Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s marriage often garnered media attention because they were among the biggest country music stars of the 1960s and 70s. According to a report by People Magazine, on February 22, 1968, Johnny Cash publicly proposed to June while the couple was performing together onstage in Canada.
Per The Guardian, June Carter Cash was born into a family with a rich musical background in 1929 in Maces Spring, Virginia. Initially, the family had a musical act involving June’s mother, Maybelle, her friend Sarah, and Sarah’s husband, who contributed to the initial country music recordings. After her mother’s act broke up, June went on to play the autoharp and sing comical numbers. She subsequently joined her mother and sisters, Helen and Anita, to form Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters.
The New York Times reported that June also came to be known for her comic timing and a character she played named Aunt Polly. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” was one of the musical act’s hit songs, and the group became regulars at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. It was during one of their shows there that June met Johnny Cash. She also met her first husband, Carl Smith, there.
In recent decades, the 2005 film Walk the Line, starring Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix, featured June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash’s love story. Witherspoon also won an Oscar for her performance as June in the film.
When did Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash first meet? A timeline of their relationship
June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash reportedly met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. They were both married to other people at that time. However, they then felt a connection with each other and began touring together after that.
After getting engaged in February 1968, the couple tied the knot on March 1 in Franklin, Kentucky. Before marrying Johnny, June Carter Cash had two children from her previous two marriages. Johnny was also married once before and had four children from his previous marriage. The couple then had a son in 1970 and named him John. However, The Guardian reported that Johnny Cash struggled with addiction, which affected their marital life. He subsequently went to rehab and got better.
“Jackson” and “If I Were a Carpenter” are among the most popular songs that Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash performed together on stage. The songs eventually went on to win Grammys in 1967 and 1970, respectively. Meanwhile, June Carter Cash‘s performance in the 1997 film The Apostle brought her much critical acclaim. In 1999, June’s acoustic album Press On marked another milestone event in her career.
The couple remained married for 35 years until June died of complications from heart surgery in May 2003. She was 73 when she died, CBS News reported. The same year, on September 12, her husband also died at the age of 71.
A recent documentary titled June was released on Paramount+. It follows the life and career of June Carter Cash and her relationship with Johnny Cash. The documentary was released in January 2024 and is currently streaming on the platform.
