Johnny Cash: The Life (71 page)

My journey on the book began in early 2009, soon after Lou Robin’s reply to my question about how much of the Johnny Cash story had been told. Lou, who managed Cash for more than a quarter century, said, “Only about twenty percent.” True enough. During nearly four years of research and writing, I found that John’s life was more far complex than I had imagined, and some of the more troubling discoveries caused me to question just how much the public needs to know about an artist. In those moments, I ultimately relied on Cash’s own words. Time and again he said he wanted people to know his entire story—especially the dark, guilt-ridden, hopeless moments—because he believed in redemption and he wanted others to realize that they too could be redeemed regardless of how badly they had stumbled. This full disclosure was a goal that John didn’t always live up to in his own autobiographies because, he said, he didn’t want to hurt those close to him. But he wanted, without reserve, the complete story to come out eventually.

Because it was the music that drew us all to Johnny Cash, my primary focus in this book is on his artistry, initially the question of how someone from a cotton patch in Arkansas could develop such a deep sense of compassion and purpose in his music. But in time the exploration expanded to reflect on how hard he had to struggle to maintain his artistry amid a torrent of personal problems and career pressures.

The first I want to thank are John’s children—John Carter Cash, Rosanne Cash, Kathy Cash, Cindy Cash, and Tara Cash, as well as June’s daughter Carlene Carter. Though concerns were sometimes expressed when uncomfortable topics came up, the consensus was that they, too, felt the full story should be told. As well as sitting down for repeated interviews, John Carter, Rosanne, Kathy, Cindy, and Carlene patiently answered e-mails that numbered in the hundreds. Rosanne provided particularly invaluable counsel. I was in touch with Tara only via e-mail, but she too was wonderfully supportive. Other Cash relatives who contributed to this portrait were Lorrie Bennett, Joanne Cash Yates, Roy Cash Jr., Damon Fielder, Tommy Cash, and Kelly Hancock. Thanks also to Cathy Sullivan and Terri Dunn for graciously allowing the use of various Cash documents. And Shari Wied of Hal Leonard Corporation.

There is another layer of people who gave so generously of their time out of love and respect for Cash that I think of them as part of his extended family. Chief among them, Johnny Western, Kris and Lisa Kristofferson, David Ferguson, Bill Miller, James Keach, Don and Harold Reid, Marty Stuart, Larry Gatlin, and Kti Jensen.

Lou Robin was instrumental throughout, not only sharing hundreds of pages of documents outlining Cash’s years on the road, but also putting me in contact with key players. He and his wife, Karen, were always ready to talk about their years with John and June. It must have been a sometimes difficult role for Lou, because one of his chief duties for years was protecting Cash’s image; but he recognized the importance of telling all of John’s story so that we might better understand the man and his art—both what Cash overcame and what he accomplished.

For contributing insights and experiences and/or helpful letters and other documents, I am also grateful to Brian Ahern, Gene Beley, Rick Blackburn, Bono, James and Louise Burton, Larry Butler, Geoffrey Cannon, Jack Clement, Larry Collins, Lorrie Collins, Jessi Colter, Tom Cording, Jonathan Cott, Clive Davis, Steve Earle, Robert Elfstrom, Ralph Emery, Colin Escott, Sylvia Flye, Dr. Billy Graham, Marshall Grant, Peter Guralnick, Merle Haggard, Tom T. and Dixie Hall, Vicky Hamilton, A. J. Henson, Everett Henson, Jonathan Holiff, W. S. Holland, Billie Jean Horton, Jan Howard, J. E. Huff, Bob Johnston, Rich Kienz, Peter Lewry, Bob Mahaffey and other Air Force buddies, James Mangold, Mac McBride, David McGee, Edwin “Rip” Nix, Robert K. Oermann, Tom Petty, Larry Porter, Chuck Riley, Mark Romanek, John Singleton, Reverend Jimmie Snow, Robert Sullivan, Jimmy Tittle, Kevin Weatherly, Richard Weize, Johnny Wessler, and Dr. Nat Winston. I’d also like to thank those who helped provide access to key interview subjects and materials: Heidi-Ellen Robinson, Paul McGuinness, Larry Jenkins, Tony Dimitriades, Jim Guerinot, Jeff Rosen, Tresa Redburn, Maria-Elena Orbea, Cindy Hively, and Renee White. Also, thanks to the research staffs at public libraries in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; West Helena, Arkansas; Los Angeles and Ventura, California; and London, England. Also, Nashville Local 257 of the American Federation of Musicians. In addition, I am forever grateful for the encouragement and friendship of all my colleagues over the years at the
Los Angeles Times,
from Charles Champlin to Dean Baquet, but particularly Bret Israel and Donna Frazier Glynn, who were consistent supporters throughout the writing of the book.

Let me also thank my agent, Luke Janklow, who brings an overriding sense of passion and imagination to every aspect of developing, selling, and protecting a writer’s idea. Little, Brown and Company is an author’s dream. I am indebted foremost to John Parsley, my editor, for his belief in the project and his steady, reassuring nurturing of it, from the initial outline to the finished manuscript. My gratitude also extends to Michael Pietsch, Reagan Arthur, Malin von-Euler Hogan, Elizabeth Garriga, Peggy Freudenthal, Marian Parker, Amanda Brown, and Amanda Lang. Finally, Chris Nolan and Amanda Heller.

My deepest appreciation to Rick Rubin, who cares so profoundly about Johnny Cash that he not only agreed to spend dozens of hours recounting the American Recordings years, but also read parts of the manuscript for accuracy and to trigger his recollection of additional details.

I am also indebted to the person who accompanied me every step of the way. Mark Stielper evolved from a boyhood fan of John and June into a confidant and, eventually, the family historian. He is working on his own book, an imaginative work built around Cash’s TV show—a project that made the countless hours he spent answering my questions all the more generous. There were times when he told me things that he has been saving for years, and I appreciate his trust and friendship. We didn’t always interpret events in the Cashes’ lives the same way, but Mark kept me focused on telling John’s real story rather than simply the accepted “fairy tale,” as he often put it.

Next, let me thank my immediate family. The list stretches from my parents, Alice Marie and John, through my first wife, Ruthann Snijders, and her husband, Dutch, on to our children, Kathy Morris and Rob Hilburn, our son-in-law Ronald Morris and daughter-in-law Sarah Coley-Hilburn, and to our four grandchildren, Christopher Morris and Lindsey Morris, Genevieve Hilburn and Grant Hilburn.

I am also blessed by the way my wife, Kathi, has shown the same affection to all of my family that she has given to her own children, Keith Bond and Kate Bond. Kathi read every stage of the manuscript, not only correcting errors but asking questions that made the book better.