What could be more romantic than a marriage proposal, especially when it is done on stage, between two monuments of music!
Of course, Johnny asked June Carter's hand several times but all of theses were followed by a negative answer: already in a relationship, too dependent on alcohol, drugs, etc ...
But this wedding proposal of February 1968 was the good one! Here is Johnny Cash's marriage proposal to June Carter, his mistress and future wife illustrated with a biographical portrait !
Johnny Cash and June Carter
Cash proposed June on stage in Canada on February 22, 1968. Exact place is on the main stage of the London Gardens in London, Ontario in front of several thousand spectators.
The two begin their favorite song "Jackson" (a song that ends with the marriage of the two to Jackson). In the middle of the song, Johnny stops singing and tells the audience that he has an important question to ask to June.
The orchestra continues to play background the rhythm of the song.
Surprised by this unexpected request, June does not want to hear about it and beg him to continue the song.
He insists, promises not to repeat his past mistakes ... she will finally accept and say yes.
They kiss and the audience applauds. Song to be continued....
The couple get married a week later, not in Jackson as the song says, but in Franklin, Kentucky.
June had refused his advances many times and would only say yes if he agreed to "clean up" .... here are the preliminary encounters !
First time between Johnny and June
June Carter and Johnny Cash have known each other for a long time and met in 1955 for the first time.
Johnny Cash is famous, and introduces himself to the beautiful Carter lady and adds that he will marry her one day. June would have responded jokingly
"I can't wait!"- June carter
At this time, the two are still married : June to Carl Smith and Johnny to Vivian Liberto.
Clean up first, then a proposal
Following the dazzling start of his career in the late 1950s, Cash began to drink heavily and uses amphetamines and barbiturates to keep up the touring. He will say it himself during the Johnny Cash Show backstage:
"I have tried all possible drugs to try." - Johnny Cash
June and Johnny see each other again in 1961. Still under her spell, he asks her to do more shows together : He and June will work regularly from February 1962 on the "Johnny Cash Show".
The two getting more and more in love with each other and share their forbidden love on stage while singing. June co - wrote a song in 1963 about her delicate love situation which she described as a ring of fire.
"Ring of Fire" was born, met little success before Johnny Cash revisited it in a mariachi style !
He divorces in 1966 and June tries to clean him up with the help of Marshall Grant. Johnny will have to follow the line step by step and not deviate from it, a leitmotif that can be found in his song "walk the line"
These details of Johnny Cash's life are available in his biographical portrait below!
