Phone interview with Joanne Cash, singer and sister of Johnny Cash
April 12, 2007

We are all one breath away from standing before God. -Joanne Cash

With twenty-seven historic recordings under her belt, the acclaimed autobiography My Fears Are Gone, continuous concert appearances and lineage to one of music’s most famous families, Joanne Cash has countless tales to tell. But more than artistic accolades, her slew of collaborations with brother Johnny Cash and having spent several years working at the historic House of Cash hit making factory, the singer/songwriter extraordinaire is driven by a deeper sense of eternal purpose, despite times of trial and seasons of straying. “I’m amazed that at my age I still want to sing, but it’s like therapy for me,” she summarizes. “I’d say 2003 was one of the hardest years of my life since we lost four family members - our oldest sister Louise, June, Johnny and June’s daughter Rosie- but it’s like a prayer that lifts me up and it rests me when I’m tired. Johnny always helped me remember that and he was constantly encouraging. But there was one short phrase from Johnny that’s always stuck with me and it’s one I’ll continue for as long as I’m here: ‘Baby, just keep on singing!’”

On April 10, 2007, I got a media release explaining that Johnny Cash's home (as seen in "Walk the Line") in Hendersonville, TN had burned to the ground. The home is owned by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and was under renovation. My heart went out to their families as I knew this was one last tragedy in the Johnny Cash legacy. I knew the Cash family would be under a tremendous amount of stress and I was sure the media was talking to them 24/7 as I saw Joanne on Fox News and other programs.  Only 2 days after the tragedy I was able to get in contact with Joanne Cash and spend 40 minutes with her on the phone. Johnny Cash is truly one of my heroes, both musically and spiritually.  He is almost bigger than life and a true legend. I was so nervous about speaking to his sister.

Dennis: Hello?
Joanne: Is this Dennis?
Dennis: Yes it is.
Joanne: This is Joanne Cash. How you doin'?
Dennis: I am as nervous as a Jr. High boy waiting to call his girlfriend (laughs).
Joanne: (laughs) Well for goodness sake, you just calm down there. It's just me.
Dennis: I am just such a big fan and I know you are so busy with the events the last couple of days.
Joanne: Things happen in all our lives and with the Lord we get past them.
Dennis: Our website mainly deals with harder styles of music.
Joanne: And here I am country gospel (laughs).
Dennis: You, your brother and family have had such an impact on millions of people even including metalheads and hard core music fans that visit my website.
Joanne: Well, we are all created by God and we have to be the witness that the Lord wants us to be in this life.  My goal is just to help the next one and pass it along.

Dennis: First thing I have to tell you I love your press photos on your website.  You look like a hard rocker and are the "woman in black."
Joanne: Well, maybe not a hard rocker but I'm just trying to stand on the rock of Christ Jesus.  He is everything to me. I believe the Lord spoke to me yesterday in regards to everything that has happened in our family, the deaths and now the terrible fire.  I was in prayer and I said, "Speak to me." It was as clear, you know when the Lord speaks to you, "Old things have passed away and behold all things become new." That was a real comfort and blessing to me.
Dennis: Yeah, I read in a statement you had been in prayer and were letting some things go and that an era is ending.
Joanne: Yes, an era has ended. Tommy and I are the only two left but the era of Johnny Cash is passing even though he left us this beautiful music. I really believe with all my heart, without a doubt, that Johnny would say 'get on with life, serve the Lord with all your heart and be the witness that the Lord wants you can be.'  That is the era that has passed and the new beginning that Johnny and the Lord would have us do. I told someone yesterday, I think it was Fox News, I said 'we are gonna keep on singing.' Johnny told me that so many times, 'baby, just keep on singing.' That's what I'm gonna keep on doing. It is like a bitter sweet and my prayers go out to the Barry Gibb's family.

Dennis: I think part of the reason I was so nervous is a couple of your songs on your latest album brought tears to my eyes. One of the reasons is because of a tattoo I have of my son's handprint.
Joanne: You can't get anymore precious than that.
Dennis: Well, he was stillborn at 38 weeks. I'm going to try and let let the tears start when I ask this.
Joanne: Oh no, I am so sorry.  You go right ahead and ask me.
Dennis: I have a reference under his handprint from 2 Samuel 12:23 where David mourned over the death of his son and he realized it was time to move on because he knew his son was in heaven. Your songs, "Meet Me in Heaven" and "Glory Glory", there is such a calmness in your voice in those difficult songs. What words of encouragement do you give to those that have dealt with death through tragedy like Jack or through the natural process of life with Johnny?
Joanne: Well, every life has a purpose and there is a reason for the length of that life.  I don't have the answer that why an infant has to go to heaven so quick without experiencing this life. But, as in the case of your precious little one that just touched this earth and then left again. God had a reason for that.  There is a plan and a reason for everything that happens in this life. God is completely in charge whether someone wants to acknowledge that or not. He is the giver of life, He is the taker of life.  He ordains who we are, what we are and what we do.  It is up to us to follow Him. There was a 16 yr old girl in our church that passed away and people were crying out why. Everyone's life has a reason. We are all one breath away from standing before God. And one day, one by one or all together we are going to leave this place and the life that we lead here determines where our eternity is spent. I have had my tears, I have had my crying out to God alone in my home and I have had my questions. But like a loving Father he just let me yell.  The best thing that someone can do when saying goodbye to a loved one is, my goodness, don't keep it in. Just get it out to God. If you need to get alone, just get it out and that is what I'm doing now. Tomorrow I am going out on the lake tomorrow with a friend for closure.  I will view and say goodbye to Johnny's home and everything.  It won't be easy for me but it is a process. It is a necessary thing and if we hold it in it will do nothing but cause physical and spiritual problems.
Dennis: Yeah, kind of what you are saying happened with us last week. We have kept our son's room finished and we decided, kind of like you are saying that it isn't healthy for us to hold on. We have a daughter that will be here in 6 weeks and we have to get her room ready and..
Joanne: Yes you do.
Dennis: We painted Hunter's room and covered up everything.  We packed his room up and now have a cute little room for Isabella to get here.
Joanne: That is a beautiful name.

Dennis: With more than 27 historic albums under your belt, you have just released in February an amazing album full of classic hymns and some of your own simply titled, Gospel.” With more than 40 years in the music industry what keeps driving you forward to put out more music?
Joanne: The fact that Jesus is coming soon and that I can stand before Him and say with all my heart that I did everything I could to serve Him and be everything that He wanted me to be. I truly believe that the coming of the Lord is very near. The songs I selected for this cd, each song has a deep and special meaning to me. "Meet Me in Heaven" was written by Johnny and one of the last songs that we sang to June on the day she passed away. Johnny, me, Tommy and everyone gathered around her bed and sang. Johnny wrote that song and called me over to listen to it and I cried all the way through it. I told him that was one of the prettiest songs he had ever sung. "Softly and Tenderly" and "Lower Lights" were two songs that Johnny had selected to record wit me because we grew up on those two songs in the cotton fields in Arkansas.  That is where I first remember singing. Singing seems to help troubled soul and it got us through those hot summers. My favorite on the cd is a song that Johnny wrote in Jerusalem, "When He Comes."  He sang that with June on the Billy Graham program a few times and then recorded it with me. It has been the best song I have ever read and it is like are you ready when He comes, that is the bottom line. All the songs are so special and the song "Glory Glory" is about my brother Jack that passed away through a terrible accident.  I'm just so proud of this project.

Dennis: Much of your life as a little girl are brought to life on your latest album. If you close your eyes and think back to when you were a little girl and all your family was together in Dyess, AR, what vision comes to mind?
Joanne: Those hot cotton fields (laughs). But also, let me tell you, in the evening when the day was gone and after super.  Momma would cook things that she grew in the garden. We would gather around momma's upright piano and we would sing those old gospel songs until Daddy would say, 'Time to go to bed and get ready to get up and sun up.' Daddy sang bass, momma sand tenor and the rest really did join in there. (laughs) It is precious memories that a building burning up can't take away.

Dennis: On your latest album, you have three tracks with your brother on them and two songs that you sing together. There is such an amazing bond between you and your brother and it is heard in those tracks.  What was it like recording those tracks with him knowing it may be your last time to do so or did that ever even cross your mind?
Joanne: Well the last two tracks we did at Johnny's studio right across the road from his house. John Carter, my nephew/Johnny's son, was the engineer on that. I had my band come in which is our church band and professional studio musicians that love the Lord. So we had the guys set up and I asked them if they were ready cause Johnny was about to come in. Of course they love Johnny as much as we do and Johnny came in and put everyone at ease and said, 'Hello boys, are we ready to roll.' Johnny picked up his guitar and was just kind of playing and meditating. I asked him what song he wanted to do first. He said, 'well, lets do "Lower Lights." He started telling me this story, 'did you know , do you remember when daddy was about to pass away..' and he said what is on the recording.  I asked if he could say it all again and he asked why and I told him I wanted to record it.  He said, 'okay baby, I'll say it again.' We sang the song without even a rehearsal and he said 'ok I'll sing this one and you sing that one.' (laughs) The last one was "Softly and Tenderly" and I can't say that I knew that would be the last one but I can tell you that the Holy Spirit filled that studio and everyone was crying. The keyboard player started and he said, "ok boys here is what I want' and he picked up his guitar and he started playing what you hear on the recording. Johnny looked at me and squeezed my hand as we sang that last song together.  I can look back now and see the Lord was trying to show me and I guess I didn't want to admit that would be the last one.  But you know what, Jesus is still calling and Johnny said, 'this is a good one to end with.' I don't know if he knew but that was it.

Dennis: As a young girl you gave your life to Jesus and then like many of us including your brother turned to drugs and other types of addictions. Reading your story and reading and seeing Johnnies, there are many common comparisons within your lives. Most of our readers are in their teens to their thirties.  What is your advice to them to keep from making the mistakes you made?
Joanne: With most teens today it is with peer pressure. In my life when I got on drugs and was messed up so bad, I had gone threw a divorce and was trying to raise three kids on my own. I was devastated in all types of ways.  The drugs, as a trick of the devil, made me feel better temporarily. With Johnny it was the physical body that couldn't handle the stress of night by night concerts in different cities.  Your body can't handle that and your body will be rebel. That's what happens to so many. My advice to anybody reading this is, look the Lord. He really does free you from that.  I was totally set free in 1970 from drugs and alcohol and even the desire of it.  I haven't had any sense. It is a crazy world that we live in and without the Lord you will turn to those things and with the Lord He will help you through it and that is the bottom line.
Dennis: Yeah, I can't imagine going through this life without Jesus.  I mean when we lost Hunter it was devastating.
Joanne: Johnny's children were devastated by the fire, it was one more thing for them. They have been through so much over the past several years.  But you know what, we are going to get past this. I can here Johnny so plain sometime saying, 'Baby, come on lets go, just keep on singing.' He always called me baby and always wanted to sing or talk about the Lord. Johnny never concentrated on the negative very long, he would probably have said something funny even about the home burning like 'hey, lets go get some marshmallows.' (laughs)

Dennis: I know that you and your husband started and are still with the Cowboy Church in Nashville. It sounds like you and your husband found a need in your area and became relevant and did something. With all the negative stereotypes that many people have about Christians and so much of the close mindedness within some churches, how can Christians be more relevant in the world today?
Joanne: Well, without a witness in the world, then who has a chance.  That is why you and I are still living. That is why the Christians in America has a job to do and we can't just sit in our homes and not be a witness.  That is why I sing gospel music and that is why you do the things you are doing.  We are spiritual doctors and our churches are spiritual hospitals. I truly believe the Lord is coming soon and music is a very strong tool and weapon for the Lord. Heaven is going to be filled with music and all of us have different ways of showing that in our styles and Johnny always called it 'the gift.' We have to use them.

Dennis: I know there must be a million people that tell you this, that Johnny Cash is truly one of my heroes and I know he has been for generations to millions of others. What is your fondest memory of your brother?
Joanne: Oh my gosh, there are so many. One of my fondest was when we were kids.  I was about 6 or 7 and we had to walk about a quarter of a mile to the bus stop from our farm house. When we came home that afternoon it was raining so hard the rain was going sideways. We had the walk that 1/4th of a mile and I told this at Johnny's funeral, I dont know where he got this umbrella to this day. But he said, 'baby you walk on down in front of me and I got this umbrella so you won't get wet.' Reba, Tommy and me were, Johnny was always tall, he held the umbrella over us and took all the rain that whole walk. That is the kind of person he was. I mean he was a typical boy and he would do stuff but when Jack died Johnny was just 12. He never got over that, we never got over that, no one does with a tragedy like that. But Johnny always had a tender heart and tender spirit just like the movie (Walk the Line) portrayed. I miss that tenderness.  Sometimes he would call and say 'Baby what are you doing, you wanna go to Wal-Mart.' He was my brother.  I really miss Johnny Cash but I really miss my brother.

Dennis: The movie “Walk the Line” is an absolutely amazing movie and with so many of the books I have read about and from Johnny, it sounded dead on. What were your thoughts when you saw the movie and were there any parts that Johnny ever mentioned that really stood out to him or to you?
Joanne: When we saw the portrayal of Jack's death, we relived it again.  It was so accurately portrayed. The scene at Johnny's new house on the lake, I was there that day when we had that dinner.  There was no furniture in that house except the table. When we came to sleep over we had to sleep on sleeping bags on the floor.  June was trying to run around trying to get everyone a place to sleep and we ended up on the floor. Watching that movie, I was thinking 'yeah I slept right over there.' I have a picture at home of that dinner with us with momma and daddy. Watching that movie it made me remember. The cotton field scenes were such a big part of our life. You know Johnny Cash was the John Wayne of country music. He was bigger than life.
Dennis: Yeah I told my life because he seemed bigger than reality.
Joanne: People tell me stories all the time about Johnny and I listen to everyone. In their hearts and my heart he will always live on.  He is in heaven and he has a wonderful eternity.  I dream about him a lot and he always says, 'Baby, just keep on singing.'

I dream about him a lot and he always says, 'Baby, just keep on singing.'-Joanne Cash