Gaither Gospel Hour

The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash | Gaither Gospel Hour

September 9, 2025 | 59:0

Gaither Gospel shares joy through heartfelt stories and inspiration through powerful music.

#Singer/Songwriter #Music #Musician #Faith #Redemption #Celebrity #Testimony

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Gaither Gospel Hour | The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash | Gaither Gospel Hour | September 9, 2025

♪(humming)♪
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Bill gaither: life is made up of moments...
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... like turning the pages of a photograph album.
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Our memories preserve for us the relationships...
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... and events that tell the stories of each of our lives.
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Happy, sad, joyful, and painful.
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The memories of our days make up the fabric...
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... of who we are.
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(choir singing) ♪precious memories♪
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♪how they linger♪
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♪how they ever flood my soul♪
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Bill gaither: an unforgettable memory was made when dozens of friends...
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... who had spent their lives in gospel music...
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... gathered to sings some songs from their own...
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... personal treasure of memories.
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For these folks, many precious memories...
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... had begun around a piano somewhere.
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They're sharing songs about how their lives have been changed...
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... by god's amazing grace.
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♪precious scenes unfold♪
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Of country music. ████████ ce
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He changed the face of american music.
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He changed the face of world music.
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And he also changed the lives of a great many people.
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Over the years, his life and his art
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Became one and the same.
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He tried to live his life and make his music
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With integrity and honesty and total frankness.
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That included his ability and his willingness
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To admit his human failings.
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Johnny cash was many things -
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But a hypocrite was not among them.
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He remained lifelong true to his ideals and to his vision.
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His story has been told... but what has not been told
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Is his remarkable spiritual odyssey...
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It is the story of a man's faith that was tested many times
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But that endured and finally glowed with a bright flame.
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I'm dan rather.
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Everyone knows johnny cash the myth, johnny cash the legend,
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Knows the man in black...
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But not everyone knows the humbler side of johnny cash,
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The seeker of faith...
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♪ yes i know when jesus saved me (saved my soul), ♪
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♪ the very moment he forgave me (made me whole); ♪
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♪ he took away my heavy burdens, lord he gave me peace within ♪
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♪ (peace within) ♪
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♪ satan can't make me doubt it (i won't doubt it), ♪
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♪ it's real and i'm gonna shout it (i'm gonna shout it); ♪
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♪ i was there when it happened and so i guess i ought to know ♪
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My friend johnny cash was truly a man
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Who sought truth his whole life.
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He began with the faith his mother taught him
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When he was a little boy in a small frame house
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In a cotton patch in arkansas.
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(johnny cash) february 26, 1932
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In a little house surrounded by cotton fields.
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My father was a cotton farmer,
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Walked behind the mules with the plow,
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And i did that as well.
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It was a family thing.
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Everybody in the family worked in the field,
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Even the girls did.
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There are some sweet memories and some sad memories too.
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But it was a good life.
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[instrumental music]
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(johnny cash) one night, one cold winter night,
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The rain had been fallin', the river kept risin'
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And all the old folks kept sayin' that
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That mississippi river's gonna break that levee.
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One morning the levee broke at wilson, arkansas
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And that black muddy mississippi river water
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Come right up over the cotton patch
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Right up to the front door of our house.
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And i heard my daddy hollerin' askin' my mama:
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♪ how high's the water mama? ♪
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♪ two feet high and rising ♪
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♪ how high's the water, papa? ♪
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♪ she said it's two feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ we can make it to the road in a homemade boat ♪
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♪ that's the only thing we got left that'll float ♪
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♪ it's already over all the wheat and the oats, ♪
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♪ two feet high and risin' ♪
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[instrumental music]
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♪ how high's the water, mama? ♪
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♪ three feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ how high's the water, papa? ♪
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♪ she said it's three feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ well, the hives are gone, i've lost my bees ♪
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♪ the chickens are sleepin' in the willow trees ♪
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♪ cow's in water up past her knees, ♪
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♪ three feet high and risin' ♪
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[instrumental music]
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♪ how high's the water, mama? ♪
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♪ four feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ how high's the water, papa? ♪
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♪ she said it's four feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ hey, come look through the window pane, ♪
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♪ the bus is comin', gonna take us to the train ♪
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♪ looks like we'll be blessed with a little more rain, ♪
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♪ four feet high and risin' ♪
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[instrumental music]
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♪ how high's the water, mama? ♪
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♪ five feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ how high's the water, papa? ♪
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♪ she said it's five feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ well, the rails are washed out north of town ♪
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♪ we gotta head for higher ground ♪
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♪ we can't come back till the water goes down, ♪
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♪ five feet high and risin' ♪
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♪ well, it's five feet high and risin' ♪♪
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John's music explored the major themes of country music
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And indeed of all america in recent decades:
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Prison, railroads, native americans,
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The lowly and oppressed, the open road,
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Love and life and death, and damnation and salvation.
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And god.
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These were themes john returned to again and again.
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Though he faltered and he wandered throughout
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An explosive life and career -
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He always came back to the faith that he sought...
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John lived his life with an angel on one shoulder
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And a devil on the other.
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(narrator) john was haunted his whole life
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By his big brother jack's tragic death
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In a sawmill accident when jack was just 14.
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Jack had been john's hero and had declared
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That he was going to be a preacher.
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If it hadn't been for losing jack,
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There's no telling if he ever would have gone on
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To sing the songs that he sang with such heartache, you know,
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Related to so many people you know, his suffering,
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So easily, because it was on his sleeve.
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He had a great understanding
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And closer spiritual relationship with god,
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Because he came in and studied in jack's stead,
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And though he continued to sing
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And followed his heart's desire in music,
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He still delved even deeper into studying the bible,
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My father did, in life.
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Because i believe that he had that desire to be
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Who he believed jack would have been.
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[instrumental music]
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(narrator) the air force got him out of arkansas
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And he saw a bit of the world while stationed in germany.
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(johnny cash) i went to deutschland
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And i stayed there so long i felt like a citizen.
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I stayed there and worked in air force security services.
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High speed intercept operator, then as a chief of operations for three years,
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Until i was discharged.
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They tried to get me to stay in the air force,
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And i said, "no, i'm going out and sing on the radio."
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♪ his kingdom was divided, couldn't stand. ♪
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♪ he was weighed in the balance and found wanting... ♪
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♪ his houses were built upon the sand. ♪
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(johnny cash) i met my first wife while i was at
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Brooks air force base in texas.
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And we corresponded all through the three years
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I was in germany.
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(narrator) after getting out of the air force,
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Johnny married vivian liberto, and they settled in memphis.
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She was catholic and in their wedding vows
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Johnny agreed that their children
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Would be reared as catholics.
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At her urging johnny took a six-month course in catholicism
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From a priest in memphis.
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He later wrote, "the catholic instruction
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Gave me an understanding and a tolerance
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For other faiths which i value today."
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[instrumental music]
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My father's greatest desire
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When he got into the music business,
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He wanted to sing gospel songs on the radio...
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And i think, it was only later on that he realized
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That he might be actually making records in the studio
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And that they'd be recorded.
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He just wanted to sing on the radio.
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When we went to audition for sam phillips,
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It was still gospel music that we wanted to do.
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And we auditioned for sam phillips at sun records
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With a song called,
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I was there when it happened, so i guess i ought to know.
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♪ well, i was there when it happened, ♪
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♪ so i guess i ought to know. ♪
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(narrator) sun founder sam phillips
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Told johnny gospel music didn't sell.
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(marshall grant) he just wouldn't do it.
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He said, no we just can't sell gospel music.
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He was looking at it from a business aspect,
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We were looking at it from what we wanted to do.
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(narrator) he finally got johnny on the map with rockabilly records.
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(johnny cash) sam phillips let me make my first record,
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And then 'bingo' the light bulb came on i said,
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"that's how i'll sing on the radio, on record."
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(narrator) in 1955 sun records issued his first record:
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"hey porter" and "cry cry cry."
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There was so much musical talent centered around sun
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That a one chance jam session came to be known as
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The million dollar quartet.
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Johnny, elvis presley and jerry lee lewis,
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Dropped in on a carl perkins recording session
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On december 4, of 1956.
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And the four of them ended up collaborating on a jam session
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That made musical history.
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Remarkably, half of the 20 numbers
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They recorded spontaneously were gospel songs.
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Cash again approached sam phillips
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About making a gospel album.
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Sam said no.
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"i wanted to record gospel music and i wanted it badly,"
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Cash later wrote.
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Phillips refused his entreaties to record gospel songs,
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Although he managed to cut two.
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"belshazzar" and "i was there when it happened"
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Would appear on an album many years down the line.
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All we wanted to do was gospel stuff.
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I loved singing harmony with john on these gospel songs.
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♪ yes i know when jesus saved me (saved my soul) ♪
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♪ the very moment he forgave me (made me whole) ♪
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♪ he took away my heavy burdens, lord he gave me peace within ♪
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♪ (peace within) ♪
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♪ satan can't make me doubt it (i won't doubt it) ♪
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♪ it's real and i'm gonna shout it ♪
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♪ (i'm gonna shout it) ♪
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♪ i was there when it happened and so i guess i ought to know ♪
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But then in 1957, for several reasons we left sun
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And we signed with columbia,
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And at this point we were able to do a gospel album.
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♪ (god has my fortune laid away) ♪
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♪ oh the world is full of people with money just to burn ♪
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♪ affording all the things in life ♪
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♪ for which a man might yearn ♪
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♪ some can take life easy but i live from day to day ♪
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♪ god has my fortune laid away (laid away) ♪
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♪ i search for sunshine every day ♪
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♪ but there always comes the rain ♪
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♪ the hope over my horizon was smoke without a flame ♪
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♪ pockets that stay empty dreams that go astray ♪
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♪ god has my fortune laid away ♪
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♪ (god has my fortune laid away, laid away) ♪
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♪ i search for sunshine every day ♪
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♪ but there always comes the rain ♪
00:13:46.081 --> 00:13:50.519
♪ the hope over my horizon was smoke without a flame ♪
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♪ pockets that stay empty dreams that go astray ♪
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♪ but god has my fortune laid away ♪♪
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[instrumental music]
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One new element entered his life:
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June carter began touring with the cash show in 1962.
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June had strong feelings for him which she kept in check
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As long as she was married to someone else --
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She would become the one stabilizing factor
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In john's erratic life.
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Cash later wrote that he, quote,
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"first laid eyes on june carter when i was 18,
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On a dyess high school senior class trip
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To the grand ole opry.
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I'd liked what i heard of her on the radio
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And i really liked what i saw of her
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From the balcony of the ryman auditorium...
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The next time i saw her was six years later...
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I walked over to her and said, 'you and i are going
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To get married someday.'" ...unquote
00:15:10.933 --> 00:15:14.336
June was definitely john's staff from that first time on.
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I mean, he leaned on her and she cared for him.
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And she cared for him through some of the worst periods in his life.
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(narrator) june poured her mixed feelings about john into the song,
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"ring of fire" which became a number 1 hit for him in 1963.
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June had been pursued by the likes of elvis presley
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And the actors, james dean, marlon brando and lee marvin -
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But she fell for the unpredictable johnny cash.
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She said about the song "ring of fire":
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"i felt like i had fallen into a pit of fire
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And i was literally burning alive."
00:15:53.342 --> 00:16:01.283
Well, after we went to columbia,
00:16:05.054 --> 00:16:07.456
Our touring was almost non-stop
00:16:07.456 --> 00:16:09.525
And by now we're pretty well known
00:16:09.525 --> 00:16:12.461
All over the united states and canada,
00:16:12.461 --> 00:16:15.064
Not necessarily all over the world.
00:16:15.064 --> 00:16:16.665
So we started touring with what we called,
00:16:16.665 --> 00:16:19.234
Grand ol' opry package shows.
00:16:19.234 --> 00:16:21.937
We had been driving a long ways from out in texas
00:16:21.937 --> 00:16:25.274
To get to georgia to do a show.
00:16:25.274 --> 00:16:27.543
We'd already been out for about a week
00:16:27.543 --> 00:16:29.611
And we were so tired,
00:16:29.611 --> 00:16:32.314
And we were on the side of the stage
00:16:32.314 --> 00:16:35.250
And they were getting ready to introduce us.
00:16:35.250 --> 00:16:38.187
And john said, "i'm so tired."
00:16:38.187 --> 00:16:40.556
And so a fiddle player reached in his pocket
00:16:40.556 --> 00:16:43.492
And pulled out some little pills.
00:16:43.492 --> 00:16:45.127
He said, "here, take one of these
00:16:45.127 --> 00:16:46.695
And you'll be just fine."
00:16:46.695 --> 00:16:48.597
So john took it.
00:16:48.597 --> 00:16:50.432
Then the next day he talked about it.
00:16:50.432 --> 00:16:52.835
He said, "we're gonna have to get us some of those things."
00:16:52.835 --> 00:16:55.571
(johnny cash) when i took my first ones, i said,
00:16:55.571 --> 00:16:58.073
"this is what god meant for me to have in this world.
00:16:58.073 --> 00:17:01.610
This was invented for me."
00:17:01.610 --> 00:17:03.712
I honestly thought it was a blessing and a gift from god,
00:17:03.712 --> 00:17:06.448
These pills were.
00:17:06.448 --> 00:17:08.150
Then i finally found out it's the devil in disguise.
00:17:08.150 --> 00:17:11.987
At first he had them totally under control.
00:17:11.987 --> 00:17:15.023
But as time went along,
00:17:15.023 --> 00:17:17.192
They started getting out of control.
00:17:17.192 --> 00:17:19.094
With success in nashville
00:17:19.094 --> 00:17:20.863
And the accompanying treadmill of non-stop touring,
00:17:20.863 --> 00:17:24.500
Cash turned more and more to the truckers' friend: speed.
00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:29.271
He continued his steady pill diet and began missing dates.
00:17:29.271 --> 00:17:35.144
He was arrested in el paso, texas, in 1965
00:17:35.144 --> 00:17:38.947
For trying to smuggle in hundreds of amphetamine pills
00:17:38.947 --> 00:17:42.017
And tranquilizers from mexico.
00:17:42.017 --> 00:17:44.820
His original police mug shot remains on the internet.
00:17:44.820 --> 00:17:49.558
He later wrote his regret about pill use:
00:17:49.558 --> 00:17:52.628
"the worst thing about it was that every pill i took
00:17:52.628 --> 00:17:55.497
Was an attempt to regain the wonderful,
00:17:55.497 --> 00:17:58.567
Natural feel of euphoria i experienced the first time,
00:17:58.567 --> 00:18:02.971
And therefore not a single one of them,
00:18:02.971 --> 00:18:05.107
Not even one among the many thousands
00:18:05.107 --> 00:18:07.843
That slowly tore me away from my family,
00:18:07.843 --> 00:18:10.879
And my god and myself, ever worked."
00:18:10.879 --> 00:18:13.549
When he got back to nashville,
00:18:13.549 --> 00:18:15.184
He freaked out at a grand ole opry gig
00:18:15.184 --> 00:18:17.619
And smashed all the stage footlights.
00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:20.389
The opry fired him that night
00:18:20.389 --> 00:18:22.457
And he borrowed june carter's new cadillac,
00:18:22.457 --> 00:18:25.093
Got pilled up again and drunk and wrecked it.
00:18:25.093 --> 00:18:28.463
Not long thereafter, he was arrested
00:18:28.463 --> 00:18:30.532
For picking flowers in public in starkville, mississippi.
00:18:30.532 --> 00:18:34.670
He later wrote the song, "starkville city jail"
00:18:34.670 --> 00:18:37.406
About that experience.
00:18:37.406 --> 00:18:39.441
(johnny cash) the jailer threw my pills up on the counter and he said,
00:18:39.441 --> 00:18:42.444
"you take the pills,
00:18:42.444 --> 00:18:44.112
Go ahead and kill yourself if you want to."
00:18:44.112 --> 00:18:46.181
He said it's your god-given right to do that
00:18:46.181 --> 00:18:48.350
If you'd like to do that."
00:18:48.350 --> 00:18:49.952
Also he said, "my wife is a big fan of yours."
00:18:49.952 --> 00:18:53.755
And he said, "when i went home last night and told her
00:18:53.755 --> 00:18:56.592
I had johnny cash in my jail, she cried all night."
00:18:56.592 --> 00:19:01.163
And he said, "i don't want to see you anymore."
00:19:01.163 --> 00:19:05.100
"touring and drugs were what i did,"
00:19:05.100 --> 00:19:07.436
Cash later wrote.
00:19:07.436 --> 00:19:09.238
Besides his voracious appetite for pep pills,
00:19:09.238 --> 00:19:12.374
Cash also had to deal with a diminishing supply.
00:19:12.374 --> 00:19:15.978
In the 1960s the american medical association woke up
00:19:15.978 --> 00:19:19.248
To the perils of prescribing unlimited amphetamines,
00:19:19.248 --> 00:19:22.684
And getting drugs started to be a full-time job,
00:19:22.684 --> 00:19:26.355
Especially for a traveling man.
00:19:26.355 --> 00:19:29.057
Vivian divorced him,
00:19:29.057 --> 00:19:30.993
And he moved into a nashville apartment with waylon jennings
00:19:30.993 --> 00:19:34.062
During their "lost year".
00:19:34.062 --> 00:19:36.531
When they hid their pill stashes from each other -
00:19:36.531 --> 00:19:39.201
Each thinking the other didn't know what was going on.
00:19:39.201 --> 00:19:43.472
Not long thereafter, as he later wrote,
00:19:43.472 --> 00:19:46.141
He was a "walking vision of death."
00:19:46.141 --> 00:19:50.245
June carter began trying to point him toward redemption.
00:19:50.245 --> 00:19:57.152
Onstage at a concert
00:20:00.622 --> 00:20:03.859
In london, ontario in 1968 and she accepted.
00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:08.597
They were married the following march 1st.
00:20:08.597 --> 00:20:14.970
In 1968 against columbia records' objections,
00:20:18.974 --> 00:20:22.611
He released the album, "johnny cash at folsom prison,"
00:20:22.611 --> 00:20:26.682
Followed in 1969 by the album, "johnny cash at san quentin."
00:20:26.682 --> 00:20:32.721
The latter included one of his favorite gospel songs that he wrote -
00:20:32.721 --> 00:20:37.125
"he turned the water into wine."
00:20:37.125 --> 00:20:39.761
We went into the little town of cana,
00:20:39.761 --> 00:20:42.264
Just over the hills from nazareth...
00:20:42.264 --> 00:20:44.666
And there's a church that sits over the cistern
00:20:44.666 --> 00:20:46.735
Where the water came from that christ turned to wine.
00:20:46.735 --> 00:20:49.805
Where the first miracle was performed.
00:20:49.805 --> 00:20:52.374
We went into the church saw the cisterns.
00:20:52.374 --> 00:20:54.409
You can hear the sounds of the water in there, the echo.
00:20:54.409 --> 00:20:58.080
I was so impressed when i came out of the church,
00:20:58.080 --> 00:21:00.449
If i ever had an inspiration, i had one then.
00:21:00.449 --> 00:21:03.585
From seeing what i had just seen and heard.
00:21:03.585 --> 00:21:05.954
And i said under my breath, "he turned the water into wine,
00:21:05.954 --> 00:21:09.591
Of all things."
00:21:09.591 --> 00:21:11.326
On the way to tiberius, in the car,
00:21:11.326 --> 00:21:13.395
In the next few minutes i wrote this song...
00:21:13.395 --> 00:21:17.766
♪ he turned the water into wine he turned the water into wine ♪
00:21:17.766 --> 00:21:27.876
♪ in the little cana town the word went all around ♪
00:21:27.876 --> 00:21:32.814
♪ that he turned the water into wine ♪
00:21:32.814 --> 00:21:38.286
[instrumental music]
00:21:38.286 --> 00:21:41.022
♪ well he walked upon the sea of galilee ♪
00:21:41.022 --> 00:21:46.061
♪ he walked upon the sea of galilee ♪
00:21:46.061 --> 00:21:51.299
♪ shouted far and wide he calmed the raging tide ♪
00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:55.837
♪ and walked upon the sea of galilee ♪
00:21:55.837 --> 00:22:00.575
[instrumental music]
00:22:00.575 --> 00:22:04.479
♪ he turned the water into wine, didn't my lord now ♪
00:22:04.479 --> 00:22:09.317
♪ he turned the water into wine ♪
00:22:09.317 --> 00:22:13.855
♪ in the little cana town the word went all around ♪
00:22:13.855 --> 00:22:18.827
♪ that he turned the water into wine ♪
00:22:18.827 --> 00:22:24.132
[instrumental music]
00:22:24.132 --> 00:22:27.335
♪ he fed the hungry multitude ♪
00:22:27.335 --> 00:22:30.272
♪ (didn't he brother...) ♪
00:22:30.272 --> 00:22:32.407
♪ he fed the hungry multitude ♪
00:22:32.407 --> 00:22:36.878
♪ with a little bit of fish and bread ♪
00:22:36.878 --> 00:22:39.181
♪ they said everyone was fed ♪
00:22:39.181 --> 00:22:41.383
♪ five thousand ♪
00:22:41.383 --> 00:22:42.617
♪ he fed the hungry multitude ♪
00:22:42.617 --> 00:22:46.188
[instrumental music]
00:22:46.188 --> 00:22:50.058
♪ he turned the water into wine ♪
00:22:50.058 --> 00:22:59.868
♪ in the little cana town the word went all around ♪
00:22:55.230 --> 00:23:04.739
♪ that he turned the water into wine ♪♪
00:23:04.739 --> 00:23:09.945
He performed and recorded "a boy named sue"
00:23:09.945 --> 00:23:12.814
For the first time at san quentin.
00:23:12.814 --> 00:23:14.749
It reached number 1 on the country charts
00:23:14.749 --> 00:23:17.152
And number 2 on the u.s. pop charts.
00:23:17.152 --> 00:23:20.055
After recording the album he and june left for israel
00:23:20.055 --> 00:23:23.425
Where he recorded part of the upcoming album "the holy land."
00:23:23.425 --> 00:23:27.829
It had a hologram cover of cash in jerusalem.
00:23:27.829 --> 00:23:31.299
Ironically, his two prison albums forever sealed
00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:34.903
His reputation as outlaw,
00:23:34.903 --> 00:23:37.439
Even while he was pursuing his faith in the holy land.
00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:42.010
On new year's eve 1969, johnny wrote himself a letter,
00:23:42.010 --> 00:23:45.947
Which had become his new year's habit.
00:23:45.947 --> 00:23:48.450
It read in part, "you still think about them
00:23:48.450 --> 00:23:51.653
[meaning his pills] from time to time.
00:23:51.653 --> 00:23:54.489
You need to pray more.
00:23:54.489 --> 00:23:56.191
You hardly ever pray...
00:23:56.191 --> 00:23:57.959
Big deals ahead in 1969, possibly a network tv show,
00:23:57.959 --> 00:24:02.931
But the biggest deal you've got going is your family and home.
00:24:02.931 --> 00:24:07.269
You'd better hang with god if you want the other deals to work out...
00:24:07.269 --> 00:24:11.640
Your friend, cash."
00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:13.642
In 1969 "the johnny cash show" premiered on the abc network,
00:24:13.642 --> 00:24:18.346
And became a successful musical variety show.
00:24:18.346 --> 00:24:21.650
[instrumental music]
00:24:21.650 --> 00:24:26.655
♪ i remember when i was a lad ♪
00:24:26.655 --> 00:24:28.990
♪ times were hard and things were bad ♪
00:24:28.990 --> 00:24:31.660
♪ but there's a silver linin' behind ev'ry cloud ♪
00:24:31.660 --> 00:24:36.498
♪ just four people that's all we were ♪
00:24:36.498 --> 00:24:38.767
♪ tryin' to make a livin' out of black-land dirt ♪
00:24:38.767 --> 00:24:41.436
♪ but we'd get together in a family circle singin' loud ♪
00:24:41.436 --> 00:24:46.107
♪ daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor) ♪
00:24:46.107 --> 00:24:49.077
♪ me and little brother would join right in there ♪
00:24:49.077 --> 00:24:52.013
♪ 'cause singin' seems to help a troubled soul ♪
00:24:52.013 --> 00:24:56.518
♪ one of these days and it won't be long ♪
00:24:56.518 --> 00:24:58.920
♪ i'll rejoin them in a song ♪
00:24:58.920 --> 00:25:01.656
♪ i'm gonna join the family circle ♪
00:25:01.656 --> 00:25:04.125
♪ at the throne ♪
00:25:04.125 --> 00:25:06.528
♪ though the circle won't be broken ♪
00:25:06.528 --> 00:25:11.333
♪ by and by, lord, by and by ♪
00:25:11.333 --> 00:25:16.204
♪ daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor) ♪
00:25:16.204 --> 00:25:19.207
♪ me and little brother would join right in there ♪
00:25:19.207 --> 00:25:21.610
♪ in the sky, lord, in the sky ♪♪
00:25:21.610 --> 00:25:26.247
We would always do a gospel thing at the end.
00:25:26.247 --> 00:25:28.917
And that wasn't easy for him to get past abc in those days,
00:25:28.917 --> 00:25:32.520
To close the show with a gospel segment
00:25:32.520 --> 00:25:35.724
And we would do it every night, every week.
00:25:35.724 --> 00:25:39.995
This was 1969, '70, '71.
00:25:39.995 --> 00:25:43.198
Even then it was starting to be
00:25:43.198 --> 00:25:44.899
A little bit politically incorrect.
00:25:44.899 --> 00:25:46.134
Mama would call in all of us. ♪
00:25:46.134 --> 00:25:51.439
♪ you could hear us singin' for a country mile. ♪
00:25:51.439 --> 00:25:56.111
♪ now little brother done gone on, ♪
00:25:56.111 --> 00:25:58.546
♪ but i'll rejoin him in song. ♪
00:25:58.546 --> 00:26:01.116
♪ we'll be together again up yonder in a little while. ♪
00:26:01.116 --> 00:26:05.987
♪ daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor) ♪
00:26:05.987 --> 00:26:08.623
♪ me and little brother would join right in there ♪
00:26:08.623 --> 00:26:11.626
♪ 'cause singin' seems to help a troubled soul. ♪
00:26:11.626 --> 00:26:16.097
♪ one of these days, it won't be long ♪
00:26:16.097 --> 00:26:18.633
♪ i'll rejoin them in a song ♪
00:26:18.633 --> 00:26:21.436
♪ i'm gonna join the family circle at the throne ♪
00:26:21.436 --> 00:26:25.940
♪ oh no the circle won't be broken ♪
00:26:25.940 --> 00:26:31.146
♪ by and by, lord, by and by ♪
00:26:31.146 --> 00:26:35.950
♪ daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor) ♪
00:26:35.950 --> 00:26:38.753
♪ me and little brother would join right in there ♪
00:26:38.753 --> 00:26:41.423
♪ in the sky, lord, in the sky ♪
00:26:41.423 --> 00:26:46.094
♪ oh no the circle won't be broken ♪
00:26:46.094 --> 00:26:51.199
♪ by and by, lord, by and by ♪
00:26:51.199 --> 00:26:55.937
♪ daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor) ♪
00:26:55.937 --> 00:26:58.506
♪ me and little brother would join right in there ♪
00:26:58.506 --> 00:27:01.309
♪ in the sky, lord, in the sky ♪
00:27:01.309 --> 00:27:06.281
♪ in the sky, lord, in the sky ♪♪
00:27:06.281 --> 00:27:18.326
(narrator) in an unprecedented move,
00:27:18.326 --> 00:27:19.961
He had the reverend billy graham appear on his show
00:27:19.961 --> 00:27:22.797
And turned it into an all gospel night
00:27:22.797 --> 00:27:25.066
With a star ensemble of gospel singers.
00:27:25.066 --> 00:27:27.969
♪ oh lord i want to be in that number, ♪
00:27:27.969 --> 00:27:32.841
♪ when the saints go marchin' in. ♪
00:27:32.841 --> 00:27:37.645
♪ when the saints, go marchin' in ♪
00:27:37.645 --> 00:27:42.250
♪ oh when the saints go marchin' in ♪
00:27:42.250 --> 00:27:46.788
♪ oh lord i want to be in that number, ♪
00:27:46.788 --> 00:27:51.893
♪ when the saints go marchin' in. ♪
00:27:51.893 --> 00:27:56.531
♪ now i am just a lonely traveler ♪
00:27:56.531 --> 00:28:01.336
♪ i'm plodding through this big wide world of sin ♪
00:28:01.336 --> 00:28:06.141
♪ i'm getting ready for that shining city ♪
00:28:06.141 --> 00:28:10.912
♪ oh when the saint's go marchin' in ♪
00:28:10.912 --> 00:28:15.517
♪ oh when the saints, go marchin' in ♪
00:28:15.517 --> 00:28:20.188
♪ oh when the saints go marchin' in ♪
00:28:20.188 --> 00:28:24.959
♪ oh lord i want to be in that number, ♪
00:28:24.959 --> 00:28:29.898
♪ when the saints go marchin' in. ♪
00:28:29.898 --> 00:28:34.536
♪ when the saints, go marchin' in ♪
00:28:34.536 --> 00:28:39.340
♪ oh when the saints go marchin' in ♪
00:28:39.340 --> 00:28:43.378
Wotoodo whole gospel show. iwawasesus]omól[onoltp
00:28:43.378 --> 00:28:46.347
But i'm sure that abc was not jumping up and down in new york saying,
00:28:46.347 --> 00:28:50.718
"this is great, we've got a southern gospel music show
00:28:50.718 --> 00:28:51.853
Going on the network."
00:28:51.853 --> 00:28:54.389
Because there's a good deal of the country even at that time
00:28:54.389 --> 00:28:57.392
That didn't know what southern gospel music was
00:28:57.392 --> 00:28:59.594
And a good deal of them didn't care.
00:28:59.594 --> 00:29:01.429
Cash had first met the reverend billy graham
00:29:01.429 --> 00:29:03.398
Over lunch in hendersonville.
00:29:03.398 --> 00:29:05.500
Cash was so inspired by the meeting
00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:08.136
That he wrote the song, "what is truth."
00:29:08.136 --> 00:29:11.339
Graham also sowed the seed within cash
00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:13.541
For what would later become the film, "the gospel road."
00:29:13.541 --> 00:29:16.945
They would remain lifelong friends and confidantes.
00:29:16.945 --> 00:29:23.184
I know studies about paul.
00:29:23.184 --> 00:29:25.320
There are so many things i wanted to know about paul.
00:29:25.320 --> 00:29:28.256
I said, "one of these days i'm just gonna sit down and ask him."
00:29:28.256 --> 00:29:31.559
So i wrote this song, "one of these day's i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul."
00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:35.930
[instrumental music]
00:29:35.930 --> 00:29:39.901
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪
00:29:39.901 --> 00:29:49.277
♪ i will ask him about his journeys ♪
00:29:44.806 --> 00:29:51.980
♪ and he'll tell me about them all. ♪
00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:54.616
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪
00:29:54.616 --> 00:29:59.120
♪ he will introduce me to luke and timothy. ♪
00:29:59.120 --> 00:30:08.897
♪ i will be so glad to meet them, ♪
00:30:04.025 --> 00:30:11.432
♪ think they'll be glad to meet me. ♪
00:30:11.432 --> 00:30:14.235
♪ he will introduce me to luke and timothy. ♪
00:30:14.235 --> 00:30:19.240
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪
00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:28.650
♪ i will ask him about his journeys ♪
00:30:24.212 --> 00:30:31.152
♪ and he'll tell me about them all. ♪
00:30:31.152 --> 00:30:34.122
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪
00:30:34.122 --> 00:30:41.329
♪ i'm gonna ask him if he ever went to spain. ♪
00:30:41.329 --> 00:30:46.200
♪ i will ask him if he ever went to spain. ♪
00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:51.072
♪ i'll find out if he made it, ♪
00:30:51.072 --> 00:30:53.474
♪ and i'll check out his secret pain. ♪
00:30:53.474 --> 00:30:56.611
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪
00:30:56.611 --> 00:31:11.225
♪ he will tell me about his journeys ♪
00:31:01.683 --> 00:31:14.028
♪ and i will ask him about them all. ♪
00:31:14.028 --> 00:31:16.631
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪
00:31:16.631 --> 00:31:26.541
♪ one of these days i'm gonna sit down and talk to paul. ♪♪
00:31:21.569 --> 00:31:29.811
I learned it.
00:31:29.811 --> 00:31:31.479
[audience applause]
00:31:31.479 --> 00:31:34.582
[instrumental music]
00:31:34.682 --> 00:31:40.154
The 70s were finally good years for johnny and june.
00:31:41.255 --> 00:31:45.560
He wrote that, "the 1970s for me were a time of abundance and growth,
00:31:45.560 --> 00:31:50.365
Not just in terms of finances and property,
00:31:50.365 --> 00:31:53.267
But personally, spiritually, and in my work."
00:31:53.267 --> 00:31:57.972
Johnny and june entered into their marriage
00:31:57.972 --> 00:32:00.174
With daughters of their own.
00:32:00.174 --> 00:32:02.143
But their first baby together was a special event for them
00:32:02.143 --> 00:32:05.313
And they welcomed john carter cash as a young prince.
00:32:05.313 --> 00:32:09.817
On the day of his birth on march 3, 1970
00:32:09.817 --> 00:32:13.254
Johnny quit drugs cold turkey, again.
00:32:13.254 --> 00:32:16.991
He had a lifelong link to the dark side of drugs
00:32:16.991 --> 00:32:20.328
And had never quite dropped them behind him.
00:32:20.328 --> 00:32:23.331
But with john carter's birth, he felt reborn as a man.
00:32:23.331 --> 00:32:27.735
He said, "the past couple of years have been the happiest of my life.
00:32:27.735 --> 00:32:32.340
I'm a human being again. i've got the right wife.
00:32:32.340 --> 00:32:35.910
I'm working steady and i finally got a son."
00:32:35.910 --> 00:32:40.248
They took the young prince everywhere with them.
00:32:40.248 --> 00:32:43.051
When they were on the road,
00:32:43.051 --> 00:32:44.652
Johnny made time to take his son to zoos and museums
00:32:44.652 --> 00:32:47.989
And tried to teach him all he could.
00:32:47.989 --> 00:32:50.658
John carter recalled that when he was about three years old,
00:32:50.658 --> 00:32:54.228
His parents put him on stage.
00:32:54.228 --> 00:32:56.531
At the end of "boy named sue",
00:32:56.531 --> 00:32:58.766
Johnny would have him come out to take a bow.
00:32:58.766 --> 00:33:02.136
It was not long after the television series
00:33:02.136 --> 00:33:05.339
Was coming off the air
00:33:05.339 --> 00:33:06.974
That he went and made the film, "gospel road"
00:33:06.974 --> 00:33:09.343
And went to israel with some dear friends
00:33:09.343 --> 00:33:11.579
As a spiritual dedication.
00:33:11.579 --> 00:33:13.815
I never really saw a good movie about jesus that i really did like
00:33:13.815 --> 00:33:17.251
Because i didn't think, most of the movies i've ever seen about him
00:33:17.251 --> 00:33:20.688
Didn't show him as being human enough,
00:33:20.688 --> 00:33:23.958
As well as being totally divine.
00:33:23.958 --> 00:33:27.195
"gospel road" says more about john cash
00:33:27.195 --> 00:33:30.031
Than anybody could possibly say,
00:33:30.031 --> 00:33:33.868
If you just analyze that entire movie.
00:33:33.868 --> 00:33:37.338
That is john.
00:33:37.338 --> 00:33:39.774
That's his beliefs.
00:33:39.774 --> 00:33:41.509
We told the story the way we feel it.
00:33:41.509 --> 00:33:43.644
We prayed for guidance, for inspiration,
00:33:43.644 --> 00:33:46.881
To do the right thing.
00:33:46.881 --> 00:33:48.516
He wrote the majority of the songs in it.
00:33:48.516 --> 00:33:50.785
He wrote the movie. he produced the movie.
00:33:50.785 --> 00:33:54.489
He narrated the movie.
00:33:54.489 --> 00:33:56.290
We all did the soundtrack for "gospel road"
00:33:56.290 --> 00:33:59.127
There's about somewhere around 20 songs in it.
00:33:59.127 --> 00:34:02.330
♪ have a little bread simon. ♪
00:34:02.330 --> 00:34:04.866
♪ give a little wine to james my brother. ♪
00:34:04.866 --> 00:34:07.468
♪ go ahead and eat friends. and love one another. ♪
00:34:07.468 --> 00:34:12.240
♪ have a good time now. ♪
00:34:12.240 --> 00:34:14.976
♪ for tomorrow, i must die. ♪
00:34:14.976 --> 00:34:19.847
♪ and i'm never more gonna eat with you again. ♪
00:34:19.847 --> 00:34:24.018
♪ 'til we eat the marriage supper in the sky. ♪♪
00:34:24.018 --> 00:34:28.556
We made our mind up to one thing,
00:34:28.556 --> 00:34:30.625
Television is wonderful, it did a lot for us
00:34:30.625 --> 00:34:33.461
And we appreciate that.
00:34:33.461 --> 00:34:34.929
But this film is a film about the life of christ
00:34:34.929 --> 00:34:37.331
And i don't see a soap commercial or any kind of a commercial
00:34:37.331 --> 00:34:42.170
In the middle of the life of christ.
00:34:42.170 --> 00:34:44.272
So if this film does go on television,
00:34:44.272 --> 00:34:47.108
We won't have it interrupted with any kind of sponsors.
00:34:47.108 --> 00:34:51.479
We may wind up having a good movie
00:34:51.479 --> 00:34:53.981
Just for our family and friends, but that will be alright.
00:34:53.981 --> 00:34:56.884
In 1977, after years of correspondence courses,
00:34:56.884 --> 00:35:00.888
Cash received a theology degree
00:35:00.888 --> 00:35:04.592
From the christian international school of theology.
00:35:04.592 --> 00:35:06.627
Over the course of 23 years, he made more than
00:35:06.627 --> 00:35:09.197
Two dozen appearances at billy graham crusades
00:35:09.197 --> 00:35:13.000
And he and graham were a truly imposing pair at the pulpit.
00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:17.805
♪ oh well the bear will be gentle ♪
00:35:17.805 --> 00:35:23.010
♪ and the wolf will be tame ♪
00:35:23.010 --> 00:35:27.515
♪ and the lion shall lay down beside the lamb, yes he will ♪
00:35:27.515 --> 00:35:36.924
♪ and the beasts from the wild ♪
00:35:36.924 --> 00:35:41.395
♪ will be led by a little child ♪
00:35:41.395 --> 00:35:45.800
♪ and i will be changed, ♪
00:35:45.800 --> 00:35:48.169
♪ i'll be changed from this creature ♪
00:35:48.169 --> 00:35:50.738
♪ that i am, thank god ♪
00:35:50.738 --> 00:35:55.409
♪ there will be peace in the valley for me some day ♪
00:35:55.409 --> 00:36:04.719
♪ there will be peace in the valley for me, ♪
00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:11.359
♪ dear lord i pray ♪
00:36:11.359 --> 00:36:14.228
♪ there'll be no sadness, no sorrow, ♪
00:36:14.228 --> 00:36:19.300
♪ and they'll be no trouble i see ♪
00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:24.805
♪ there will be peace in the valley for me for me ♪
00:36:24.805 --> 00:36:40.755
♪ (for me) ♪♪
00:36:34.849 --> 00:36:49.597
[audience applause]
00:36:49.597 --> 00:36:52.633
The crusades validated ny, being on
00:36:52.633 --> 00:36:55.469
His spiritual progress.
00:36:55.469 --> 00:36:57.605
He was able to make a public witness to his salvation
00:36:57.605 --> 00:37:00.308
And his renewed faith.
00:37:00.308 --> 00:37:02.276
And i just wanted to say in case anybody had any doubt
00:37:02.276 --> 00:37:04.612
That i'm a christian and i'm awfully proud to say so.
00:37:04.612 --> 00:37:08.149
(narrator) pragmatically, it was good for both men's missions.
00:37:08.149 --> 00:37:11.118
Each was exposed to a new audience.
00:37:11.118 --> 00:37:13.521
Cash's fans came to the graham crusades to see their hero.
00:37:13.521 --> 00:37:18.359
And the graham audience got to see the spiritual side
00:37:18.359 --> 00:37:21.862
Of a musical outlaw they had only heard tall tales about.
00:37:21.862 --> 00:37:26.000
Somebody said, "well you realize john he draws more than you do
00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:29.837
Ha, ha, ha, at his shows?" and he said,
00:37:29.837 --> 00:37:32.406
"yes, it's because he's got a better sponsor than i do."
00:37:32.406 --> 00:37:34.141
Ha, ha, ha.
00:37:34.141 --> 00:37:35.776
But as it turns out they both had the same sponsor.
00:37:35.776 --> 00:37:37.912
And they turned out to be good friends.
00:37:37.912 --> 00:37:40.214
My father, when he was on the billy graham crusades,
00:37:40.214 --> 00:37:43.050
Reached out to so many people and brought people in
00:37:43.050 --> 00:37:47.588
Probably to the crusades to see him
00:37:47.588 --> 00:37:50.124
That wouldn't have been there otherwise.
00:37:50.124 --> 00:37:52.226
And billy said, "those are your fans, johnny,
00:37:52.226 --> 00:37:53.994
Those are the ones i'm after", you know
00:37:53.994 --> 00:37:55.863
With the uproarious response for my dad coming out on stage.
00:37:55.863 --> 00:37:59.600
♪ i'm just an old chunk of coal ♪
00:37:59.600 --> 00:38:04.138
♪ but i'm gonna be a diamond some day ♪
00:38:04.138 --> 00:38:09.377
♪ i'm gonna grow and glow 'til i'm so blue pure perfect ♪
00:38:09.377 --> 00:38:14.849
♪ i'm gonna put a smile on everybody's face ♪
00:38:14.849 --> 00:38:19.553
♪ but i'm gonna kneel and pray every day ♪
00:38:19.553 --> 00:38:25.226
♪ lest i should become vain along the way ♪
00:38:25.226 --> 00:38:30.765
♪ i'm just an old chunk of coal, now lord ♪
00:38:30.765 --> 00:38:36.270
♪ but i'm gonna be a diamond some day ♪
00:38:36.270 --> 00:38:41.108
[instrumental music]
00:38:41.108 --> 00:38:44.545
John could do a song that's spiritual in nature
00:38:44.545 --> 00:38:47.648
And not necessarily in lyric.
00:38:47.648 --> 00:38:50.851
He could take a song about an every day situation
00:38:50.851 --> 00:38:55.156
And give a spiritual essence to it.
00:38:55.156 --> 00:38:57.591
Teach a lesson, make a point.
00:38:57.591 --> 00:38:59.960
And he could capture you.
00:38:59.960 --> 00:39:02.229
♪ i'm gonna learn the right words to talk ♪
00:39:02.229 --> 00:39:07.435
♪ i'm gonna search and find a better way to walk ♪
00:39:07.435 --> 00:39:12.673
♪ i'm gonna spit and polish my old rough-edged self ♪
00:39:12.673 --> 00:39:17.745
♪ 'til i get rid of every single flaw ♪
00:39:17.745 --> 00:39:23.017
♪ i'm wanna be the world's best friend ♪
00:39:23.017 --> 00:39:27.988
♪ i'm gonna go around shaking everybody's hand ♪
00:39:27.988 --> 00:39:33.928
♪ i'm just an old chunk of coal now lord ♪
00:39:33.928 --> 00:39:38.933
♪ but i'm gonna be a diamond some day ♪
00:39:38.933 --> 00:39:43.571
♪ i'm just an old chunk of coal now lord ♪
00:39:43.571 --> 00:39:49.109
♪ but i'm gonna be a diamond some day ♪♪
00:39:49.109 --> 00:39:55.149
[audience applause]
00:39:55.149 --> 00:40:01.822
(narrator) throughout his life cash continued to speak out
00:40:06.260 --> 00:40:08.829
About causes that mattered to him.
00:40:08.829 --> 00:40:11.165
At a concert in charlotte, north carolina,
00:40:11.165 --> 00:40:13.167
Which was then involved in an intense political debate
00:40:13.167 --> 00:40:16.203
About legalizing liquor by the drink,
00:40:16.203 --> 00:40:19.073
Johnny spoke out against legalizing drinks on demand.
00:40:19.073 --> 00:40:22.576
He and june were both very outspoken about alcohol abuse.
00:40:22.576 --> 00:40:26.547
Baby, i wanted to say something too.
00:40:26.547 --> 00:40:27.781
Okay.
00:40:27.781 --> 00:40:28.916
I have said that i won't get into your politics
00:40:28.916 --> 00:40:30.351
And i won't do that.
00:40:30.351 --> 00:40:31.785
But i'd just like to tell you about us as entertainers.
00:40:31.785 --> 00:40:34.755
We've been traveling around twelve, fifteen years entertaining
00:40:34.755 --> 00:40:38.826
And there's a lot of us in this outfit that have tried
00:40:38.826 --> 00:40:42.162
Just a little bit of everything.
00:40:42.162 --> 00:40:43.964
Carl perkins, four years ago, gave up drinking
00:40:43.964 --> 00:40:47.735
After a problem with drinking that almost destroyed his life
00:40:47.735 --> 00:40:51.071
As well as his marriage.
00:40:51.071 --> 00:40:52.840
And a drink of liquor, to be able to buy a drink of liquor,
00:40:52.840 --> 00:40:56.810
And to take a drink of liquor
00:40:56.810 --> 00:40:59.847
Would mean death and ruin for carl perkins.
00:40:59.847 --> 00:41:01.215
It would mean that for a lot of us in this show.
00:41:01.215 --> 00:41:03.784
[audience applause]
00:41:03.784 --> 00:41:06.720
All these fine people have learned a lesson.
00:41:06.720 --> 00:41:09.456
There's not a one in this outfit that drinks at all.
00:41:09.456 --> 00:41:12.059
[audience applause]
00:41:12.059 --> 00:41:14.962
(narrator) in july of 1986,
00:41:14.962 --> 00:41:16.764
After he had been with the label for 28 years,
00:41:16.764 --> 00:41:19.934
Columbia records dropped cash
00:41:19.934 --> 00:41:22.202
After he had gone a decade without having a major hit.
00:41:22.202 --> 00:41:25.839
He later said he felt adrift creatively.
00:41:25.839 --> 00:41:29.343
He recorded for a time for mercury records with no success,
00:41:29.343 --> 00:41:33.414
Although a 1990 reunion with the highwaymen -
00:41:33.414 --> 00:41:36.750
Cash, willie nelson, waylon jennings
00:41:36.750 --> 00:41:39.286
And kris kristofferson - did well.
00:41:39.286 --> 00:41:41.922
But no more came of that.
00:41:41.922 --> 00:41:44.391
After a bypass operation in 1988,
00:41:44.391 --> 00:41:47.628
Cash said he went through a near-death experience
00:41:47.628 --> 00:41:50.898
With visions of heaven so intense that he was angry
00:41:50.898 --> 00:41:54.668
And felt cheated of paradise when he awoke.
00:41:54.668 --> 00:41:57.738
That experience inspired him to record a reading
00:41:57.738 --> 00:42:01.008
Of the entire new testament
00:42:01.008 --> 00:42:03.110
On a 19-hour series of audio cassettes and cds.
00:42:03.110 --> 00:42:07.681
He said he did it because his mother long urged him to do so.
00:42:07.681 --> 00:42:12.953
(fan) "welcome to israel..."
00:42:12.953 --> 00:42:14.321
(johnny cash) thank you.
00:42:14.321 --> 00:42:15.422
(narrator) when he and june made
00:42:15.422 --> 00:42:17.057
Their fifth return visit to the holy land,
00:42:17.057 --> 00:42:19.226
They decided to film it for a documentary.
00:42:19.226 --> 00:42:21.395
The resulting film and album titled,
00:42:21.395 --> 00:42:24.131
"return to the promised land" showed their travels
00:42:24.131 --> 00:42:27.601
And their talks with local residents.
00:42:27.601 --> 00:42:29.937
They toured holy sites and sang many gospel songs
00:42:29.937 --> 00:42:33.407
To capture their vision of the holy land.
00:42:33.407 --> 00:42:36.210
My mother's favorite song was
00:42:36.210 --> 00:42:37.945
"i won't have to cross jordan alone."
00:42:37.945 --> 00:42:40.347
And here on the banks of the jordan river it's wonderful
00:42:40.347 --> 00:42:42.950
To be able to sing it for her memory.
00:42:42.950 --> 00:42:45.786
♪ when i come to the river at the ending of day ♪
00:42:45.786 --> 00:42:51.058
♪ and the last winds of sorrow have blown ♪
00:42:51.058 --> 00:42:56.497
♪ there'll be somebody waiting to show me the way ♪
00:42:56.497 --> 00:43:01.869
♪ i won't have to cross jordan alone ♪
00:43:01.869 --> 00:43:12.579
♪ jesus died all my sins to atone ♪
00:43:07.307 --> 00:43:18.452
♪ in the darkness i see he'll be waiting for me ♪
00:43:18.452 --> 00:43:24.058
♪ i won't have to cross jordan alone ♪♪
00:43:24.058 --> 00:43:30.831
Seems like when i was a child i'd think about crossing the jordan.
00:43:30.831 --> 00:43:34.768
And i was always going straight to heaven.
00:43:34.768 --> 00:43:37.471
And people come here for many reasons.
00:43:37.471 --> 00:43:39.773
To be baptized, or just to find peace of mind by this river.
00:43:39.773 --> 00:43:44.445
And there is a peace of mind for me in the way that i believe
00:43:44.445 --> 00:43:47.481
Knowing that if i'm going to cross this jordan river
00:43:47.481 --> 00:43:50.150
That i'll have somebody to cross it with,
00:43:50.150 --> 00:43:52.486
Or i'll waiting there when he finally does cross it.
00:43:52.486 --> 00:43:55.222
Maybe we'll do it together.
00:43:55.222 --> 00:43:56.757
Anyway, johnny and i would like to sing you a song
00:43:56.757 --> 00:43:59.126
That's kind of a love song for us, but, also a spiritual in a way.
00:43:59.126 --> 00:44:03.731
It's "the far side banks of jordan."
00:44:03.731 --> 00:44:06.066
♪ i believe my steps are growing wearier each day ♪
00:44:06.066 --> 00:44:13.006
♪ got another journey on my mind ♪
00:44:13.006 --> 00:44:19.079
♪ lures of this old world have ceased ♪
00:44:19.079 --> 00:44:22.049
♪ to make me want to stay ♪
00:44:22.049 --> 00:44:24.785
♪ and my one regret is leaving you behind ♪
00:44:24.785 --> 00:44:31.792
♪ if it proves to be his will that i am first to cross ♪
00:44:31.792 --> 00:44:37.297
♪ and somehow i've a feeling it will be ♪
00:44:37.297 --> 00:44:44.004
♪ when it comes your time to travel ♪
00:44:44.004 --> 00:44:46.807
♪ likewise don't you feel lost ♪
00:44:46.807 --> 00:44:49.643
♪ for i will be the first one that you'll see. ♪
00:44:49.643 --> 00:44:55.149
♪ and i'll be waiting on the far side banks of jordan ♪
00:44:55.149 --> 00:45:01.522
♪ i'll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand. ♪
00:45:01.522 --> 00:45:08.095
♪ and when i see you coming i will rise up with a shout ♪
00:45:08.095 --> 00:45:13.767
♪ and come running through the shallow water ♪
00:45:13.767 --> 00:45:17.471
♪ reaching for your hand. ♪♪
00:45:17.471 --> 00:45:22.843
(john carter cash) my father was in great physical pain.
00:45:26.180 --> 00:45:28.048
At that time he had had jaw surgery done
00:45:28.048 --> 00:45:31.451
And he had neurological damage to his bones.
00:45:31.451 --> 00:45:33.821
But we found such great healing on that trip.
00:45:33.821 --> 00:45:36.824
We all did.
00:45:36.824 --> 00:45:38.058
We al got closer together as a family.
00:45:38.058 --> 00:45:40.360
I think my dad and my mother needed to go back there again
00:45:40.360 --> 00:45:43.730
For their own peace.
00:45:43.730 --> 00:45:45.999
And they felt like they had more of a story to tell
00:45:45.999 --> 00:45:49.703
About their relationship with the holy land.
00:45:49.703 --> 00:45:52.306
(johnny cash) we've got a preacher traveling on the road with us now
00:45:52.306 --> 00:45:54.575
On our shows that we call him our own personal guru.
00:45:54.575 --> 00:45:58.812
He's a fundamental preacher though, don't get me wrong,
00:45:58.812 --> 00:46:01.281
Reverend jack shaw from johnstown, pennsylvania travels with us.
00:46:01.281 --> 00:46:06.086
In branson i started working with them full-time.
00:46:06.086 --> 00:46:09.857
John and june both wanted me to do a bible study
00:46:09.857 --> 00:46:13.160
In their dressing room before each show.
00:46:13.160 --> 00:46:17.297
And i did that.
00:46:17.297 --> 00:46:18.398
It would be like a five minute bible study.
00:46:18.398 --> 00:46:20.934
Then we would form a prayer circle and pray.
00:46:20.934 --> 00:46:23.570
And it's just the daily devotion i found in my life
00:46:23.570 --> 00:46:27.975
The daily devotion, prayer and bible study is so vital to christian growth.
00:46:27.975 --> 00:46:33.513
[audience applause]
00:46:33.513 --> 00:46:35.916
I here dedicate myself today to more of that,
00:46:35.916 --> 00:46:39.920
To trying to be a little more humble and pray more
00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:43.390
And seek his face and to study his word.
00:46:43.390 --> 00:46:48.295
That's my vow this day.
00:46:48.295 --> 00:46:51.732
(jack shaw) when they heard johnny cash talk about god,
00:46:51.732 --> 00:46:54.134
The bible and about faith,
00:46:54.134 --> 00:46:56.136
People that could not be helped, or would not want to help responded.
00:46:56.136 --> 00:47:00.941
And they came and talked.
00:47:00.941 --> 00:47:02.476
They though if it is okay for him it is okay for us.
00:47:02.476 --> 00:47:04.912
[audience applause]
00:47:04.912 --> 00:47:09.683
Here's the first song we ever did on the billy graham crusade
00:47:09.683 --> 00:47:12.552
In knoxville, tennessee a long time ago.
00:47:12.552 --> 00:47:15.155
"the old account."
00:47:15.155 --> 00:47:17.357
And we're still trying to settle it.
00:47:17.357 --> 00:47:19.226
[instrumental music]
00:47:19.226 --> 00:47:24.364
♪ there was a time on earth when in the books of heaven ♪
00:47:24.364 --> 00:47:29.436
♪ an old account was standin' ♪
00:47:29.436 --> 00:47:31.905
♪ for sins yet unforgiven ♪
00:47:31.905 --> 00:47:34.641
♪ my name was at the top and many things below ♪
00:47:34.641 --> 00:47:40.280
♪ but i went unto the keeper and i settled it long ago ♪
00:47:40.280 --> 00:47:44.985
♪ long ago, (down on my knees) ♪
00:47:44.985 --> 00:47:47.321
♪ long ago, (i settled it all) ♪
00:47:47.321 --> 00:47:50.090
♪ yes, the old account was settled long ago ♪
00:47:50.090 --> 00:47:55.228
♪ and the record's clear today for he washed my sins away ♪
00:47:55.228 --> 00:48:00.500
♪ and the old account was settled long ago ♪
00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:06.106
♪ well, the old account was large and growin' every day ♪
00:48:06.106 --> 00:48:11.311
♪ and i was always sinnin' and i never tried to pray ♪
00:48:11.311 --> 00:48:16.516
♪ but when i looked ahead and saw such pain and woe ♪
00:48:16.516 --> 00:48:21.521
♪ well, i knew i'd better get it settled, ♪
00:48:21.521 --> 00:48:24.157
♪ and i settled it long ago ♪
00:48:24.157 --> 00:48:26.727
♪ long ago, (down on my knees) ♪
00:48:26.727 --> 00:48:29.696
♪ long ago, (i settled it all.) ♪
00:48:29.696 --> 00:48:31.898
♪ yes, the old account was settled long ago ♪
00:48:31.898 --> 00:48:37.070
♪ and the record's clear today for he washed my sins away ♪
00:48:37.070 --> 00:48:42.275
♪ and the old account was settled long ago ♪
00:48:42.275 --> 00:48:47.614
[instrumental music]
00:48:47.614 --> 00:48:53.120
♪ now sinner seek the lord, repent of all your sins ♪
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♪ this he has commanded if we would enter in ♪
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♪ and then if you should live a hundred years below ♪
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♪ well, you know you got it settled ♪
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♪ 'cause you settled it long ago ♪
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♪ long ago, (down on my knees) ♪
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♪ long ago, (i settled it all.) ♪
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♪ yes, the old account was settled long ago ♪
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♪ and the record's clear today for he washed my sins away ♪
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♪ and the old account was settled long ago ♪♪
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God bless you, thank you.
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[audience applause]
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[instrumental music]
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(narrator) in 1997, after years of occasional hospitalizations,
00:49:52.913 --> 00:49:57.184
Cash's health began to fail in earnest.
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His diabetes was complicated by serious nerve problems
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And he was hospitalized at baptist hospital in nashville
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With severe pneumonia.
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He had completed and published his second autobiography.
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In it, he was beginning to sense his mortality
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And wanted to leave a mark of where he was in life.
00:50:17.070 --> 00:50:20.540
It also suggests that he was reassuring himself.
00:50:20.540 --> 00:50:24.311
He wrote, "in 1994...
00:50:24.311 --> 00:50:26.746
I made an alliance with rick rubin...
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And made my american recordings albums.
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According to the media at the time,
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That caused an overnight change in my status
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From nashville has-been to hip icon.
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Whatever they called me, i was grateful.
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It was my second major comeback;
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The minor ones have been too many to count."
00:50:45.999 --> 00:50:51.404
And a heart condition became apparent.
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She was fitted with a pacemaker.
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But her condition did not seem to warrant undue concern.
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The next year, june underwent heart valve replacement surgery.
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The surgery appeared at first to be a success.
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But, unexpected complications arose from the surgery
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And she went into a coma at the age of 73 in nashville.
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The family and the music community were devastated by her death.
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Looking frail and using a wheelchair,
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Johnny attended june's service at first baptist church in hendersonville.
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He forced himself up out of a chair to kneel by her open coffin,
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To say a final goodbye after 35 years of marriage to his beloved.
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[instrumental music]
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(narrator) he never again slept in their marital bed,
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Instead choosing to bed down in his office.
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He talked every day to june's picture.
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Part of him yearned so to be with her again.
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He missed her so much, he talked to her every day.
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He loved her so tenderly.
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When she was gone, it was just part of him was gone.
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I remember, though, on the way home from her funeral
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He looked at me and said, "john carter,
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I've got to get in the studio."
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And i said, "okay, let's go."
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And four days later we were in the studio recording music.
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That was his therapy. music was his solace.
00:52:41.381 --> 00:52:46.052
It's where he found his peace.
00:52:46.052 --> 00:52:47.887
It's where he found some sort of peace.
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Mostly blind, becoming deaf, afflicted with heart trouble
00:52:50.090 --> 00:52:54.761
And diabetes and many other serious ailments,
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Cash willed himself to get back into the studio
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To finish the final album.
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Because june would want him to.
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Let's start right there where, at the instrumental break.
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Okay.
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I'd like to go from there,
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'cause the second half i'm havin' so much trouble with.
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Like job in the bible -
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A tragic figure cash had long studied and identified with -
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He persevered despite his afflictions
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Because of his enduring faith.
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His faith never left him.
00:53:27.627 --> 00:53:30.363
The weakness and frailty of his voice on the album
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Underscored the impact of the last johnny cash songs.
00:53:34.000 --> 00:53:37.704
You wanna work on it a section at a time?
00:53:37.704 --> 00:53:40.740
Yeah, let me try that.
00:53:40.740 --> 00:53:46.980
(narrator) less than four months later, johnny cash died
00:53:47.047 --> 00:53:50.417
At the age of 71.
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He was buried next to june in hendersonville, tennessee.
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His tombstone bears words from psalm 19:14 -
00:53:56.022 --> 00:54:00.360
"let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
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Be acceptable in thy sight, o lord, my strength, and my redeemer.'
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♪ (precious memories, how they linger.) ♪
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♪ (how they ever flood my soul.) ♪♪
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- are you bitter? - bitter? no.
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Angry? you're a young guy. you're only 70.
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No, i'm not bitter. why should i be bitter?
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I'm thrilled to death with life.
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Life is -- the way god has given it to me
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It's just a platter --
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A golden platter of life laid out there for me.
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It's been beautiful.
00:54:57.851 --> 00:54:59.085
You have no anger at, why did god do this to me?
00:54:59.085 --> 00:55:01.621
Oh, no. no.
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I'm the last one that would be angry at god.
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Johnny cash lived and loved and sinned and repented
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On a larger than life scale throughout his whole life.
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In the end, he finally realized that his faith would carry him through.
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And it seems that it did.
00:55:22.809 --> 00:55:26.012
[instrumental music]
00:55:26.012 --> 00:55:32.385
♪ tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder ♪
00:55:32.385 --> 00:55:41.161
♪ why it should be thus all the day long. ♪
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♪ while there are others living about us, ♪
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♪ never molested, though in the wrong. ♪
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♪ farther along we'll know all about it. ♪
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♪ farther along we'll understand why. ♪
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♪ cheer up, my brother. live in the sunshine. ♪
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♪ we'll understand it ♪how they ever flood my soul♪
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Thank you for joining bill and gloria gaither...
00:57:17.257 --> 00:57:19.759
... and their homecoming friends for "precious memories."
00:57:19.759 --> 00:57:22.829
Be sure to watch program as these legendary gospel artists...
00:57:22.829 --> 00:57:26.266
... share more of your favorite songs.
00:57:26.266 --> 00:57:26.566

The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash | Gaither Gospel Hour

September 9, 2025 | 59:0

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