Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 2 October 2024
BOOK REVIEW – AMONG THE ASHES by DON REID
Can you picture Don Reid of the Statler Brothers “sitting in a dark room alone, in front of a computer screen for hours and days at a time, creating people and making up stories”? That’s how he describes writing his latest novel, Among the Ashes. In the Acknowledgments section of the book, he calls this “fun.” While readers might question that definition, they will more than likely enjoy reading the final product, which is being released for publication next week. Mercer University Press focuses on topics related to the culture of the South, which Reid enables readers to experience through his stories.
The Statler Brothers retired in 2002, after forty years of entertaining audiences and producing country music albums. Reid then switched from writing songs to writing novels and non-fiction books. I reviewed his previous novel, his eleventh book, Piano Days, in 2022.
Among the Ashes is set in fictional Mansion Springs, a small town in central Virginia, in the summer of 1958. When the Market Road Seventh Day Adventist Church mysteriously burns to the ground on June 4, the Reverend Og Shaffer, pastor of the nearby Mt. Zaphon Community Church, offers to share his church building while a replacement church is built. To do this, he must first obtain permission from his church’s Board of Rule. One of its members objects, saying, “They’re not our people. They don’t believe like us. To start with, they go to church on Saturday.” Rev. Shaffer reminds him that the Old Testament Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week, adding, “We’re the ones who changed it, not them.”
Og Shaffer works with Sheriff Tom McManamay to discover the identity of the arsonist, as the reader is introduced to a variety of citizens in Mansion Springs and surrounding towns. Og and Tom are both World War II veterans, their histories and those of other characters smoothly woven into the story. Tom grew up in Mansion Springs, and Og moved his family there five years ago when he accepted Mt. Zaphon’s call for him to be its preacher.
Harlene Coiner is the antagonist. She attended school with Tom as a child and is now married to the minister of the destroyed church. She finds fault with all the actions being taken, accusing the fire department of being slow to respond, the sheriff of a bungled investigation, and Og of making promises he didn’t keep.
The story covers a two-week period, with chapter titles such as “June 17 — Same Tuesday Afternoon, Four O’clock.” An epilogue by an unnamed grandchild narrator informs the readers of what happened to the characters in later life. Reid dedicates the book to his hometown of Staunton, Virginia: “For all the characters and for all the stories it has supplied to me in a lifetime of writing songs and books.” The folksy tone of Among the Ashes is reminiscent of the hit songs Reid wrote for the Statler Brothers. The reader will enjoy being immersed in small-town life while solving the mystery of who burned down the Market Road Seventh Day Adventist Church and what consequences the arsonist faced.
Information on ordering Among the Ashes
NEWS
Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)
Kris Kristofferson, 88, died at his home in Maui on Saturday, September 28, peacefully and surrounded by family, reports PEOPLE. Born in Brownsville, Texas, on June 22, 1936, he moved throughout his childhood as the son of a U.S. Army Air Corps officer who became an Air Force general. In 1954, he attended Pomona College in California, where he played football, as well as being a Golden Gloves boxer and sports editor of the school paper. Receiving a Rhodes Scholarship, he earned a master’s degree in English literature at Oxford University in 1960. Acceding to his parents’ wishes to join the military, he became a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. He turned down a job to teach English at West Point and resigned from the Army in 1965 to pursue a music career in Nashville. He wrote “For the Good Times” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” while working as a night janitor at Columbia studios. He won a Grammy for best country song when Sammi Smith recorded his “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” Kris wrote hits for himself, such as “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” and “Why Me.” He starred in several movies and formed The Highwaymen group with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson. In 2013, doctors misdiagnosed him with Alzheimer’s disease, which was actually Lyme disease. He released his final studio album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, in 2016 and formally announced his retirement from music in 2021. Kris Kristofferson is survived by his third wife, Lisa Meyers, eight children and seven grandchildren. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1977, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985, and the Country Music Hall of Fame of 2004. I am so glad I attended his concert when he came to Sioux Falls in late 2019. He sang many familiar songs and many I’d never heard before, all of which he wrote. What an amazing storyteller and poet!
Songwriters Hall of Fame member JD Souther died September 17 at age 78, reports MusicRow. Born John David Souther in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in Amarillo, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, where he became friends with musician and songwriter Glenn Frey. In addition to forming and recording with his own bands, he cowrote hits for the Eagles, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid In Town,” “Victim of Love,” and “Heartache Tonight.” He collaborated heavily with Linda Ronstadt in the ’70s, writing songs, producing albums, and recording duets. He acted in movies, wrote hit songs for other artists, and scored his biggest solo hit with “You’re Only Lonely” in 1979. He moved to Nashville in 2002, where he released such albums as If the World Was You, Rain − Live at the Belcourt Theatre, and a collection of new versions of his songs recorded by other artists, Natural History. JD Souther was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City in 2013.
Songwriter Hugh Prestwood, 82, died September 22 after suffering a stroke in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he had been living for the past several months. Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, he moved to New York at age 30, where he and his wife settled in eastern Long Island. Country Standard Time reports he was discovered by Judy Collins, who hit with his song, “Hard Time for Lovers,” in 1978. Three of his songs were nominated for Grammys in the “Best Performance” category: “Sound of Goodbye” by Crystal Gayle, “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart” by Randy Travis, and “Ghost in this House” by Shenandoah. His chart toppers included “The Song Remembers When” by Trisha Yearwood” and “The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder” by Michael Johnson. Others who recorded his solo-written songs were Highway 101 (“Bing Bang Boom”), Barbara Mandrell (“Where are the Pieces of My Heart”), John Conlee, Tanya Tucker, Don Williams, The Judds, James Taylor, and many more. In 2006, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. As I reported in early January 2022, he expected his royalties to provide a reasonable retirement income, but that didn’t happen. He and his wife, Judy Ahrens, sank into credit card debt, sold the Long Island home they’d bought in 1984, and sold his song copyrights. When that money ran out, they decided to move back to the more affordable Texas. Then Hugh became disabled by a serious fall from a ladder. A Go Fund Me account set a goal of $25,000 to cover moving expenses. His music friends donated more than $70,000 to get the couple back home to Texas. Hugh Prestwood is survived by Judy and their two children and families.
Randy Travis has been honored with the SoundExchange Music Fairness Award for his advocacy for Congress to modernize the nation’s copyright law through the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA). The United States is the only democratic nation in the world that doesn’t require artists to be paid royalties when their songs are played on AM/FM radio. AMFA would mandate that terrestrial broadcasters pay those royalties. Randy and his wife, Mary, joined SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe to testify before Congress in June in support of modernizing the nation’s copyright law to protect creators. Randy has been a SoundExchange member since 2003. A press release says he “entrusts SoundExchange to collect worldwide neighboring rights royalties on his behalf through more than 65 agreements SoundExchange has with counterpart organizations, covering nearly 90% of the global neighboring rights market.”
An eight-foot statue of Johnny Cash was unveiled September 24 in a ceremony in the United States Capitol Visitor Center, reports the Tennessean. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders joined over 100 members of the Cash family to reveal artist Kevin Kresse’s bronze statue. It depicts Johnny with his head tilted downward, his left arm across his chest, a Bible in his right hand, and his guitar slung over his back. “Words cannot come close to expressing our pride to see my dad accorded such a singular privilege, the first musician in history to be included in the Statuary Hall Collection,” Rosanne Cash said on behalf of the family. “I’m very careful not to put words in his mouth since his passing, but on this day, I can safely say he would feel that of all the many honors and accolades he received in his lifetime, this is the ultimate.” Rosanne added, “My dad’s sister Joanne is the last surviving member of the original Cash family from Dyess, Arkansas. She has tragically lost her sight and asked if she could touch the statue to feel what it was.” Joanne Cash walked up to the statue and held on to her brother. The ceremony closed with a performance of “I Walk the Line” from the United States Air Force Band. The National Statuary Hall Collection features two statues from each state to honor notable natives. Johnny’s statue replaces that of James Clarke, a former Arkansas governor and U.S. Senator whose statue had been on display since 1921. Even his great-great-grandson called for his statue to be removed, due to his white supremacy and racist beliefs, reports Whiskey Riff. In 2019 then-Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson announced that Johnny Cash would be the replacement.
I’ve been wondering why no deceased songwriter had been named to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame this year. Well, now one has. MusicRow reports the late Tony Joe White has been announced in the Legacy category designed to honor hall of fame-worthy candidates who are deceased. Best known for “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia,” he died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, on October 25, 2018. He was 75. Raised on a cotton farm in Louisiana, he moved to Nashville in the mid-1960s and often said Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe” was his inspiration for songwriting. Numerous stars have recorded his songs, including Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, Brook Benton, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, and Tina Turner. He was known for his swamp-rock sound–a mix of rock, country, and R&B. He will be inducted posthumously with the previously announced members of the Class of 2024 during the 54th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on November 6 at Music City Center in Nashville.
Darius Rucker, 58, pleaded no contest to one count of simple possession of a controlled substance in Williamson County court. According to local ABC affiliate WKRN, he waived his right to a trial and accepted a sentence of 11 months and 29 days of probation. The charges will be expunged if he completes the required probationary period. Months after a 2023 traffic stop, he’d been arrested in February 2024 on two counts of simple possession of a controlled substance and one count of violation of Tennessee’s vehicle registration law. WKRN reports that the district attorney recommended dismissing one count of simple possession and the expired registration because of “good character.” Recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states, though not in Tennessee.
Before his August appearance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Kenny Chesney, 56, donated more than $1 million to charitable causes across the state. That included $100,000 each to the Foxborough police and fire departments, reports PEOPLE, as well as several animal rescue leagues, the Boston Medical Center, and a nonprofit that provides high-quality music programs for young people.
The Mavericks are cancelling shows as frontman Raul Malo battles cancer, reports PennLive Patriot-News. They recently canceled three upcoming shows with Dwight Yoakam. Raul announced in early July that he has cancer. He had scheduled a physical that, he says, “led to another appointment with a gastrointestinal specialist, which led to a CAT scan. And that proved to show two cancerous spots.” He is now on his sixth round of chemo. He writes on Instagram, “The doctors are insistent that we stick to the schedule as the radiation is working and we are improving each day.”
The Radio Hall of Fame inducted its 2024 class at a ceremony and dinner at the Omni Nashville Hotel, reports MusicRow. Lon Helton, class of 2022, served as master of ceremonies. Lorianne Crook & Charlie Chase (Crook & Chase) were inducted by Reba McEntire and John Zarling. The other seven honorees were Lee Harris, Mary McCoy, Phil Hendrie, Matt Siegel, Jaime Jarrin, Barry Mayo, and Kraig T. Kitchin.
“The Last One I’ll Forget” is the newest single by Bill Anderson, 86, who recently released the EP Forevermore. “I wrote the lyric by visualizing myself as a man in his final years making sure he clearly communicated his everlasting and undying love for the woman who had been ‘the best part of my years,'” Bill tells PEOPLE. He didn’t think his melody matched the sentiment of the lyrics: “And if I ever lose my memory/You’ll be the last one I’ll forget.” Steve Dorff to the rescue. “He sat at the keyboard in his studio,” Bill says, “and in virtually less time than it takes to tell it, married the perfect melody to the story I was attempting to tell.” The two of them followed that experience by co-writing five of the six songs on the EP.
Walker Montgomery, son of John Michael Montgomery and nephew of Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery, has released as his new single what was his father’s first No. 1 single in 1993. “I Love The Way You Love Me” appeared on Life’s A Dance, John Michael Montgomery’s debut album. Country Now quotes Walker as saying, “This is my favorite song of all time. It has been a constant sound in our household for many years. This song reflects where I am at this point in my life, and I can’t wait for it to become your favorite love song.” John Michael says, “What a beautiful full circle moment. I am so happy Walker Montgomery is giving this song a new life and sharing it with a new generation. Amazing job, I am a proud Dad.”
Bell Bottoms Up, the new Nashville bar belonging to Lainey Wilson, celebrated its grand opening on September 17. MusicRow reports that Lainey cut the venue ribbon and then hopped onto the rooftop stage for a surprise performance. “Bell Bottoms Up is a dream come true,” she says. “I’m living my own honky-tonk dream, and to celebrate the opening of a honky-tonk of my own is truly something special.” The 27,000-square-foot Bell Bottoms Up first opened in May. The three-story building has two stages, four bars, and a mezzanine level lounge that overlooks the first-floor stage and dining area. The Cajun-inspired food menu reflects Lainey’s Louisiana upbringing. Bell Bottoms Up and its next-door neighbor, a dueling piano bar called Bayou Keys, are both owned and operated by TC Restaurant Group. Lainey Wilson is coming to Sioux Falls on November 9. She will appear at the Denny Sanford Premier Center with special guests Jackson Dean and Zach Top.
A cast-bronze statue of Jerry Lee Lewis was unveiled during the opening of the Jerry Lee Lewis Plaza in Silo Square in Southaven, Mississippi, on September 20. A young Jerry Lee is playing the piano with one hand and one foot on the keyboard. The Daily Memphian reports that Jerry Lee saw renderings of the statue before he died. He spent the last several years of his life at his homes in Southaven and in Nesbit.
The Randy Travis Music Festival took place September 21 in Marshville, North Carolina, Randy’s hometown. The Enquirer Journal reports, “You could feel the excitement in the air when it was getting close to noon, when Randy and Mary Travis would arrive. The meet and greet was held indoors as the day was warm. When fans were allowed in, you could see the smiling face of Randy Travis, home again with fans that love him.” This year’s annual event, which began in 2018, was dedicated to first responders–all law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International held its Nashville Songwriter Awards ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium last week. Billboard reports that Ashley Gorley was named songwriter of the year, and Jelly Roll was named songwriter-artist of the year. Alan Jackson received the Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement award, which recognizes a songwriter whose works have made a significant contribution to the American songbook and who has inspired the careers of others. Songwriter/producer Buddy Cannon was honored with the NSAI president’s keystone award, which acknowledges the significant contributions for the betterment of all songwriters. The inaugural Legendary Song Award, covering songs from 1967-1983, was awarded to “Always on My Mind,” written by Wayne Carson and Johnny Christopher, and recorded by Willie Nelson, among others. Each year, the professional songwriter members of NSAI nominate “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written,” which must have at least one Nashville-based writer and have charted in the top 20 during the previous year. The highest vote-getter is named NSAI’s song of the year. That award went to “The Painter”–written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, and Ryan Larkins, and recorded by Cody Johnson.
LETTERS
Diane Jordan writes from Nashville, “I am saddened at the recent death of Tommy Cash, my longtime friend. I will always remember how kind he and his wife, Marcy, were to me after Larry’s death. Tommy sold my house for me. The first show I worked with Tommy was in Michigan in 1968. He came up to me, backstage, and introduced himself. He asked if I’d checked into a hotel yet. I had flown to the date and taken a taxi to the auditorium, so I hadn’t. He then said he was leaving right after the show and that I was welcome to use his unused room at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge and handed me the key. I wasn’t making much money, so this this was a help to me. That’s just one example of how kind and generous Tommy was. The show was MCed by a local disc jockey. When it was time for Tommy to go on, the guy said, ‘And now, here he is….Johnny Cash’s brother!’ Tommy, standing at the edge of the stage, didn’t budge. The guy looked over and gestured for him to come out. Tommy didn’t budge. Annoyed, he walked over to Tommy and said, ‘Come on…I just brought you on!’ Tommy flashed that smile of his and said, ‘You didn’t introduce Tommy Cash.’ The guy walked to the mic and introduced Tommy Cash! When I appeared with Tommy on a four-week gig at the Hacienda Hotel/Casino in 1974, he came into the dressing room on our last night. He started throwing $10 chips at me and said, ‘Here’s your plane ticket home.’ My late husband, Larry Fullam, was part of Tommy’s show for two and a half years. Larry always came off the road in a good mood. Tommy was a fun-loving person and was a joy to be around.”
Sam Wellington writes from Franklin, Tennessee, “Your Song of the Week piece in the latest newsletter brought back some wonderful memories for this Ole’ Former Bass Singer since my group, The 4 Guys, provided vocal backup on eight of the ten songs on Faron’s Wine Me Up album, including ‘Your Time’s Comin.’ It was such a special time working with our hero, Faron, and Nashville’s ‘A’ Team of musicians. It was an extra special pleasure working with Producer Jerry Kennedy, who shortly thereafter, signed The 4 Guys to our first major label recording deal with Mercury Records. As a sidebar for those not familiar with The 4 Guys, we were regular members of The Grand Ole Opry for more than 32 years. Thanks, Diane, for all you do for Country Music Fans everywhere.”
Diane: I well remember The 4 Guys on the Opry. And while at OCS, I played the Wine Me Up album so much I memorized it.
John Krebs writes from Houston, Texas, “Another great newsletter and I just finished Twentieth Century Drifter last night and it was fantastic. Turns out I knew virtually NOTHING about Marty. I remember vividly buying Marty’s Greatest Hits with S&H Green Stamps with my mom in the early ‘70s. I was 8 or 9 years old and she had JUST enough extra Stamps for that album. That was a BIG deal. I didn’t get new records, they were all hand me downs. I LOVED that album! I loved and still love all the late ‘50s Ray Conniff-Mitch Miller produced pop stuff Marty did. The Tommy Cash / Faron remembrances were great, too.”
Bobby Fischer writes from Nashville, “A hero flashback. One of the great country artists that I always learned his songs was Hank Thompson. My fave was ‘Whoa sailor.’ I was with Terrace Music. Jim Foglesong at Dot Records said we would produce an album on him. Charlie Black and Jerry Gillespie handled that. I said I want to pick him up at the airport. Hank flew in with in his own plane at a side landing. The plane said Brazos Valley Boys on the side. I walked out to the plane, he got out on the wing, he said, ‘You Bobby Fischer?’ Yes. ‘Get up on the wing and we’ll have a drink.’ I did as I was told. Then we sampled a little more. Loved his voice.”
Martha Moore of ‘so much MOORE media’ writes from Nashville, “Texas Rising star and LuckySky artist Tori Martin, who is celebrating her first Top 10 single, ‘Lost In The Country,’ on the Texas charts, opened this past weekend for legendary Country artist Doug Stone in Houston at the Wildcatters Saloon. The companion music video was premiered by Heartland on 9/6 and is featured on this week’s Taste of Country’s Weekly Video Countdown. Tori has recently opened for Sammy Kershaw and Easton Corbin.”
Mike Johnson of Roughshod Records writes from Arlington, Virginia, “Enjoyed your latest issue. Great info as usual. And thanks for the mention and posting the photo of Sherwin Linton, Bob Everhart, and me. Those were some good times. Not sure if you’re familiar with any yodelers in person, but I recently received notice from Phil Leonard that his wife Joyce Leonard passed away on 21 June 2024. I first met them in 1999 at Bob Everhart’s Old Time Country Festival in Avoca, Iowa, and at several others over the years, even performing together on stage a couple of times. Known as Michigan’s Yodeling Sweetheart, she was a most excellent yodeler and will definitely be missed by the yodeling community.”
Jackie Allen Thomas writes from Arizona, “Thank you for the info regarding Mario Carboni, the Honky Tonk Rebel. Sorry to hear he’s not touring, always delightful to hear his great music. Your newsletter was great as usual and thanks for keeping us all updated on happenings in the country music field.”
Philip Davies writes from Wales, “Saddened to hear about both Tommy Cash and Billy Edd Wheeler, the latter being a fine songwriter.”
Eric Calhoun writes from Los Angeles, “First, I want to congratulate Kelsea Ballerini. Her Madison Square Garden show was immediately sold out. That’s what you get when your fans adore you like that! So sorry to hear of these deaths rocking Hillbilly Heaven. I’ve heard little of Tommy Cash, it was always Johnny whose songs I heard about, and that was what got me into country music in the early 1980s. That, and the program direction of Bob Kingsley, got me interested in country music, and other activities. Finally, I am in the running to check out the last Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert in Vancouver, BC. Speaking of that area, I have yet to hear anything new about Canadian sensation Madeline Merlo. One song got me picked up, when I lost over 20 deaths in 2015: ‘Sinking Like a Stone.’ She’s got a few albums out, and has that great sound, compared to American country. One final note: I’m a Christmas album junkie; are there any new Christmas albums coming out for 2024?”
Diane: Madeline Merlo was a 2024 nominee for CCMA (Canadian Country Music Assn) Female Artist of the Year. Her latest release is “Broken Heart Thing,” featuring Dustin Lynch. Sorry, I have no idea about Christmas albums.
Alexander Shannon writes from Birmingham, England, “Having read the beginning of the below Newsletter, I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a link between Billy Edd Wheeler’s memoir’s title, and a line in the song ‘Jackson.’ which he wrote for Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, as in the song I believe there is the line ‘hotter than a peppered Sprout’ or I could have misheard it and it could be that the exact phrase Billy Edd Wheeler uses for the title of his Memoir is a line from the song ‘Jackson.’ I’m interested in the possibility of there being a connection between the memoir and the song. Are you able to clarify whether there is a link or not? Thank you in advance for the answer to my query. I look forward to reading the next newsletter.”
Diane: Yes. “We got married in a fever / Hotter than a pepper sprout” is the opening line of “Jackson.” The memoir’s complete title is Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout: A Hillbilly Poet’s Journey From Appalachia to Yale to Writing Hits for Elvis, Johnny Cash & More. The description for the 2018 memoir states, “Appalachian Renaissance man Billy Edd Wheeler is best known for penning ‘Jackson,’ which was popularized by Johnny Cash and June Carter with their Grammy-winning recording from 1967.”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
I interviewed Tommy Cash a second time, after he emailed me in 2014 to say, “I will be celebrating 50 years in the business in Dec. this year. I recorded my first record in Dec.’64 with Pappy Daily for Musicor.” Here is some of what he told me during the phone conversation I recorded to profile him in my newsletter on January 28, 2015.
My first single was released in January of ’65 on Musicor Records. Pappy Daily, who helped out George Jones with his early career, recorded the first single on me. I remember so distinctly it was Red Baker and me split a session. I recorded a single and he recorded a single. My single was “If the World Don’t End, I Guess I’ll Live.” That record got some airplay but wasn’t a hit.
I had several other chart records before 1969. That’s when I recorded “Six White Horses.” Glenn Sutton was my record producer. That changed a lot of things for me. Before I signed with Epic in 1969, Glenn and I ran into each other in Printers Alley. He said, “Are you on a label now?” I said no. I was on United Artists, but I’m not anymore. He said I want you to sign with Epic. My first record was a song called, “Your Lovin’ Takes the Leavin’ Out of Me.” An Eddie Rabbitt song. It got a lot of airplay but was not near as big a hit as “Six White Horses” was right after that.
The Johnny Cash TV show was being played on TV, and one of the writers for that show was a guy named Larry Murray, and he was pitching the song everywhere he could find somebody to listen to it. He played it for me, and I called Glenn Sutton, and I said, “I have found a killer song.” I said we need to cut it, and Glenn said come on in and play it for me. The next morning, I played it for him, and he said, “We’ve got to cut it immediately.” So that’s how that happened.
I was on the way to Anchorage, Alaska, to work a club for a week and Glenn called me as I was boarding a plane in Seattle, and he said, “I just want to let you know, your record goes to number one next week.” I said that’s wonderful. But I still had to work that club in Anchorage called The Hut–for $300 a day. My booking press went up after that. I think for the whole week I made $1200.
“Six White Horses” went to number one on Cash Box and Record World. Billboard wouldn’t give me a number one record, possibly because I didn’t buy an ad in Billboard. Now they will deny that’s the truth. It went to number two in Billboard. I’ve seen publications that said it was number four, but that’s not correct, it was number two on Billboard. Because it doesn’t have “thank you for making a number one record for me,” I didn’t have Billboard for a number one single.
When I had “Six White Horses,” I started going out on my own. Got a bus and a band, and down the road we went. From 1965 through 2015, that’s fifty years. I have really enjoyed tours. I worked every county fair in the United States, and Canada, and some places several times. I worked shows in every state in the union including Hawaii and Alaska. I had a great band called the Tomcats, and we toured 225-250 dates a year for, I guess, the best part of 25 years. I had three buses during my career, not all at the same time. I had a bus that was a Trailways and they put a great paint job on it and put an interior in it, and that was the bus I used several years. Then I had another bus, and then I had a brand new Silver Eagle in 1973. We put 600,000 miles on that bus before I sold it to Ronnie Milsap for his band. We called it the Tomcat Special. Actually, my first vehicle was a motor home. I didn’t keep that one too long, and then I started buying buses.
I don’t have a bus anymore. You better be making a lot of money if you’re going to buy a bus. I fly almost everywhere I go, and I have several bands around the country that I work with. I fly, check into hotels, go to sound check, and rehearse with the guys wherever they may be. Most of my shows are east of the Mississippi. My band is called the Cash Crew.
Of course, everywhere I worked in my whole career, people would say, “Are you really Johnny Cash’s brother?” Yes, I am, and I’m really proud of everything he’s accomplished. He’s done things that most of us only dream of. I realize what an icon he is. When I played “Six White Horses” for him right after the session, he said, “That’s going to be a number one record for you. You’re on your way.” “On my way where?” “That record is going to change your life.” And it did.
I was on Epic for about six years, and then–as they say in the music business–they didn’t renew my contract. I signed with another label and had several chart records. Larry Butler produced a hit for me that was almost a big hit, called “I Recall a Gypsy Woman.” Larry wasn’t able to get a budget to cut an album on me, but I had several albums.
I was with Hank Williams Jr. when he was writing and recording “Standing in the Shadows.” I toured with Hank Jr. for two or three years when I first got into the business. When he recorded “Standing in the Shadows,” he was gone. I mean, he was on his way. He was not only doing his daddy’s songs, that song really opened a lot of doors for him. We played poker on his bus all the time, and he was quite a poker player, and we had a lot of fun.
I’m writing a book. For some reason, with all that’s gone on the past year or so, I kinda turned it over, but I’m gonna finish it sometime this year. It’s going to be pictures with stories about the family and of course my brother John. It’s just going to be a little bit of everything. I talk about being a basketball star when I was in high school. You didn’t have to be 6’5″ or real tall back then. I’m 5′ 10″ but I was a great basketball player. I made all-state in Arkansas and Tennessee, and I was on a state championship team in Dyess, Arkansas. Johnny bought Mother and Daddy a house and wanted to move us to Memphis. I didn’t want to go. I wanted to stay with my basketball team that I’d won the state championship with. But Mom and Daddy said if we’re going to Memphis, and we are going, you’re going to have to go with us. I said I’ll try. I went to Memphis and enrolled at Memphis Treadwell. Of course, right away I made friends, and the basketball coach made me feel welcome. There were 352 in my graduating class. Dyess was only about 25 or 30.
I’ll be 75 in April this year, April 5th, it’s on Easter Sunday. As long as I can stay healthy and full of energy and enjoy myself on the road, and do a good show for the people who pay to see me, then I’ll continue to do it. When the time comes that I can’t do that, and I can’t give a good show, then I’ll retire.
NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME – 2024 – FIRST HALF
The 2024 class of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame will be formally inducted during the Hall’s 54th anniversary gala on Wednesday, November 6, at the Music City Center in Nashville. This year’s class of five will join the 241 previously inducted members. The sixth member will be inducted in the class of 2025. That is Brad Paisley, who was chosen in the contemporary songwriter/artist category but is unable to attend this year’s ceremony due to a scheduling conflict. The two winners in the contemporary songwriter category are listed below. I will present the veteran songwriters in my next newsletter. Breaking news: There will be a sixth member inducted this year. Tony Joe White has been announced for the Legacy award.
Al Anderson, born Alan Gordon Anderson in Connecticut in 1947, was raised by his piano teacher mother and listened to WWVA radio in Wheeling, West Virginia, late at night. From 1971-1993 he was lead guitarist in the Rock band NRBQ—and recognized as one of the top 100 guitar players of the 20th Century by Musician magazine. “Big Al” shifted his focus to country music, and Carlene Carter took their co-written “Every Little Thing” to #3 in 1993. Other hits that Al wrote or cowrote include “Should’ve Asked Her Faster” by Ty England, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” by The Mavericks, “Unbelievable” by Diamond Rio, “Powerful Thing” by Trisha Yearwood, “Big Deal” by LeAnn Rimes, “The Cowboy In Me” by Tim McGraw, “Trip Around The Sun” by Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride, “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” by George Strait, and “Loving You Easy” by The Zac Brown Band. He was named BMI’s 2000 Country Songwriter of the Year and has also had songs recorded by Vince Gill, Bonnie Raitt, Patty Loveless, George Jones, and Sheryl Crow. He is 77 years old, and I couldn’t find a website for him.
Liz Rose, born Elisabeth Wagner in Dallas in 1957, was raised in Irving, Texas. She moved with her songwriter husband to Nashville, where she found work as a song plugger and began writing songs at age 37. Her first Top 20 single was “Songs About Rain,” recorded by Gary Allan. Liz began cowriting with newcomer Taylor Swift, who had debut hits with their “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops On My Guitar.” They have collaborated on almost 20 Swift cuts, including “You Belong With Me,” “White Horse,” and “All Too Well.” Other hits from Liz’s catalog include “Burn It Down” by Parker McCollum, “It All Comes Out In The Wash” by Miranda Lambert, “Crazy Girl” by Eli Young Band, and “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town. Liz was inducted last year into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York. She has a website and is 67 years old.