Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?

Subject: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 02:27 PM

I was sleepless a couple of nights ago and PBS (Channel 13 in the tri state area) ran exerpts from the Johnny Cash show. It looked liked it broadcast in the late sixties to mid seventies from clothes style, but I never remember seeing it. Was it broadcast nationwide? They showed all the musical highlights from the show, and tho it didn't help my insomnia ( I couldn't turn the set off lol) it sure made me happy.

The music and musicians they showcased on this show were magnificent, esp. a rousing and sexy version of "Jackson" by June Carter and Johnny. Wow. Also I never paid attention to Carl Perkins before, knowing only his Blue Suede Shoes- BUT he did some dynamite blues guitar and singing on Matchbox along with Johnny. A guy I'd like to know more about.

Anyone else catch the show?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 03:31 PM

I remember when the show was on ABC for three seasons. Third season, when he realized the show was not going to be renewed, Cash booked a lot of performers he wanted to present as opposed to those who would bring in ratings. That last half of the third season he had Eric Andersen and Ramblin' Jack Elliott, along with Derek and the Dominoes on the same night. Also on another show, had Gordon Lightfoot singing Canadian Railroad Trilogy. I think the show wrapped up in 1971 0r '72.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Greg B
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 03:39 PM

I remember the first episode, and I was only 9 years old.

Of course we watched it, my parents are folkies, too.

Doug Kershaw was on that broadcast, and made such an impression
that I didn't miss many opportunities to watch the 'Ragin Cajun'
on other shows from then on. That was his 'big break.'

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 03:50 PM

Fondly remember watching it on a half-discarded old set where the vertical hold didn't work. Amazing stuff.   

For a glimmer of it, find the "Sunday Morning Coming Down" on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: bankley
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 03:50 PM

yeah, he had some impressive guests, Dylan, Kristoffersen, Joni, Buffy along with the country music artists.... mostly people that he liked and wouldn't hesitate to invite home for song jams... Cash appreciated a good song and those who wrote them... he's still missed

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 03:59 PM

I remember watching that show when it first ran. That PBS special you saw brought back a lot of good memories.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: number 6
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 04:18 PM

I remember it ... and I certainly remember that memorable show he did with Bob Dylan ... especially the duet when they both sang 'Girl from the North Country".

I saw a good documentary of Johnny Cash (circa 1969) on TV last week.

biLL

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: number 6
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 04:28 PM

This documentary I saw must have been the 'exerpts' you saw on PBS.

biLL

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 04:48 PM

Don't use YouTube much?

Here's one of about a zillion clips on YouTube from the Johnny Cash Show.

Enjoy......and yes, I remember the show quite well.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 04:55 PM

Of the many on YouTube, I like this one the best. Linda Ronstadt when she was truly "The Barefoot Contessa" as she was once called (note her feet). Listen to the interview and the second song which should show any doubters that Linda had a country/folkie heart.

Be sure you watch the ENTIRE clip here!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Severn
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 05:26 PM

Along with the occaisional hokiness, there were some brilliant moments and guestbookings that you couldn't find anywhere else. Derek & The Dominos getting to jam with Carl Perkins was a highlight, Buffy, Ramblin' Jack and of course there were "the Amuric'n awl' adds for their sponsor. I think some of the Cash shows are coming out on DVD.



One of the other shows around those years that didn't last too long, was one hosted by Roger Miller. Rather eccentric and the host was given a fairly free hand. He even had The Kweskin Jug Band as guests one week. Anyone remember THAT one?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 05:46 PM

Here's a wonderful performance on the same show: Andy Kaufmann does his incredible Elvis imitation. He IS Elvis when he does that. Wait for it....

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 06:38 PM

The show debuted during the 1968-69 school year, i.e., late '68 or early '69. I was in college in northern Indiana at the time, and some friends proposed a road trip to Nashville to attend the first taping of an episode of this new TV show. (We had read that Bob Dylan was to appear on the debut telecast.)

Six of us crammed into a single car and drove down overnight. Shortly after we arrived, we learned that the shows were not being taped in the same order in which they would be broadcast, meaning that we would not be there for Bob's appearance; someone else, an actual C&W artist, was scheduled as the featured guest.

I would have very gladly attended regardless of who would be joining the great Johnny Cash onstage, but the owner of the car was interested only in Bob Dylan and was quite scornful of country music in general and the "Nashville sound" in particular. We turned around and drove back north without further delay.

Before we left Nashville, I had just enough time to enjoy my first taste of blackeye peas and collard greens, at a very "atmospheric" (i.e., dingy) cafeteria somewhere on Music Row.

I have since come to understand that I missed my only opportunity to witness a show at the "old" Grand Ole Opry, the fabled Ryman Auditorium (which I have visted since, now that it has become nothing more than a historic site). So, I regret more than ever my companions' reluctance to stay for that show.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 06:40 PM

The Roger Miller Show was way too short lived but I guess Roger was a bit off the TV radar. I was in my teens and my Mom and I both shared a huge fanship for Roger Miller. The Cat was simply both a genius and hilarious. I wish I would have seen "Big River." on Broadway

At the final Concert of Bands in my senior year of high school the Jazz Group put together a sextet arrangement on "King of the Road" featuring me on Tenor. My Mom had been ill with cancer for three years and they entire group all pitched in as a fun thing for her and she enjoyed the hell out of it. Good friends they were. She died only a few months later.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: GUEST,'Ray Bucknell
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 06:49 PM

There's a recently-released 2-DVD set of the "Best of" the Johnny Cash TV show that features its' more interesting performances including some of those mentioned above ("Barefoot Contessa" Linda Ronstadt -- apparently she wasn't in the habit of wearing panties either -- and Derek and the Dominoes).   I wish they'd also release the Roger Miller Show on DVD; at the time both shows were being aired I was way more a Roger Miller than a Johnny Cash fan. I remember watching Roger's show a number of times; I only saw Johnny's show infrequently (although that was primarily due to the fact that we only had one TV in the house and my father controlled it when he was home). Dang me!

                                          'Ray

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 07:56 PM

Guest, it was the Johhny Cash Show, not the Johnny Carson Show. Both shows existed, and Carson's was much more famous and longrunning, but this is the Johnny Cash Show that this thread is about.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: pdq
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 10:22 PM

You might want to look for flatpicking wizard Norman Blake, he was a regular member of Cash's TV show band.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 10:38 PM

Boy, do I remember the Johnny Cash Show! We (Mrs. Sunset Coast and I) we're watching the 'Come Along and Ride This Train' medley on February 2, 1970. Suddenly her water broke. Did I say she was pregnant? Six hours later our son was born...but I never saw the end of that show.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 10:58 PM

Actually that was January 28th. The rest is correct.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: Flash Company
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 04:37 AM

This show was never bought by any of the UK channels, but someone did show one programe some years back. Too good for television is a phrase whic springs to mind!

FC

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: bankley
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 06:51 AM

actually there are still shows at the Ryman on occasion. It's a good place for live recording as well. Marty Stuart hosts his annual "Late Night Jam" there... and produced fine gospel and bluegrass CDs from that stage....Lucinda Williams was there last March when I was passing through town... Glad that it wasn't torn down..

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 12:32 PM

Yeah, I should have remembered that the Ryman is still occasionally used for live shows. There was an excellent theatrical film just a year or two ago of a specially-produced Neil Young concert in that wonderful venue.

I'm glad to hear that Lucinda had a chance to appear there; there wouldn't by any chance be a DVD of her concert, would there?

I was at a convention in Nashville back in 1986 and took the guided tour of the Ryman, which at that time was not being used for performances at all, the Opry having just recently moved to suburban "Opryland."

When the tour guide marched our group out onto the stage ~ and after giving us a few moments to appreciate the great view of that wonderful auditorium, with its curved rows of banked seating ~ she had us all sing a verse of "You Are My Sunshine" together, and then announced, "Now you can tell everyone you meet that you sang on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry."

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: kendall
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 01:23 PM

Ah yes, Sunday Morning Coming Down; in my opinion, the best country song ever written.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember the Johnny Cash tv show?
From: bankley
Date: 08 Nov 07 - 08:22 AM

not sure about a Lucinda dvd from there.... it seems like a lot of artists like to perform there,,, 'The Other Side of Town' from Prine's last cd, 'Fair and Square' was recorded live there...solo, good sound , funny as hell...

The sanitized Opryland theme park in the east 'burbs' was built to handle and encourage the increasing tourist traffic...the Opry runs 3 or 4 nights a week now...

Not the same as when Cash smashed out the footlights with a mic stand, or Hank was barred for not showing up... or being too loaded. Heading over to Tootsies' Orchid Lounge between shows for some refreshments..
Call me old fashioned, that's my kind of country