's missing is I don't have a boat. Man, I just might have to weld me one.  

Meet Charles Wesley Godwin, The Rising Country Singer Who's Turning "A Very Human Story" Into Stardom

Photo: Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Post Malone's Country Roots: 8 Key Moments In Covers and Collaborations

Ahead of Posty's upcoming performance at the Stagecoach Festival, catch up on the many ways he's been dabbling in country music since the beginning of his career.

Since Post Malone burst onto the mainstream nearly a decade ago, he has continued to flaunt his genre-defying brand of musical brilliance. For his latest venture, it’s time for gold grills and cowboy hats: Posty’s going country.

Though his musical origins are in rap, Malone has seamlessly traversed pop, R&B, and blues, always hinting at his deep-seated country roots along the way. In the last year, his long-standing affinity for country music has moved to the forefront, with appearances at the CMA Awards, a country-tinged Super Bowl LVIII performance, and a feature on Beyoncé ’s COWBOY CARTER . Next up, he’ll make his debut at California's Stagecoach Festival alongside some of country music’s biggest names — and pay tribute to some of the genre greats.

While it’s unclear exactly what the Texas-raised hitmaker will be singing, his 45-minute set on Saturday, April 27 is labeled “Post Malone: Performs a special set of country covers.” After years of performing covers for and alongside country stars, the performance is arguably one of the most full-circle moments of his career thus far.

Ahead of his Stagecoach premiere, read on for some of Posty's biggest nods and contributions to the country music scene over the years — that could culminate in his own country album soon enough. 

A Slew Of Classic Country Music Covers

Malone has a history of channeling his musical heroes, often pulling on his boots to deliver heartfelt covers. He's paid tribute to country icons many times, including covers of Hank Williams Jr .'s classic, "There's A Tear In My Beer” in a 2018 fan-favorite video . 

During a 2022 Billy Strings tour stop at The Observatory in Los Angeles, Malone made a surprise appearance and used the moment to honor Johnny Cash alongside Strings. The pair delivered an acoustic duet of Cash's infamous murder ballad, "Cocaine Blues."

And just this year, Malone covered Hank Williams Sr. during a surprise performance at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. On April 3, he closed out the annual Bobby Bones' Million Dollar Show with a rendition of Williams' "Honky Tonk Blues." 

A Longtime Kinship With Dwight Yoakam

Malone has long collaborated with Dwight Yoakam , marking a friendship and professional partnership that spans his career. Yoakam is a GRAMMY-winning trailblazer known for his pioneering blend of honky tonk, rock and punk that shook up the country scene in the 80's with his blend of "cowpunk." 

The pair frequently joined forces on Yoakam's SiriusXM Radio spot "Greater Bakersfield," where one standout 2018 appearance features Malone covering Yoakam's own “Thousand Miles From Nowhere” as the two laugh, strum and belt out the lyrics together in perfect harmony. 

On April Fool's Day in 2021, they playfully teased fans with the prospect of a double country album release — which may not seem so far-fetched three years later.

It's fitting that Malone would find such deep inspiration in folks like Yoakam, a man who first rode onto the country scene with a new take on a traditional sound. Much like Yoakam bridged generations with his music, Malone brings a new yet familiar energy to the country scene, embodying the spirit of a modern cowboy in both style and sound.

A Country Tribute To Elvis

Malone teamed up with Keith Urban for a duet rendition of "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" during the "Elvis All-Star Tribute Special," which aired on NBC in 2019. Originally written and performed by blues musician and songwriter Jimmy Reed , "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" was famously covered by Presley and commemorated through Urban and Malone's unique blend of modern guitar-slapping country-rock charisma. 

That wasn't Malone's only country collab that night, either. He also covered Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes" alongside Blake Shelton , Little Big Town and Mac Davis .

A Celebration Of Texas With Country Legends

In March 2021, Matthew McConaughey and his wife, Camila, hosted the "We’re Texas" virtual benefit concert, to help Texans coping with that year's disastrous winter storms during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Following performances by George Strait , Kacey Musgraves , Willie Nelson , and Miranda Lambert , Malone — who moved to Dallas when he was 10 — served as the night's final entertainer. He performed Brad Paisley 's "I'm Gonna Miss Her" followed by Sturgill Simpson 's "You Can Have The Crown" backed by Dwight Yoakam.

A Rousing Tribute At The 2023 CMA Awards

At the 2023 CMA Awards, Malone joined country stars Morgan Wallen and HARDY on stage to cover late icon Joe Diffie ‘s “Pickup Man” and "John Deere Green." Malone's first-ever performance at the CMAs felt more like a reunion than a debut, with Malone right at home among his collaborators.

“I’ve manifested this for years," HARDY told Audacy's Katie Neal. "Slight flex here, but I started following [Post Malone] when he had like, 300k Instagram followers. I was on the 'White Iverson' terrain, like the first thing that he ever put out and I was like, ‘this is dope,’ and I've been with him ever since.” 

After the performance, Malone hinted to Access Hollywood that it might be the start of a new chapter. When asked if a forthcoming country album would be in the works, he answered, “I think so. Yes, ma'am.” (More on that later.)

A Countrified Appearance At Super Bowl LVIII

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Before Beyoncé announced COWBOY CARTER in a Verizon Super Bowl ad , Malone offered Super Bowl Sunday's first country-themed clue at the top of the night with his tender rendition of "America The Beautiful." Sporting a bolo tie and brown suede, Malone delivered his patriotic performance with a characteristically country drawl while strumming along on acoustic guitar before Reba McIntire 's star-spangled rendition of the national anthem. 

Malone's performance followed in the footsteps of a long line of country artists who have kicked off the national sporting event, which started with Charley Pride in 1974 and has included Shania Twain , Faith Hill and Garth Brooks . 

A Tip Of The Hat To Toby Keith

During a performance at the American Rodeo in Arlington, Texas, on March 9, Malone paid tribute to the late Toby Keith , who passed away in February . After pouring one out and taking a sip from a red solo cup (an homage to Keith's playful hit of the same name), Malone performed a cover of "As Good As I Once Was" for the Texas rodeo crowd.

His TikTok video of the performance quickly garnered over 4 million views, sparking enthusiasm among fans for more country music from him. "Sir. I'm now begging for a country album," wrote one user in a comment that has received over 11,000 hearts.

A (Potential) Full-On Country Album

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His much-teased country album may not be too yonder. After confirming that a country album was in the works during a live Twitch stream on his channel, Malone has spent much of this year teasing forthcoming new work. There is no scheduled album release date as of press time, but Malone has shared snippets of new songs including “ Missin’ You Like This” and dropped sneak peeks of collaborations with Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Ernest, and Luke Combs . 

In February, Malone posted a sample of a collaboration with Combs, "I Ain't Got A Guy For That," the first in a series of song snippets shared across his social channels. 

On March 20, Malone posted a reel to Instagram featuring a video of himself seated on a stool, smoking a cigarette and singing along to a track that opens with Wallen singing, “It takes two to break a heart in two,” as Malone comes in to deliver a blow with the line, “Baby you blame me, and baby I’ll blame you." The track, shared with the caption (and supposed song title) "I had some help," was first announced in a now-deleted social media post by Wallen at the end of 2023. 

No matter when the album may come, Post Malone’s Stagecoach set will only up the anticipation for some original country music from the star — and from the looks of it, fans and genre stars alike are more than ready for it.

Photo: Jimmy Fontaine

Inside Tyler Hubbard's New Album 'Strong': How He Perfectly Captured His "Really Sweet Season" Of Life

On the heels of Tyler Hubbard's latest album release, hear from the country star about the biggest influences for 'Strong' — from his "unique relationship" with his hometown to making Keith Urban jealous.

Country fans first got to know Tyler Hubbard as the voice of Florida Georgia Line . Upon his solo debut in 2022, they got a deeper look into his life as a devoted family man. Now, the chart-topping singer/songwriter wants to show his skills as the genre's feel-good party starter.

Hubbard's second album, Strong , turns up the energy with 13 tracks that focus on spreading the joy he's feeling in his own life. There's several parallels to his self-titled debut, including another tribute to his late father on "'73 Beetle" and reflections on his small-town Georgia upbringing with "Take Me Back" and "Back Then Right Now." Yet, every narrative feels more celebratory — buoyed by Hubbard's purposeful delivery, his hopeful lyricism, and uptempo melodies.

It's a natural evolution for Hubbard, who has projected positivity in his music and his image since his FGL days. And now that the world has welcomed him as a solo act — including two No. 1s at country radio with "5 Foot 9" and "Dancin' in the Country," and several sold-out shows in 2023 — he felt it was only right to bring good vibes with his second LP. 

"I was carrying the momentum from last year — the first album, being out on tour, the energy from the fans," Hubbard shares. "If you come to my live show, it's a lot of happy, fun dancing energy, and that's what I've really enjoyed kind of leaning into right now."

Ahead of Strong 's release, Hubbard sat down with GRAMMY.com to chat about his album process. Below, he breaks down the most important components, from writing nearly every song on his tour bus to happily riding in the "good time lane."

Building On The First Album

The first album was more of an introduction to who I am, and this album is more settling in. It's inspired by the live show more than anything, and the fans themselves, as opposed to me and my story. 

I kind of want [these songs]to feel like distant relatives to the first album. I'll use that analogy a lot of times in sessions and just say, "Let's elevate, and let's move forward and progress, but let's keep it in the same family." 

When I was writing both these projects, it was a tough time. You know, going through the pandemic and all that brought along, transitioning into different careers and not knowing what was gonna happen with FGL for a while. Obviously, my marriage really inspired the song "Strong," but there's sort of that principle [from album one to album two] of going through a hard season that you come out on the other side of it stronger. 

Writing On The Road

Last year, I was getting in front of my audience for the first time [post-pandemic] and really getting to see what they wanted, what was resonating, what was working, maybe what was missing in the set. So I was able to pull that energy from the fans right back to the bus. The majority of this album I wrote on the road last year, which is where I love to write songs. I love to write in town too, but [there's] something about being out on the road — you just feel a little extra creative and a little less distracted. 

Back in the day, when we were starting off and really roughing it, we didn't have anything else to do but our careers, so we'd come home from the road and we'd write three or four days a week, and then we would go hit the road and play shows. But now that I'm a husband and a father, I try to compartmentalize it, so when I'm home during the week, I can take some time off to be with the kiddos and my wife.

And fortunately, now, I have my own bus, so I can bring writers out, and we can just hunker down on my bus all weekend and write songs. It's pretty fun because you kind of feel like you're binge writing a bit. But once you get in that creative space and your wheels are turnin', it's nice to stay there for more than four or five hours like we do in Nashville, turning it off at 4 o'clock and going home. It keeps it fun.

Creating Music For The Stage

We were mainly thinking about the live show [when we were writing]. It just felt like [we were writing] songs I couldn't wait to play live. 

There's some heart, there's some depth, there's emotion and vulnerability in a lot of these songs that I like to play live, but overall, I want it to just feel fun. There's enough stuff in our world to make us sad, so I'm just like, if I can put music out that makes people feel good, that's what I want to do. 

Especially in the context of our genre and our culture — it feels like there's a lot of sad boy country going on right now. You know, nothing wrong with that, I like to get real and emo a bit. But I think if everybody's doing one thing, I try to lean to the other. And right now I love where we're headed, in the good time lane.

I was soaking up everything Keith [Urban] was doing [while touring with him last year]. I watched his set most nights. He's kind of the king of fun tempo live energy. [We were] either [trying to] make Keith jealous or make Keith want to record one of the songs we write. So some of these songs are probably inspired by trying to get a Keith Urban cut. 

"Park," "Wish You Would" and "Vegas" are [three] of those songs. They go really well live and have been really, really fun. The crowd starts moving in a weird way when ["Wish You Would"] comes on. It looks like they're just, like, lettin' loose and not really coordinated at anything. [ Laughs .]

"Back Then Right Now" is the single, so people are knowing that one [more] and it's cool to see them singing it and engaged. "BNA" is gonna be a lot of fun to play live. I could probably play this whole album top to bottom and be pretty happy with that being the set.

Honoring Where He Came From

I wanted this album to still be dynamic — as uptempo as it is, I still wanted the fans to be let in a little bit more into who I am and deeper into my life. Hopefully with each project I put out, I have some songs that let people in a bit more and tap into a vulnerable place, and challenge me as a person and a writer to just continue to go there. 

I have a unique relationship with my hometown. I love where I came from, and I'm proud of where I'm from, but it's not somewhere that I'm still living — I've been in Nashville longer than I was in Georgia, I've been here for over 18 years. A lot's changed since then. The house I grew up in is not there, my dad's gone, my mom's moved to Alabama. 

It's an interesting dynamic, because in our genre, it's cool to be really proud of where you're from, and really pay homage to where you're from. And I still do — a lot of these songs are literally born because of where I came from. But at the same time, I don't have that same relationship with where I'm from. I just thought it was a little bit of a different approach on the relationship with the hometown with ["Take Me Back"]. I hope people can relate to it.

Recruiting Trusty Collaborators, Like Producer Jordan Schmidt

The collaborators and songwriters on this project, there's a couple of new ones, but there's a lot of guys that I have a big history with. A lot of that's just due to the fact that if I'm bringing writers out on the road, it's guys that I know and trust, and that I've had success with. I'm not speed dating on the road — it's just very intentional, efficient time.

They've proven themselves, and so there's no reason to not go back to 'em. I just can't reiterate enough how thankful I am to be in this city, in this songwriting community. I have so many people that make me a better songwriter and push me as an artist and come with great ideas. It makes it that much more fun to write songs and do what I love.

Also, to know me, and who I am, and where I'm headed, and what I want to do and say, that helps tremendously because we're not just shooting in the dark. I think "Wish You Would" is a song that's a little unique and feels really fun. If I was going to pick a direction, that's a cool, fresh sound that I'm really enjoying right now.

Leaning Into Feeling Good

I'm in a really sweet season. Not just with the work stuff, but my family is in such a good spot. My kids are 3, 4 and 6, so they're in a really fun, just joyful season. I can have a bad session or a tough day, and I can go home and get overwhelmed with joy and love in the house. It's just awesome energy. I'm really grateful for that, and I'm really kind of leaning into it. 

I hope [fans] understand how grateful I am to be here to be still doing this 13 years later, and to be able to have another opportunity to experience a lot of firsts again, and get to continue to connect with them. I just love what I do, and I gotta give the fans a lot of credit for allowing me to do it. 

• 1 12 Must-See Acts At Stagecoach 2024: Tanner Adell, Charley Crockett & More
• 2 10 Ways Johnny Cash Revived His Career With 'American Recordings'
• 3 Wyatt Flores On Speaking His Truth & Using Fame For Good: "I Want People To See That I've Gone Through It"
• 4 Post Malone's Country Roots: 8 Key Moments In Covers and Collaborations
• 5 Inside Tyler Hubbard's New Album 'Strong': How He Perfectly Captured His "Really Sweet Season" Of Life

Babies named Johnny Cash and June Carter born at same hospital on same day

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. ( WAFF /Gray News) – Two mothers in Alabama who did not know each other got the surprise of a lifetime when they gave birth to babies named Johnny Cash and June Carter at the same hospital.

The Clarks welcomed their daughter June Carter Clark on April 10 at Huntsville Hospital, just down the hallway from where the Davis family welcomed their son Johnny Cash Davis the same day.

The families said that this was the coincidence of a lifetime.

Mom Sophie Clark said they landed on the name June Carter because they simply loved the name June, and her husband’s first name is Carter.

Mom Nicole Davis said Johnny Cash wasn’t their first choice, but eventually decided it was the perfect fit.

“[The baby’s] dad’s name is Johnny Lee Davis Jr. And we tried on Johnny Lee Davis III for a while, and we just could never get comfortable with it … it just never caught. So, we had to go back to the drawing board,” she said. “At first, we thought a lot about Nashville because we love that area, we spend a lot of time up that way … we thought Johnny Nashville at first, or Johnny Nash … but then we thought, ‘Oh wait a minute, Johnny Cash would be perfect, and we’ll call him Cash.’”

The families first found out about the coincidence thanks to an encounter in an elevator. A family member was visiting the baby girl and ran into Johnny Cash’s dad, who was wearing a Johnny Cash T-shirt.

The family member mentioned that it was interesting to see someone wearing a Johnny Cash T-shirt because he was there to meet baby June Carter.

Johnny Cash’s dad responded, “That’s weird, we just had a baby named Johnny Cash.”

The family member then told the Clarks about the encounter, and the parents knew immediately that they had to meet the other family.

The Clarks explained the coincidence to a nurse and asked if they could meet the family down the hall.

“And they said, ‘This couple wants to talk to you because their baby is named June Carter.’ And I thought, ‘Well okay, that’s the oddest coincidence I’ve ever heard of,’ but of course we immediately took [the babies] out in the hall and took pictures and exchanged information so that they will always have this cool coincidence to follow them as they grow, and they’ll always have a cool story,” Nicole Davis said.

After taking photos together, the families exchanged information so they can keep in touch.

“I just think it’s so fun that in a world where there’s lots of little babies that were born on April 10, these two guys are always gonna have this really fun back story and always have an opportunity to have a friend that they met in an unconventional but really special way,” Nicole Davis said.

Sophie Clark agreed.

“I definitely want them to stay in touch. I just think it’s the coolest coincidence ever,” she said.

Copyright 2024 WAFF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Babies named Johnny Cash, June Carter born same day at same hospital

Johnny Cash, June Carter UNDATED: (FILE PHOTO) Country musicians Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash hold their infant son John Carter Cash in a promotional portrait for the film "A Gunfight," directed by Lamont Johnson in this photo from 1970. Johnny Cash died September 12, 2003 in a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee while being treated for a stomach complaint. He was 71. (Photo by Paramount Pictures/Getty Images) (Getty Images/Getty Images)

ALABAMA — Two families in Alabama welcomed newborn babies named Johnny Cash and June Carter at the same hospital on April 10.

>> Read more trending news

The babies were born at Huntsville Hospital, according to AL.com . Their parents didn’t know each other.

The couples met after they learned that both of their babies were named after late Grammy award-winning country singer-songwriters, Johnny Cash and June Carter, according to Good Morning America.

“I was very shocked. I was so excited when I found out,” Sophie Clark, 22, said.

“I thought it was a bizarre coincidence. And I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ When I realized they named her June Carter and we named our baby Johnny Cash, and that [they were born the same day], it got a little bit more intensified at that point,” Nicole Davis said, according to Good Morning America.

Nicole Davis and her husband Johnny Lee Davis Jr. are parents to 12 children.

“We do love Johnny Cash, but we really just thought the name ‘June’ was beautiful,” Clark said about her daughter with Carter Clark, according to WAFF , per AL.com.

“Dad’s name is Johnny Lee Davis Jr., and we tried on Johnny Lee Davis III for a while and we just could never get comfortable with it. We were trying to call him ‘Lee’ so he would be a little bit of his own person but it just never caught, so we had to go back to the drawing board,” Nicole Davis said, according to the news outle t per AL.com .

Johnny Cash and June Carter were married in 1968. Both Cash and Carter died in 2003, according to Good Morning America.

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Made up of previously issued tracks recorded in 1993, the album will be released by Mercury Nashville/Ume on June 28.

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Releasing June 28 via Mercury Nashville/UMe, the simply and aptly titled Songwriter  features songs written solely by Johnny Cash , one of America’s greatest songwriters and storytellers. Returning the focus to Johnny’s own songwriting, the 11-track collection showcases the breadth of his writing, one that has always represented the great expanse of the human condition: there are songs of love, family, sorrow, beauty, spiritual salvation, survival, redemption, and of course, some of the lighthearted humor Johnny was known for, all sung in his unmistakable, trademark, resonant voice.

Songwriter will be available to stream and download, as well as on CD and a variety of vinyl options, including standard black and several limited edition color variants.

In early 1993, the legendary Johnny Cash found himself between contracts in his then nearly 40-year career and recorded an album’s worth of songwriting demos at LSI Studios in Nashville of songs he’d written over many years. LSI at the time was owned by his son-in-law Mike Daniels and daughter Rosey, and he wanted to help the family financially while also record some songs special to him. Not long after the fruitful session, Johnny met producer Rick Rubin, and the recordings were shelved as the two embarked on an important and prolific musical partnership that revitalized the Man in Black’s career that would last the rest of his life.

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Some thirty years later, John Carter Cash, the son of Johnny and June Carter Cash, rediscovered the songs and stripped them back to just Johnny’s powerful, pristine vocals and acoustic guitar. Along with co-producer David “Fergie” Ferguson, the two invited a handpicked group of musicians that played with Johnny, including guitarist Marty Stuart and the late bassist Dave Roe, along with drummer Pete Abbott and several others, to the Cash Cabin, a hallowed space in Hendersonville, Tenn. where Johnny would write, record and relax, to breathe new life into the tracks, taking the sound back to the roots and heart of the songs.

Songwriter is being previewed today with the release of the first single, “Well Alright,” an upbeat and infectious tune about finding love in of all places, the laundry mat. With its humorous lyrics, galloping beat and taut acoustic upright bass “Well Alright” is prime Johnny Cash, harkening back to his ‘50s hits such as “Get Rhythm,” “Five Feet High and Rising,” “Cry! Cry! Cry!” and “Big River.”

“Dad’s advice with anything, whether it was life or making music, was always ‘follow your heart,” said John Carter. And it is this truism of his father’s that let guide him every step of the way when making Songwriter. After stripping the original recordings back to just Johnny’s vocals and guitar, he reached out to Fergie, a longtime friend and Johnny’s go-to engineer for nearly thirty years, and the two set off to create an album that would honor and amplify Johnny’s songwriting and timeless voice, while staying true to the spirit of the recordings.

Along with John Carter, Fergie is arguably one of the people that knew best what Johnny liked when it came to recording as they worked together beginning in the early 1980s when he was Cowboy Jack Clement’s in-house engineer where Johnny often liked to record. He would go on to work with him on many records, including most of his Mercury albums and the acclaimed American Recordings series with Rick Rubin , even recording his last-ever songs in his final days in 2003. “He was always my hero and I just felt like the luckiest guy in the world to get to record him,” said Fergie.

When it came time to assemble a band, two musicians were must-haves: guitarist Marty Stuart, who played with Johnny in his backing band The Tennessee Three from 1980-86, and the late, great upright bassist Dave Roe, who toured in Johnny’s band, beginning in the early ‘90s and lasting nearly a decade. For Roe, the experience was a chance for a do-over as he actually played on the original ‘93 session, but despite being a great electric bass player was so new to upright bass that his playing was lacking. In fact, after a gig around this same time, Johnny famously gave Roe money to take lessons and said he had six months to learn. Roe would go on to become one of the best slap bass players in the world and play on hundreds of albums before his death in 2023. Songwriter was likely one of his last sessions.

Drummer, Pete Abbott, of Average White Band fame, among many other bands and accolades, was brought in to complete the trio who both recorded together and separately at the Cash Cabin, the sanctuary and studio space that Johnny built on his property in 1979 and where John Carter continues to record. Several other of Nashville’s best, such as Ana Cristina Cash (background vocals), Matt Combs (acoustic guitar, mandolin, strings), Mike Rojas (B3 organ, piano), Russ Pahl (acoustic & electric guitar, bass, dobro, steel) and Sam Bacco (congas, percussion) were enlisted to round out the core band for the majority of the album, while others like session great and Grand Ole Opry guitarist, Kerry Marx, and vocalist Harry Stinson guested on select songs. “All those guys are the best, just cream of the crop,” said Fergie.

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys provides a bluesy guitar solo on the track “Spotlight” and Vince Gill lends his dulcet vocals to “Poor Valley Girl.” Johnny’s good friend, outlaw country legend, Waylon Jennings, sang on two songs in the original session, “I Love You Tonite” and “Like A Soldier.”

“Nobody plays Cash better than Marty Stuart, and Dave Roe of course played with dad for many years,” said John Carter. “The musicians that came in were just tracking with dad, you know, recording with dad, just as, in the case of Marty and Dave, they had many times before, so they knew his energies, his movements, and they let him be the guide. It was just playing with Johnny once again, and that’s what it was. That was the energy of the creation.”

While the playing of the musicians on the original 1993 recordings was strong, the sound quality left something to be desired as it placed the songs into a particular time. By recording a whole new band, John Carter and Fergie, along with engineer Trey Call, brought Johnny into the modern era and made an incredible sounding record that sounds like if Johnny recorded today.

“We just went rudimentary,” said John Carter of the approach. “We went straight to the roots, as far as the sound, and tried not to overly enhance it. We built as if dad was in the room. That’s what we tried to do. Between the both of us, Fergie and I have spent thousands of hours with dad in the recording studio, so we just tried to act like he was there: WWJCD, right?”

“I think this record is the way I would have liked to have made one if I would have ever been in charge of one, before Rick Rubin or after Jack Clement,” said Fergie. “I’ve known John Carter since he was a boy, so it was great to finally work with him. He gave me a lot of leeway, especially in terms of grooves and things. We went right along the same page. There wasn’t ever a conversation or plan about an end product, it was just let’s do the best we can do.”

Songwriter kicks off in a mighty way with the opening track, “Hello Out There,” a prescient song that sounds like Johnny reaching out from the beyond concerned about mankind and the state of the world as he sings with gravitas, “Hello out there/This is planet Earth/Calling Calling Calling Calling Calling, facilitating his own echoes, before continuing, “Hello out there/our net worth is/Falling Falling Falling Falling Falling.” As the song continues, it crescendos with a glorious swirling of Marty Stuart’s spacey guitar licks, strings, steel guitar, pounding drums, angelic voices, and Johnny’s message of salvation, sonically falling somewhere between cosmic country and gospel. Recorded just before Johnny was recruited by U2 for Zooropa album closer, “The Wanderer,” the songs could be celestial cousins of sorts. “I believe dad wrote it about the Voyager spaceship sometime around when it launched,” said John Carter. “I remember him sitting in Cowboy’s office and singing it for him.”

At the time of the original recording, Johnny was in a great place both mentally and vocally. The songs he chose to record were personal to him and had been written over many decades, with some dating back to the mid to late ‘70s. “I Love You Tonite” is a love letter to his beloved wife June Carter Cash while “Poor Valley Girl” is about both June and her mother, country pioneer, Maybelle Carter, likely written in the wake of her passing in 1978. “Drive On” was inspired by the chronic pain he suffered from due to a broken jaw in the early ‘90s and is about the hardships that were endured by veterans in the Vietnam War. “I think he wanted to understand in his heart, to find peace with his own physical pain, that there were others out there who had pains that were greater, who had PTSD that was more profound, to gain more humility or to gain more acceptance of his own condition,” said John Carter who along with Wesley Orbison, closes the song out with some dueling psychedelic guitars.

Meanwhile, “Like A Soldier” is about his struggle with addiction and ultimately recovery. “It’s something that that he wrote after his first stint in a recovery center,” said John Carter. “He felt like he was like a soldier getting over a war. The opponent that he had been fighting, his enemy had been addiction, and he was coming into a new life and had the great opportunity for healing. That’s where the song came from.” Both “Drive On” and “Like A Soldier” were included with different recordings and arrangements on Johnny’s first American Recordings album in 1994, but these are the very first recordings.

Other tracks like the reverential “Have You Been to Little Rock?” sees Johnny expressing pride for his homeland over a beautiful, traditional melody, while “She Sang Sweet Baby James,” is a tender song about a young single mother singing James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James” to comfort her baby. Johnny was a fan of Taylor’s ever since he performed on the first season of “The Johnny Cash Show” in 1971. Johnny revisits a lesser-known gem of his with “Sing It Pretty Sue,” originally released in 1962 on The Sound of Johnny Cash .

In the early ‘90s as country music was changing, Johnny found himself at a lull in his career, despite his songwriting and voice remaining strong. “My dad was probably just as clear as at any point in his life and I think that voice, which was kind of ignored at the time, needs to be heard,” said John Carter. “The man at that age, at that specific point in his life, deserves more attention and focus because he sadly didn’t get as much as he should.”

For John Carter, working on Johnny’s music is a form of catharsis and communion with his dad. “It’s not about selling Johnny Cash, he would be doing that himself,” said John Carter. “I’m grateful that this record is here, even if it was only for me, because it reminds me of who my father was, and I do believe there are people out there that knew him on somewhat of a level that I did, that will be just as touched,” said John Carter. “But I also believe that there are people out there that have never heard my father’s music that will find new interest in hearing this, hearing this album and hearing my father’s voice. I hope that gleans some curiosity in some people where they dig further, and they discover more because there’s a lot to see within those pages.”

As for what Johnny might think about Songwriter , “I would think Johnny would say what he said about every record that I worked on with him, every record I think he ever made, when he got to the end of it, he always said, “I think it’s the best record I’ve ever made,” said Fergie. “You could count on that. I could just hear him say that. I think he’d be really proud of it.”

Ultimately, Songwriter is all about putting the spotlight back on Johnny’s songwriting. “I wanted it to be songs that mostly people hadn’t heard and that paid close attention to who he was as a songwriter and who he was as an American voice,” said John Carter. “One of my most important focuses in the past 10 years is to make sure that history, as best that I can possibly, is to give history the opportunity to notice him as the great writer he is. Bob Dylan says he’s one of the greatest writers of all of American written music and I agree. I want to put that in the forefront. His writing voice specifically is a certain voice, that I think if America wants to know their history, that’s a good place to look. Johnny Cash is definitely one true voice that we can listen to, specifically to his writings.”

Pre-order Songwriter .

Johnny Cash – Songwriter tracklisting :

1. “Hello Out There” 2. “Spotlight” 3. “Drive On” 4. “I Love You Tonite” 5. “Have You Ever Been to Little Rock?” 6. “Well Alright” 7. “She Sang Sweet Baby James” 8. “Poor Valley Girl” 9. “Soldier Boy” 10.”Sing It Pretty Sue” 11. “Like A Soldier”

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Biden jokes, warns against Trump at White House correspondents’ dinner shadowed by war in Gaza

WASHINGTON (AP) - The war in Gaza spurred large protests outside a glitzy roast with President Joe Biden, journalists, politicians and celebrities Saturday but went all but unmentioned by participants inside, with Biden instead using the annual White House correspondents’ dinner to make both jokes and grim warnings about Republican rival Donald Trump’s fight to reclaim the U.S. presidency.

An evening normally devoted to presidents, journalists and comedians taking outrageous pokes at political scandals and each other often seemed this year to illustrate the difficulty of putting aside the coming presidential election and the troubles in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Biden opened his roast with a direct but joking focus on Trump, calling him “sleepy Don,” in reference to a nickname Trump had given the president previously.

Despite being similar in age, Biden said, the two presidential hopefuls have little else in common. “My vice president actually endorses me,” Biden said. Former Trump Vice President Mike Pence has refused to endorse Trump’s reelection bid.

But the president quickly segued to a grim speech about what he believes is at stake this election, saying that another Trump administration would be even more harmful to America than his first term.

“We have to take this serious — eight years ago we could have written it off as ‘Trump talk’ but not after January 6,” Biden told the audience, referring to the supporters of Trump who stormed the Capitol after Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election.

Trump did not attend Saturday’s dinner and never attended the annual banquet as president. In 2011, he sat in the audience, and glowered through a roasting by then-President Barack Obama of Trump’s reality-television celebrity status. Obama’s sarcasm then was so scalding that many political watchers linked it to Trump’s subsequent decision to run for president in 2016.

Biden’s speech, which lasted around 10 minutes, made no mention of the ongoing war or the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

One of the few mentions came from Kelly O’Donnell, president of the correspondents’ association, who briefly noted some 100 journalists killed in Israel’s 6-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza. In an evening dedicated in large part to journalism, O’Donnell cited journalists who have been detained across the world, including Americans Evan Gershkovich in Russia and Austin Tice, who is believed to be held in Syria. Families of both men were in attendance as they have been at previous dinners.

To get inside Saturday’s dinner, some guests had to hurry through hundreds of protesters outraged over the mounting humanitarian disaster for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They condemned Biden for his support of Israel’s military campaign and Western news outlets for what they said was undercoverage and misrepresentation of the conflict.

“Shame on you!” protesters draped in the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh cloth shouted, running after men in tuxedos and suits and women in long dresses holding clutch purses as guests hurried inside for the dinner.

“Western media we see you, and all the horrors that you hide,” crowds chanted at one point.

Other protesters lay sprawled motionless on the pavement, next to mock-ups of flak vests with “press” insignia.

Ralliers cried “Free, free Palestine.” They cheered when at one point someone inside the Washington Hilton — where the dinner has been held for decades — unfurled a Palestinian flag from a top-floor hotel window.

Criticism of the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has spread through American college campuses, with students pitching encampments and withstanding police sweeps in an effort to force their universities to divest from Israel. Counterprotests back Israel’s offensive and complain of antisemitism.

Biden’s motorcade Saturday took an alternate route from the White House to the Washington Hilton than in previous years, largely avoiding the crowds of demonstrators.

Saturday’s event drew nearly 3,000 people. Celebrities included Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm and Chris Pine.

Both the president and comedian Colin Jost, who spoke after Biden, made jabs at the age of both the candidates for president. “I’m not saying both candidates are old. But you know Jimmy Carter is out there thinking, ‘maybe I can win this thing,’” Jost said. “He’s only 99.”

Law enforcement, including the Secret Service, instituted extra street closures and other measures to ensure what Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said would be the “highest levels of safety and security for attendees.”

Protest organizers said they aimed to bring attention to the high numbers of Palestinian and other Arab journalists killed by Israel’s military since the war began in October.

More than two dozen journalists in Gaza wrote a letter last week calling on their colleagues in Washington to boycott the dinner altogether.

“The toll exacted on us for merely fulfilling our journalistic duties is staggering,” the letter stated. “We are subjected to detentions, interrogations, and torture by the Israeli military, all for the ‘crime’ of journalistic integrity.”

One organizer complained that the White House Correspondents’ Association — which represents the hundreds of journalists who cover the president — largely has been silent since the first weeks of the war about the killings of Palestinian journalists. WHCA did not respond to a request for comment.

According to a preliminary investigation released Friday by the Committee to Protect Journalists, nearly 100 journalists have been killed covering the war in Gaza. Israel has defended its actions, saying it has been targeting militants.

“Since the Israel-Gaza war began, journalists have been paying the highest price — their lives — to defend our right to the truth. Each time a journalist dies or is injured, we lose a fragment of that truth,” CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna said in a statement.

Sandra Tamari, executive director of Adalah Justice Project, a U.S.-based Palestinian advocacy group that helped organize the letter from journalists in Gaza, said “it is shameful for the media to dine and laugh with President Biden while he enables the Israeli devastation and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.”

In addition, Adalah Justice Project started an email campaign targeting 12 media executives at various news outlets — including The Associated Press — expected to attend the dinner who previously signed onto a letter calling for the protection of journalists in Gaza.

“How can you still go when your colleagues in Gaza asked you not to?” a demonstrator asked guests heading in. “You are complicit.”

Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo, Aamer Madhani, Fatima Hussein and Tom Strong contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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