Country Music’s Original Lover Girl
Many people only know June Carter by way of her famous husband, classic country superstar, Johnny Cash. But this look at her tumultuous life is proof that even the most famous love stories come with misery.
1. She Started Early
Born in Virginia in 1929, Carter’s family life already revolved around music when she came into the picture. Her mom, aunt, and uncle sang in a band called the Carter Family. By 10 years old, Carter became a regular singer with the band—but her career didn’t start to form until her mother made an unusual decision.
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2. She Was A Maverick
When the Carter Family’s run ended, Carter’s mom moved forward with a band made up of herself and her daughters. At the time, her actions appeared very bold—women didn’t go into business for themselves, especially in country music. But she did it anyway, and with that came Carter’s shining moment, though probably not like she expected.
3. She Wasn’t The Best
Though June Carter eventually became famous for her singing, things didn’t start out that way. In truth, she couldn’t compete with her sisters’ voices in the early days. Instead, she had to find her own way to shine, with a part comedy, part singing act. The group soon landed a recurring show at one of country music’s biggest stages, the Grand Ole Opry. That’s when things really changed.
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4. She Found Her Place
Though not wildly famous, Carter and the family band became a staple of the country music of the era. By the early 1950s, Carter started to build a bit of a solo career. She had success with songs like “Jukebox Blues” and “No Swallerin' Place”. Unfortunately, just as she started to get her footing, her first bout with “love” came along to derail her.
5. She Met The Perfect Man... Or So It Seemed
Carter met country singer Carl Smith at the Opry in the early 1950s. As you might imagine, the two made quite a pair, reportedly becoming a country “it” couple right away. The two married in 1952, and continued their career together, singing duets and appearing as the perfect couple. But things behind the scenes looked much different.
6. They Fell Apart
According to their first (and only) daughter, the two didn’t spend much time together at home. Reportedly, Smith imagined a more traditional marriage, where his new wife focused on homemaking. Carter saw things differently though, and hoped to continue her career. Considering Smith’s final assessment of things, perhaps Carter wanted the career more all along.
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7. She Loved The Idea Of Him
In his own estimation of the relationship, Smith told his daughter, ”Your mama never loved me…she loved the idea of me”. Either way, things came to an end after only four years of marriage. And when it did, their many adoring fans didn’t take it too well.
8. She Let Them Down
For the very religious and traditional country music community of that time, Carter and Smith's divorce turned into quite the scandal. Even so, neither her fans’ disappointment nor the tragedy of the broken relationship kept Carter off the stage. Perhaps one very famous friend who she and her family worked with around that time helped ease the pain…
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9. She Worked With the King
During the 1950s, the Carters continued their work as a family group, and began touring with Elvis Presley. They became close friends, and Presley reportedly helped comfort Carter and care for her daughter during the divorce. But knowing the reputation of the "King of Rock and Roll," it’s possible something much less innocent took place.
10. She Had Her Chance
According to Carter, her relationship with Presley never crossed into more romantic territory. But by her own daughter’s report, she always got a bit sheepish when asked about their relationship. Neither ever confirmed a romantic liaison. But perhaps that had more to do with someone Presley greatly admired than the actual truth.
11. It Was Fate
June Carter first met Johnny Cash in 1956, the year she divorced Smith. The two already knew of each other. Cash listened to the Carter Family regularly, and Presley adored Cash’s music and loved to talk about him. Even with all that background, though, Carter only remembered one thing from that first meeting.
12. She Fell Hard
Carter never admitted it, but you can be the judge of whether or not she fell in love at first sight. She and Cash spoke briefly at their first meeting, recalling the things they already knew about each other. But after the fact, Carter said she only remembered “those black eyes that shone like agates”. That being said, her next move was downright shocking.
13. She Got Hitched
Carter married police officer Edwin “Rip” Nix in 1957. There’s not much detail surrounding their courtship, other than its brevity. They dated for only one year before actually tying the knot. But another major career change probably played a far bigger role in their overshadowed love story.
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14. She Chose Him
By the early 1960s, Carter boasted a pretty well-known name in the country world. As such, she received a special invitation in 1961 for a regular singing gig on a variety show. However, around that same time, Cash offered her the chance to tour with him for a payment of $500 a week. You get one guess on what she chose.
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15. Things Got Complicated
If you didn’t forget about the “agate” eyes, it's no surprise that Carter chose to tour with Cash over the variety show. Things started getting sticky right away. Despite Cash’s marriage to his own first wife, and Carter’s marriage to Nix, the two grew very close as they toured together. Carter still put up the very best fight she could. Supposedly.
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16. She Tried To Run
Later on in life, Carter recalled trying to distance herself while working with Cash: “I didn’t want to fall in love with him, didn’t mean to fall in love with him. Was scared to death of him. So I did a lot of just running and trying to sit in the corner by myself, because I wouldn’t even admit it to myself for a long time. I didn’t want to hurt anybody.”
She seemingly refused to admit her feelings for him even to herself. That’s understandable, considering her already spotty marriage record. But when Cash needed her most, she couldn’t stop herself.
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17. He Was A Bad Boy
While his music rocketed him to superstar status, Cash struggled with his own vices behind the scenes. He married Vivian Liberto in 1954, but he cheated on her multiple times. Even worse than his crumbling relationship though, Cash grappled with an addiction to drinking and substance use. It leaked into every part of his life.
18. He Fell Apart
While touring with Carter, Cash seemed to reach a peak in his dangerous habits. Things got so bad that he even canceled concerts while simply failing to show up at others. He also started getting in trouble with the law. This situation seemingly drew Carter to Cash even more. And if you’re wondering why, a quick walk down memory lane might explain her obsession.
19. She Was Just Like Him
While she managed to keep this detail on the low for most of her career, Carter experienced her own issues with substances. It started back in the 1950s, when another famous country singer, Patsy Cline, got her into amphetamines. She allegedly struggled with using it for the rest of her life. Even so, she somehow became essential in Cash's decision to finally change his ways.
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20. She Was His Angel
In one of his books, Cash remembered the moment he committed to stop using. He claimed he entered a cave in Tennessee, hoping he’d die. Instead, he felt like God saved him there. When he left the cave, he found Carter and his mother waiting for him. Later reports say it likely didn’t happen that way—but Carter definitely refused to let Cash go down without a fight.
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21. She Committed
Carter fully committed to saving Cash from himself. While they toured, she took it upon herself to literally search for his pills, throwing them all away once she found them. She stayed close to him, even encouraging her daughters to pray for him. And a few years into working with him, she found a roundabout way of confessing her true feelings.
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22. She Let It Out
In the early 1960s, Carter co-wrote the song “Ring of Fire”. In the song, she calls love a “burning thing” and compares the act of falling in love to falling into a literal ring of fire. She didn’t fess up until years later, but she did ultimately admit to writing the song about falling for Cash. There is, though, at least one other version of that story.
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23. She Didn’t Believe It
According to Cash’s first wife, Cash said he wrote the song, and only let Carter have the credit to help her with money. There’s really no evidence to that effect. Furthermore, if I were Cash I’d make up that story to get my wife off my back about the woman I love. But anyway. “Ring of Fire” turned into much more than anyone expected.
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24. They Hit It Big
Though Carter's sister Anita tried releasing the song first, Cash eventually went on to release the fiery love ballad himself. The Carter Family sang background, and Carter got her writing credit along with Merle Kilgore. The song blazed up to number one on the charts, and continues to be a classic country staple. But the most notable fire burned between Cash and Carter.
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25. She Couldn’t Do It
In 1966, Cash’s wife finally filed for divorce. She credited his risky lifestyle, as well as his repeated unfaithfulness as her reason for finally ending the marriage. She also noted his close relationship with Carter as one of her reasons. How close did they actually get before the divorce? Perhaps the timing of Carter’s own divorce can provide an explanation.
26. She Broke Things Off
Carter and her second husband also divorced in 1966. The details surrounding the decision are scarce, but at this point it seems obvious. Granted, some reports do claim Carter kept her divorce from Cash and the band for about three months. So perhaps it’s not as shady as it looks. Either way, it didn’t take too long for them to make things official.
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27. He Did It Big
In 1968, Cash performed at a packed concert hall in London, Ontario. He popped the question in front of thousands of fans, and Carter said yes. They married just a few weeks after that, and they lived happily ever after. Kidding, obviously. Let’s just say Shakespeare got it right when he wrote, “The course of true love never did run smooth”.
28. They Brought Their Baggage
Neither Cash nor Carter came into the marriage without their issues. Though in recovery, Cash still dealt with the repercussions of his substance issues. Even more than that, he brought in four daughters from his previous marriage. Add in Carter’s reputation of two failed marriages and her own two daughters, and it seemed a recipe for disaster.
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29. They Didn’t Like Her
Her new stepdaughters did everything but welcome her with open arms. Carter’s own daughters looked forward to having more sisters, but Cash’s children shunned their new stepmother in the beginning. They accepted her after a while, especially as they welcomed a new baby brother. But that didn’t even turn out to be their biggest challenge.
30. Fame Took Its Toll
As if dealing with their complicated pasts and family didn’t make things hard enough, the new couple also faced life as a high-profile celebrity couple. Their marriage likely became fodder for gossip, exerting even more pressure on an already difficult situation. But things got even worse when an old enemy came back to haunt them.
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31. He Relapsed
Just a little over a decade into their marriage, Cash started using heavily once again. Varied reports suggest Carter continued to use herself, but it seems her struggle didn’t stack up against Cash’s. Their children remember them arguing daily. Things got so bad, that Carted ultimately felt she couldn’t go on anymore.
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32. Love Wasn’t Enough
Despite their long love story and dedication to each other, Johnny Cash's issues drove a wedge between the two singers. Friends recall her blatantly saying that she loved him deeply, but might still leave him if things didn’t change. Things eventually did change, though it took one horrifying incident to inspire Cash to get better.
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33. She Almost Lost Him
During one substance-induced haze, Cash reportedly nearly lost his life when he unexpectedly stopped breathing. That scare, along with an intervention his family staged, reportedly pushed him to go to rehab. Cash finished his time and kicked the habit, returning to his family sober. And despite the dark days, they still enjoyed many stunning successes.
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34. They Made Hits
Throughout their time together (both before and after their marriage), Carter and Cash made several songs together. They also performed memorable duets like “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “Jackson”. Carter went on to perform regularly on his variety show. Perhaps they did all their work out of love for one another. But luckily for them, their success didn’t stay between them.
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35. The People Loved Them
All scandals aside, country fans adored the music they made. Their music regularly topped country charts, and they won two Grammy Awards together over the span of their joint career. They grew in both fame and wealth, and when they seemed to get their fill of making money, they made a point of giving back.
36. They Gave Freely
Carter and her husband donated regularly to SOS Children’s Villages, an organization centered on helping children. Even before that, though, they gave money to help orphans in Jamaica near the home they owned there. All things considered, their life seemed like a happy one. But things didn’t always feel that way for Carter.
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37. He Overshadowed Her
Carter worked in music long before she met Cash—and though she never achieved the fame he did, she gave her own notable contribution to country music. But, as some critics note, she ended up living her life in the shadow of her iconic hubby. Considering her love for him, maybe that didn't bother her. Or maybe she held onto the parts of her that didn’t concern him.
38. She Did Her Own Thing
Back in the late 1950s, Carter tried her hand at a very different art form—acting. On the advice of a director who saw her perform her musical comedy bit, she took some classes to sharpen her acting skills. She didn’t end up acting much, but luckily for her, she did just enough. When the right opportunity came along, she was ready.
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39. She Took Center Stage
In 1997, she landed her most memorable film role in The Apostle. She worked with award-winning actor, Robert Duvall, whom she greatly admired. Though she didn’t boast a long line of credits, friends said she held this particular opportunity close to her heart. But even so, she never strayed too far from her first love: music.
40. She Never Gave Up On Herself
Overall, Carter’s career with her third husband is much more well-known than her solo career. But she never stopped making music. She released a total of three solo albums, including one that her son released after her passing. And though Cash did perform on her final two albums, she ultimately received recognition for her own work.
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41. They Honored Her
Carter won a total of three Grammys for her solo albums, bringing her count to an impressive five spanning her entire career. In 2003, Country Music TV listed her as one of the “40 Greatest Women of Country Music”. Her daughters remembered her working and creating music right to the very end, which came in a most unexpected manner.
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42. She Didn’t Want To
Seemingly against everything within her, sickness finally forced Carter to slow down when doctors diagnosed her with a leaky heart valve in 2003. They insisted she needed surgery to survive. She accepted their prognosis and prepped for surgery just weeks after the diagnosis. Tragically, something went terribly wrong.
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43. She Didn’t Make It
Reports claim that some unexpected complications came up during her surgery. She didn’t last very long after it, passing on May 15, 2003. Her family, friends, and fans all mourned her passing, saying their final goodbyes at a public funeral. Considering what happened next, anyone who doubted her and Cash’s love story had to eat their words.
44. He Struggled
Their children remember Cash’s struggle to handle his grief at Carter’s funeral. Through all their ups and downs, Carter never truly left him. He himself realized his own favor, and called her “the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence”. Unfortunately, judging by his own passing, he hit that a little too squarely on the nose.
45. He Couldn’t Live Without Her
Just four months after Carter passed, Cash followed. Technically, issues with his diabetes ultimately brought an end to his life. But if you ask me, it's a classic case of a broken heart. Without the love of his life with him Cash likely just lost his own desire to keep pushing forward. Somehow, there was another tragedy just around the corner.
46. Her Daughter Followed Her To The Grave
A devastating blow hit Carter's remaining family in October 2003. Carter's daughter, Rosie Nix Adams, died on a bus in Montgomery County, along with the bluegrass musician Jimmy Campbell. The horrifying cause? Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Nix Adams was only 45 years old and came to rest near her mother and stepfather in the Hendersonville Memory Gardens.
However, the musical family's legacy lived on in more ways than one.
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47. They Caught It
All three of Carter’s biological children followed in her footsteps. Her first daughter, Carlene, earned Grammy nominations for her country. Her second, Rosie, performed with the Carters Family and on The Johnny Cash Show. Her final child and only one with Cash, John, enjoys a successful career as a musician and producer. But that wasn't all.
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48. Their Love Story Lived On
In 2005, a film based on the life and love of Carter and Cash, Walk the Line, debuted. The film itself did well. It succeeded at the box office, and critics gave the performances overwhelmingly positive reviews. It went on to earn a Golden Globe. Unfortunately, some of the people closest to the story didn’t like it quite that much.
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49. They Missed It
According to Cash’s oldest daughter Roseanne Cash the filmmakers missed the mark when it comes to an honest portrayal of her father and Carter. She felt the film focused on the negative aspects of his life, and didn’t portray either Cash or Carter realistically. Interestingly enough, though, her half-brother John felt quite differently about the whole thing.
50. He Got It
According to John, he felt that the film correctly portrayed the lives of Cash and Carter, considering that the filmmakers intended all along to focus on the affair between the two. Granted, John also worked as an executive producer on the film, so take that with a grain of salt. Either way, the critics couldn’t stop the fans of their story.
