Derek and the Domino's on the Johnny Cash Show (1971)

The Johnny Cash Show was just a blip on the radar screen of one of country music’s all-time greatest stars. And just like with everything else, his selection of entertainment was a fascinating variety of musical genres from which his own brand of music had emerged.

One night he had Louis Armstrong on and they recreated the original July 1925 session of what is considered to be the first country record ever made. In the video he recounts the story of that recording and then plays the song “Blue Yodel” with Johnny Cash accompanying him on guitar. It’s almost as good as the original recording. Here’s a link to that one;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsUtKgzInI4

And when it came time to recognizing the revitalization the “English Invasion” had brought to the American music scene, he was no less grand in his acknowledgment to those artists. In the video above he hosts Derek and the Domino’s for a great set.

Johnny Cash was kind of an enigma. He was anti- war during the Vietnam War at a time when “Stand By Your Man” and Okie from Moskogie” were like national anthems in that part of the country. (Yes, he was ant-war; you can read about in his autobiography, he tells it better than I do.) But at the same time he did the USO shows to entertain the troops, paying his own way on several occasions.

The next thing you knew he was doing a film about Jesus called “The Gospel Road”, and in his final years he was busy with producer Rick Rubin, re-interpreting some of the music of the younger generation such as Smashing Pumpkins and even U-2. His version of “One” is still my favorite.

If you have a favorite group, then chances are they were on the Johnny Cash Show. Just hit you tube find out.

George Jones - The Johnny Cash Show (1971)

I used to look forward to Wednesday nights just to catch a bit of Johnny Cash on his show, taped at the Grand Ole Opry, as well as hear the other guests. In this segment from April 15, 1970 George Jones does a short set consisting of “White Lightnin’” with Johnny Cash, and then goes on to do a medley of his own with “She Thinks I Still Care”, “The Love Bug”, “The Race is On” and then, curiously, back to “The Love Bug” as a finish. All in 4 minutes! He is backed by a group whom Johnny refers to as “The Jones Boys”, but I’m not sure who they are. Looking it up might spoil the memory so I’ll let it be.

The Johnny Cash Show lasted barely 2 seasons. It didn’t have the commercial appeal in the big city market, and that’s a shame, as the groups and other artists featured on this show went on th influence; and in some cases already had; the bands of the 1970’s and even today when you go hear groups like Phish doing George Jones songs. And the shows were really great TV themselves.

On this typical night, Johnny featured Judy Collins and Bobby Goldsboro as his main guests along with George Jones. He performed with each artist and then, as was his habit on the show, left the stage to them. He also performed regularly with June Carter Cash doing duets and also reciting poetry. On this particular night Johnny read an anti-drug poem. This was brave stuff to do if you were trying to make it on TV in 1970, when pop was king, along with all the “special” effects that went into making most music.

I really miss the old variety shows. There was something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Anyone my age will remember Sunday nights watching Ed Sullivan with their family. It was like a ritual. And there seems to have been a different show for each night. Red Skelton, Dean Martin, the list goes on and on. It’s lucky for me that they are all preserved on You Tube.  

Blue Yodel #9 - In Black and White

Back in the early 1970's Johnny Cash had the most unusual variety show on television. Each week, like Ed Sullivan did on his show, he featured a popular musical act, or musician; but with one major difference; Johnny Cash was a musician and songwriter himself, and so he managed to get out there with his guest stars and perform with them. It was quite a treat for the viewer, and I suspect, for Johnny Cash as well.

This performance of Jimmie Rodgers "Blue Yodel #9" is really unusual at first glance, but when you look a bit further into the history of country music and blues, it's really not.

Here's an audio link of the original July 16th, 1930 session which Mr. Armstrong refers to in his conversation with Johnny Cash;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7rfq25JDJg