Anchored In Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash

by John Carter Cash

A remarkably personal portrayal of a beloved country music legend shared by the ultimate insider.

Genres: Biography, Music, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, History, Christian

202 pages, Hardcover

First published February 29, 2000

About the author

John Carter Cash is a five-time Grammy-winning record producer, and author of numerous articles published in popular newspapers and magazines. He owns and manages Cash Cabin Studio. John Carter diligently preserves the family legacy and is caretaker to the heritage of his muscial ancestors. He is the only child of June Carter and Johnny Cash. He lives with his wife, Laura, and three children, Joseph, Anna Maybelle, and Jack Ezra, in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Reviews

[Jenni Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I cried twice towards the end of this book. Once, when John Carter Cash described his Mom's death and then again when he described his Dad's death. I never met them, but both Johnny and June are true heroes of mine. I love their music and I love who they were. They were not perfect people, but grand people, and ones of Christ. John Carter Cash did a great job of writing his Mom's story both lovingly and honestly. He honored his parents within this sweet, smooth read. I've read a lot about Johnny Cash, so 'twas a treat to read more details about funny June Carter - what a lady.

[Boadicea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walking Beside The Linesman

This biography of June Carter Cash, written by her son, doesn't pull any punches about his mother, She is described as a loyal, generous, down to earth, hardworking, fun-loving, God-fearing woman of the Appalachian mountains who grew up in the first family of country music, the Carter family.

I had the pleasure of meeting her and the Carter Cash family once, in a surgery waiting room of all places in June, 1994. Johnny had come to play the main stage at Glastonbury and was staying at Jane Seymour's swanky holiday house locally. My daughter had a nasty dose of conjunctivitis and we arrived to the duty Doctor's surgery to find the Carter Cash family in residence in this single doctor practice one Saturday afternoon.

My daughter was 2 and wearing her pink party frock as we were heading back to my son's birthday party. Despite her florid red eyes, she was as high as a kite and proceeded to run riot in the waiting room, egged on by June! Johnny ignored her thankfully and had his nose in the paper whilst I was wanting the ground to dissolve beneath my feet! I was mortified and the little minx would not be controlled in any shape or form! Having said that, she was very happy and quite cute with it with pale blond curls and a very engaging giggle! So, my one brush with celebrity, in all its mundanity!

So, to the book which, of course, I was interested in. John writes reasonably well albeit with honesty and compassion. However, despite all the evangelical Christianity,(they were friends of the Grahams), I was surprised that all the family suffered from long-term drug +/- alcohol addiction to a varying degree. Johnny's issues were wellknown although he actually died from a neurological disease aggravated by rampant diabetes. June predeceased him following cardiac surgery. Unfortunately, John's half-sister died from a drug overdose just a month or so later.

Despite these flaws, both parents have left their indelible mark on the American country music scene and John has become a successful producer. Given June's ability to engage with people, it surprises me little that her funeral was attended by the best part of two thousand people. However, I really have sympathy for children who grow up in families with very successful artistic parents as clearly they too are thrust into the cultural environment of behavioural excess and wayward habits.

3.5 twinkling 🌟 (and a lovable but naughty🧚‍♀️)

[Andre · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read a lot of (auto)biographies they all start to sound the same, and that's what I expected when I started this book, especially considering I started it right after finishing Johnny Cash's memoir. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the stories told by John Carter Cash. While there were some repeated tales, reading them from the eyes of Johnny and June's only son was refreshing and exciting. He did a great job as a story-teller, making me feel close to him and his legendary parents. I'm sure it was hard for him to share with the world the ugly side of fame, the addiction and the flaws that his beloved mother's fans didn't get to see. Reading about the deaths of this famous couple was particularly moving, so was their perseverance and their faith. I have a lot more respect for June Carter Cash, who stood by her more popular husband all her life, but still managed to shine bright with her own light. She was an extremely talented woman, much more than just Johnny Cash's wife and duet partner. She was a fabulous songwriter and singer with a distinct voice, and, along with the Carter Family, she has done more to music than given credit for. I give this 5 stars, and it is well deserved.

[Susan Bybee · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Carter Cash's portrait of his mother seems unfocused. June Carter Cash would be better off in the hands of a capable biographer. Too much of a mix of didacticism, purple prose, and earnest repetition. June herself wrote a couple of memoirs and they are much better reads. She had a sense of voice and how to tell a story. Read those instead.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Carter Cash is unflinching in his look at his parents' life, especially the life of his mother, June Carter Cash. He shares the highs as equally as the lows, and you can't help but respect this amazing woman.

[Grace McCord · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family legacy.

Well written by the son who undoubtedly
loved his parents. I'm so happy he shared it with us. He covered all their struggles lovingly and without hatred. A true love story.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I reserve the right to change my mind about this as I process it. I love June Carter. I always have. I think I might wish that I hadn't read this book though. John Carter Cash shares a lot of really tough things, then makes sweeping statements about how much his parents loved eachother, but almost all the specifics are negative things. It's like relaying the details of a car crash that destroys several cars and injures several people, and conveying all the things the drivers did wrong and then exclaiming over how the drivers of the cars are excellent drivers. I understand that people are complicated. I have no problem with that. But there wasn't enough specific positive things to balance out the hard stuff. He just said there were positive things with nothing to back it up. After spending an entire book recounting his fathers addictions and infidelity he then calls his dad the wisest man he ever knew. Why would he call him that? I'm not arguing that Johnny Cash wasn't a wise man, it just doesn't follow from the stories he just told. Another thing that bothered me is that he outright dismisses his sister Rosie's claims that her home life was horrible. He calls her a liar outright. I understand that she was a drug addict, but that doesn't mean her claims were false. He wasn't even alive during the time period she was referring to.

[Cricket · Rating 5 out of 5]

June Carter Cash. What a *heck* of a woman.
I read this book in four days, and I was just telling my best friend that it felt like sitting at lunch with John Carter Cash and having him regale me with the tale of his mother’s life. Her grand and adventurous, tremendous and at-times-darkly-troubled, funny and fantastical, big, beautiful life. Her son’s telling is tender and close and intimate and kind, honest and open too, telling the truth about the best of the good times and the worst of the bad, all while maintaining the assertion of God’s Hand in his family’s life, and his Mom’s steadfast, lifelong faith as being the core of herself, the heart of what made her who she was.
If you’ve ever wanted to feel as if you knew a woman who was so much more than 1/2 the famous duo of “Johnny and June”, this sweet little book is the place to start. It made me love her, more than I already did (I knew basically only what one learns about her after watching Walk The Line 😉, before reading this) and I would be surprised if you didn’t come away feeling more fondly toward her too.
I look forward to singing and laughing with June in The Eternal Kingdom someday….💗

[Aneesa · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is nothing to gain from reading this book that you wouldn't get out of the movie Walk the Line, except for the author's excessive use of the word "amazingly." In retrospect, it was obviously not a good idea to read a biography written by the son.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from the first page! Some reviewers didn’t like it, but who better to write about his mother, father, and family? John Carter Cash shares both the good and the bad. Very interesting read.

[liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wahhhh sad but LIFE
…
The first half was especially enjoyable reading about June Carter’s early life. She is a role model for me in that she is always charismatic, optimistic, determined, effortlessly lighting up the room and being herself.
As the book goes on, it becomes more and more heartbreaking and for me, harder to read. One reason is because a majority of the descriptions are about their ongoing addiction cycles, which are very real. The other reason is because in the first half we have grown so attached to these beloved characters from the POV of John Carter as a loving son… and then naturally we join him in his grief and heartbreak in losing his beloved parents in many ways, including in the physical. Heartbreaking, yet something most of us are bound to experience many times in this lifetime, if we are lucky enough to stay on Earth for a while.
Overall, I’m inspired to keep on the sunny side and to make the moments of my life count by loving everybody in my life and accepting them as they are.

[Christy Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good biography. I have always admired Johnny and June Cash and their strong marriage. This book was very beautifully ( and objectively) written by their son John Carter Cash. He was able to tell a story of a strong, never ending love that fewer and fewer people are able to find. It spoke to my heart in many ways.

[Joyce Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. John Carter Cash was very honest about his mothers faith, addictions, and love. June Carter Cash had an amazing love for her husband Johnny Cash and her family. June was the such anniversary inspiration she never wavered in her faith in God or her family.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific book...makes you realize you can get through anything with just a little faith

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into the life of June and Johny Cash told by their son. A lot of interesting stories and details of their incredible life.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, loving, and lovely memoir of June Carter Cash by her son, John Carter Cash. A real feel for the love, troubles and addictions of this musical family. Miss you June!

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of course I have heard of the Carter Family and Johnny Cash, but I didn't grow up listening to their music and have never seen the movie "Walk the Line." Naturally I have heard some of Johnny Cash's songs, but my main memory of any of his songs is a really funny bit a fellow homeschooler's daughter did to "Ring of Fire", so that hardly does justice to it. What I hadn't known until I read this, is that the song was co-written by June Carter and another woman whose name now escapes me (there are many names in the book, of course). This is another family with a lot of substance abuse issues (primarily Johnny and some of the kids, including June's daughters from her previous two marriages).

This story is different than most of the other country music biographies I've read in that June was born into a very country music family, although as a child she didn't show much talent for singing on key but she did show her comedic chops early. Evidently she eventually learned to sing well and on key, because she did well on her own before the invention of auto-tune and she was quite the song writer, so it's not true that only naturals can have talent in music.

This isn't brilliant reading, but the author actually can write, so if you are a fan of this music and/or this family, I am guessing you would enjoy this book.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Vivian Cash's (Johnny's first wife) biography, I was curious about June Carter Cash. June has always been portrayed in the media as Johnny Cash's savior - an angelic figure who single handedly cured his drug addiction. Vivian dirtied up this image quite a bit. After reading Vivian's book I was curious to read more about June.

John Carter Cash is surprisingly candid about his mother's shortcomings. He confirms that June was an actual human with frailties but also great strengths. She was human just like all of us.

The Cashes great wealth is probably what will stick with me the most from this book. They owned property in New York City, Los Angeles, Virginia, Tennessee and Jamaica. They employed a large staff that included security and a governess. June enjoyed shopping for large items. It is no wonder that they never stopped recording music even after they were both in ill health.

[Julie Eastlick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always very hesitant to review memoirs. I find it a bit strange to critique what people have said about their own lives or the lives of loved ones because those are their feelings and memories that they are writing down for the world to read. That being said, I will go ahead with a short review of this book.
John Carter Cash wrote a beautiful memoir of his mother (and father). The beginning of the book starts a little jumbled and all over the place. It also feels like, at the beginning, he was just quoting other books. However, as he gets closer to a more present time in his parents life, his writing becomes endearing and interesting. It is a wonderful showing of June Carter Cash and her love for her faith, music, and family.

[CountryMusicGeek22 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Johnny and June. Johnny and June never pretended to be perfect and unlike many people didn't air their dirty laundry and secrets to the world. I liked that about them.

Now John Carter Cash, he doesn't air dirty laundry, he simply shares his experience what it was like growing up with them as parents. It was difficult, but there was always love. And I'm grateful that John Carter Cash had grace and mercy as well as honesty for them.

Johnny and June were great people. Not because of their righteousness, which was not always there, but because of their love and grace for one another. No one will convince me otherwise.

May everyone Christian and otherwise copy Johnny and June in their attitude towards marriage and life. God bless that couple

[Rilla-my-Rilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think John Carter Cash did a great job with this book about his parents’ lives, and the memories of the adventures he shared with them. There were also some very interesting/terrifying stories (near death experiences the author had as a child) mentioned in this book that made it fun to read.

I admire how he was so honest about their lives and didn’t only include their victories but also their struggles. And how they found their way back, through Christ. I will warn you it is VERY sad and you will get emotional while reading the last two chapters about his parents’ death. Overall, this is an inspiring book about one of my favorite role models’- the lovely, June Carter Cash.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a sad tale of extreme family dysfunction! I was sad that John Carter didn't (or couldn't) have more psychological reflection towards his parents and who they were. Ad nauseam. he repeats how wonderful, kind and giving his mom was - almost as if he wants to make up for the fact that later in the book, he reveals she popped pills towards the end of her life. She was a major enabler, giving her kids money for drugs and alcohol. She was a hoarder and gave money freely to friends but not to any charities. Reading through the lines, I thought she was a spoiled "star". Johnny seems very kind but weak. There was no honesty in the family, so of course there was great dysfunction.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. After watching the movie Walk the Line the last time, I decided to read some about the Cash's. This book about June is written by her and Johnny's son, John. I admire that though Johnny and June fought addiction and faced other hardships they stuck together and loved each other to the end. After June died, Johnny died just three months later!

[Ann Peachman Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the history of both June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash, written by their son. Their lives were strewn with sin and error, but also strong faith and the belief that God forgives. The love they carried for each other through so many years of marriage is inspiring.

[Isabel A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was tearing up by the last few chapters. John gives a beautiful perspective to his mother and parents. He keeps it real and doesn’t sugarcoat the trials and tribulations everyone has had to endure.
I’ve been inspired to read June’s books. Thank you John!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book - life is never as we think is would be for anyone ...and this book tells how a son lived live with two famous people and the life he shared with him mom, who while human was anchored in love.

[Gloria Battini · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a beautiful life story ❤️

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be frank and honest, this book was difficult for me. I love Johnny and June from the bottom of my soul. It was very hard for me to keep reading this book with just how much suffering June and Johnny endured. No one likes to read about the painful roads people you love deeply walked.
Their son, John Carter Cash, I think wrote the book to help people get a better sense of who his parents were and particularly who his mother really was. I am grateful for that.

Over the years, June Carter has been shown in in almost holy light by the media and I've never been comfortable with that. I didn't believe the Hollywood story arc that she saved Johnny from drugs, and John Carter Cash breaks apart that myth. John Carter Cash pulls back the curtain and we get to see June as a real person. A bona fide real person with cringing flaws and sad failures.
Was it disillusioning to learn from their son that June herself fell into the trap of drug addiction herself later in her life? No. It was painful to accept but after learning from John Carter how June fought her husband's addictions for years, and then having to fight against her children's addictions, and I know she had friends fall into the same trap... It was not so unbelievable that she finally couldn't bear the stress anymore. June was a human being. And I'm sure that after a lifetime of watching everyone you love drown in addiction, that taking a pill to alleviate that pain feels like a lesser evil. Especially, as John Carter relates, when everyone in the music business since the beginning took some form of medicine for relief.

This is going to sound strange but if anything this book only made my compassion and love for both Johnny and June increase. That love is more accepting of the real people they both were. The ugly marital problems that nearly destroyed them, the infidelity, the frivolous shopping addiction, spoiling of the children, drug addictions, all of it. This is the truth behind the Hollywood fairy tale. And despite all of that ugliness, that fairy tail love everyone talks about was actually deeper then I could have imagined.
And that's not to say that Johnny and June didn't have joy. The son makes it very clear they had moments of intense Joy. Or how else could they have endured what they threw at each other? That magic the two shared on stage together must have carried in some way into the strength of that Bond. In fact, according to John Carter his parents were almost more in love when they passed away then they had ever been. As their child together, with all the torment they lived through, he makes a remarkable and convincing witness.


One thing is worthy to mention. It gave me great relief and joy to hear June's own son mentioned her love of the Lord. There are always evil minded people that try to attack imperfect people like Johnny and June as hypocrites, I have never believed them. But I did worry that with the constant spotlight on June that she might have been crowing a bit much. According to her son it wasn't. According to every friend who knew June that godly love was real.
God bless both her and the Man in Black. I'm confident that the peace they are in now surpasses all the suffering they endured on Earth!


John Carter Cash is a much kinder person than I think I would ever be, with how he describes how the care team of Johnny and June didn't want the family visiting so much in their final years and made them feel unwelcome. Good golly alive, I would have fired all their asses and turned them out the door!! He should have. The family has rights, no matter what the nurses say.

On a separate note, John Carter as a person is not only a remarkable witness to his parents but he himself is a truly humble and forgiving man. Especially as he relates his relationship with his older sister Rosey, June's daughter from her second marriage. I was touched by his compassion towards her even after all the damage she caused with her addiction and how badly she treated June. The Carter family is full of love and forgiveness, few families are like them!

I understood at the end of all this why June was such a match for Cash. They had the same strong soul. I truly believe no one else would have suited that power couple.

[mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, my hat's off to John Carter Cash for writing this book. It was, by his admission, a tough write. It's also a tough read. It's unsparing in the damning details of the widespread addictions in the Carter and Cash families. Sadly, it could also use a good solid editing. He's allowed to ramble too much and it takes away from his storytelling about June as a loving and caring wife and mother--and as a beautiful spiritual force.

Yet despite the idol-shattering inside glimpse, it's still undeniable that Johnny and June shared a remarkable love. What this book doesn't cover--and how could it since he wasn't there?--are the early days. A friend and I were talking about the storyline in the movie "Walk the Line." He didn't like that it focused on the early days of Johnny and June's relationship, since they had since taken pains to keep those details somewhat private. He wanted to know more about why June changed her performance style--to approach her life based on her merits as an artist and not just a player in a scandalous love triangle.

But I think that, in light of their long and storied romance, the beginning is all the more interesting--the intense attraction, the seeming impossibility of them ever getting together, the pain it caused them and others, and the dubious future they faced (his addictions, the disapproval over their divorces, etc.). On paper, it was just a bad idea from the start, yet they made it work and grow and glow. It's a classic question: what happens when you meet the love of your life, too late?