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Recollections by J.R. Cash: Childhood Memories of Johnny Cash
In 1995 Johnny Cash's youngest daughter gave a book of 365 questions to her father and asked him to fill out the questions for her. One year later, on her birthday, he returned the book to her with the answers completed. Most of these questions pertain to his childhood, and paint a clear picture of what it was like for the young J.R. Cash to grow up in Dyess, Arkansas, on land that was given to the Cash family as part of the New Deal, in 1935.
The Cash home was part of the larger Dyess Colony, one of the many efforts during the great depression to provide economic opportunity to Americans. The Cash home illustrates the hardship of the 1930's and the attempts to bring relief through initiatives like the Dyess Colony. Johnny moved to this new home with his family of nine when he was just three years old, and many of the questions answered in the book relate to his experiences and memories of his life on the family's cotton farm and home, his childhood and young adult life. The stories are rich with his sentiments.
Historically, this book is an important look into this time period, and equally important to expand on where life began for Johnny Cash, and where his love for music was born. When visiting the completely restored Cash home in Dyess Arkansas in April 2014, (which has recently been opened to the public), Johnny's daughter Tara met Dr. Ruth Hawkins, the Director of the Arkansas Heritage Sites Program, who was also the lead person on the project, and she knew it was the right time to publish this book, which she'd always felt would be a gift to Johnny's fans, friends and family. With careful attention to detail, and working closely with Dr. Hawkins, the book has come to fruition and photos have been added to complete the stories, (written in Johnny's hand), making this an even more personal treasure to pay tribute to the relationship between father and daughter, as well as the icon and legend who became Johnny Cash.
The Cash home was part of the larger Dyess Colony, one of the many efforts during the great depression to provide economic opportunity to Americans. The Cash home illustrates the hardship of the 1930's and the attempts to bring relief through initiatives like the Dyess Colony. Johnny moved to this new home with his family of nine when he was just three years old, and many of the questions answered in the book relate to his experiences and memories of his life on the family's cotton farm and home, his childhood and young adult life. The stories are rich with his sentiments.
Historically, this book is an important look into this time period, and equally important to expand on where life began for Johnny Cash, and where his love for music was born. When visiting the completely restored Cash home in Dyess Arkansas in April 2014, (which has recently been opened to the public), Johnny's daughter Tara met Dr. Ruth Hawkins, the Director of the Arkansas Heritage Sites Program, who was also the lead person on the project, and she knew it was the right time to publish this book, which she'd always felt would be a gift to Johnny's fans, friends and family. With careful attention to detail, and working closely with Dr. Hawkins, the book has come to fruition and photos have been added to complete the stories, (written in Johnny's hand), making this an even more personal treasure to pay tribute to the relationship between father and daughter, as well as the icon and legend who became Johnny Cash.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Johnny Cash
240 books314 followersJohnny Cash, born J. R. Cash, also known as "The Man in Black", was a multiple Grammy Award-winning American country singer-songwriter. Cash is widely considered to be one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century.
Cash was known for his deep, distinctive voice, his trademark dark clothing which earned him his nickname, the boom-chick-a-boom or "freight train" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, and his demeanor. He rarely (if ever) wavered from introducing himself before performing, with the greeting, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash."
Much of Cash's music, especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption. His signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "That Old Wheel" (a duet with Hank Williams Jr.), "Cocaine Blues", and "Man in Black". He also recorded several humorous songs, such as "One Piece at a Time", "The One on the Right Is on the Left", "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog" a duet with June Carter, Jackson, and "A Boy Named Sue"; rock-and-roll numbers such as "Get Rhythm"; and various railroad songs, such as "Rock Island Line" and "Orange Blossom Special".
He sold over 90 million albums in his nearly fifty-year career and came to occupy a "commanding position in music history".
Cash was known for his deep, distinctive voice, his trademark dark clothing which earned him his nickname, the boom-chick-a-boom or "freight train" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, and his demeanor. He rarely (if ever) wavered from introducing himself before performing, with the greeting, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash."
Much of Cash's music, especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption. His signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "That Old Wheel" (a duet with Hank Williams Jr.), "Cocaine Blues", and "Man in Black". He also recorded several humorous songs, such as "One Piece at a Time", "The One on the Right Is on the Left", "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog" a duet with June Carter, Jackson, and "A Boy Named Sue"; rock-and-roll numbers such as "Get Rhythm"; and various railroad songs, such as "Rock Island Line" and "Orange Blossom Special".
He sold over 90 million albums in his nearly fifty-year career and came to occupy a "commanding position in music history".
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 27, 2014
Arranged by Tara Cash Schwoebel, this book is actually a collection of musing by her father, the late Johnny Cash. There is an entry for (nearly) every day of the year, where Johnny replies to a scripted question.
I got a signed copy of the book from Tara while visiting Dyess, Arkansas, and witnessing the grand opening of Cash's boyhood home. Much of Cash's thoughts do go back to his childhood as a share-cropper, benefiting from FDR's NEw Deal.
There are plenty of anecdotes and fun-facts worth discovering. I'll share one that I found particularly interesting: One of Johnny Cash's all-time favorite movies was the cult "Escape From New York" that stars Kurt Russel and Lee Van Cleef. Huh!
I got a signed copy of the book from Tara while visiting Dyess, Arkansas, and witnessing the grand opening of Cash's boyhood home. Much of Cash's thoughts do go back to his childhood as a share-cropper, benefiting from FDR's NEw Deal.
There are plenty of anecdotes and fun-facts worth discovering. I'll share one that I found particularly interesting: One of Johnny Cash's all-time favorite movies was the cult "Escape From New York" that stars Kurt Russel and Lee Van Cleef. Huh!
April 22, 2020
Reading this inspired me to find these question based books for my parents. I know that when they're gone, I'll still have the gift of them on those pages just like Tara has from her dad.
July 31, 2022
A look into the past
My mother was a farmers daughter. When she saw the movie Walk The Line, about Johnny Cash childhood, she said she recalled much of the same.
People too soon forget.
My mother was a farmers daughter. When she saw the movie Walk The Line, about Johnny Cash childhood, she said she recalled much of the same.
People too soon forget.
September 22, 2014
Recollections By J.R. Cash - Childhood Memories of Johnny Cash, a heartfelt labor of Love by Johnny Cash to his youngest daughter Tara Cash Schwoebel is now available for purchase, published by Arkansas State University. Tara gave her father a journal with questions to answer each day. It's a heartwarming look at the love between a father and daughter that you won't want to put down till you finish. What a great idea! we all should do this with our parents before it's too late. Humorous at times, with pictures, and illustrations. I highly recommend "Recollections" to any Johnny Cash fan, in fact even to those who aren't fans. Tara kept this prize understandably to herself for many years, no doubt looking at it often, and living precious memories of her father, and his love for her. It's a spiral bound 112 page book, reprinted in Johnnys' own handwriting. You can get your' copy from Amazon, or recollectionsbyjrcash.com. Also available at the Johnny Cash museum in Nashville and the Dyess Community center where he was raised and his boyhood home was restored. This Cash fan gives it five stars. Thank you Tara for sharing this intimate look at a father/daughters love for each other. It's an essential part of any Cash collection. There are many books about him, my favorites are his two autobiographies "Cash", and "The Man In Black", and for completeness, The Robert Hilburn Book "Johnny Cash, The Life", and right at the top, now I'll include "Recollections" It doesn't get any better than this folks!
http://www.amazon.com/NEW-Recollectio...
http://www.amazon.com/NEW-Recollectio...
March 2, 2016
As a dyed-in-the-wool Johnny Cash fan, I found this to be a fun read. What a treasure it must be for Tara.
November 27, 2016
A lovely insight into his life through recollections prompted by his daughter's questions
August 29, 2022
This was interesting. Basically a thought-a-day journal, written by Johnny Cash and commenting on his childhood. Enjoyable enough.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews