Fans may recall Johnny Cash as having a sad, gloomy appearance but not as having children. They considered “Dad” to be the iconic country singer’s most significant title.
One of the greatest country music icons of all time, he shocked the world with singles like “Ring Of Fire,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”
The oldest child of Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, is Rosanne Cash. The second child that Johnny had with Vivian was Kathy Cash. The third child of Johnny and Vivian Cash is Cindy. Johnny Cash’s youngest child is Tara Cash. The sole child of Johnny Cash and June Carter, his second wife, is John Carter Cash.
With his magically beautiful voice and heartfelt music that still moves us to tears today, “The Man in Black” captivated the world’s attention for more than five decades.
Now, let’s take a closer look at this information about Johnny Cash and his children.
Johnny Cash: Early Life, Career and Children
Born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas. Cash, a son of sharecroppers from a poor Southern Baptist family. He came to Dyess, Arkansas with his family when he was three years old so that his father could participate in the New Deal agricultural initiatives put forth by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Cash was one of Ray and Carrie Rivers Cash‘s seven children. The Cash family resided there, farming 20 acres of cotton and other seasonal crops, in a five-room home.
Cash is one of the best-selling performers of all time, with more than 90 million albums sold worldwide. His most prominent covers during the last stage of his career included “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails, “Rusty Cage” by Soundgarden, and “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode. He also performed songs by other contemporary rock musicians.
One of the most outstanding country music performers of all time, Johnny Cash passed away on September 12, 2003, at 71. The fact that he kept his personal life hidden while maintaining a high-profile profession, led many people to wonder if he had kids.
Let’s find out who the children of Johnny Cash are and whether they followed his footsteps or not.
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States, on May 24, 1955. She was an American singer-songwriter who was renowned for her clear, ringing voice and for writing songs that were sometimes intensely personal and fused country music with other genres, particularly pop and rock.
Like her father, Rosanne turned into a musician as she got older. One of her songs, “Love Has Lost Again,” was covered by Johnny Cash in 1976 and included on his album “One Piece at a Time.” It was Rosanne’s debut composition that had been professionally recorded.
Rosanne said that she didn’t always see a career in music. She said that she didn’t think that she could sing and she also grew up believing that the worst thing we could do was to become famous. Everything fell apart when you left home, started using drugs, got divorced, and missed seeing your children.
But Rosanne managed to establish a reputation for herself. She had a number of top-one hits in the 1980s that transcended musical genres, appeared on the country and pop charts, and was financially successful.
“Seven Year Ache,” her 1981 debut smash, was her most popular tune. On the U.S. pop singles charts, it reached the Top 30 and reached the top of the country singles charts.
She has continued to get honors ever since. She won her first Grammy that year for the song “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me.”
Rosanne won a record-breaking three Grammys in 2015. In total, she has been nominated for 12 Grammy. Rosanne was also honored by getting into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
She was also recently honored for her important contributions to American culture by receiving the 2021 Edward MacDowell Medal.
Kathleen “Kathy” Cash
Kathy Cash, the second daughter of Johnny Cash and Vivian was born, on April 16, 1956, in Memphis, Tennessee, one year after Rosanne.
In 2005, she gained popularity for her complaints about the portrayal of her mother in the film “Walk the Line,” which cast Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash, her stepmother, and Joaquin Phoenix as her father.
She claimed the portrayal of her mother as a shrew in the movie was unjust. She said that her mother played a very little role throughout the entire movie.
Jimmy Tittle and Kathy have been married since November 24, 1982, and they have three kids. Kathy appeared in the drama-comedy movie “What’s the Matter with Gerald?” in 2016, which was written by her son Dustin Tittle and son-in-law Matt Riddle-Hoover.
Cindy Cash
The third of Johnny Cash’s children, Cindy Cash, came into the world on July 29, 1959. She enjoyed music just like her father and Rosanne did. June Carter Cash, her stepmother and father, appeared on stage with her frequently.
When she was just sixteen years old, she performed her first duet with her father in the performance. She also sang at the country music icon’s final concert.
Along with the daughters of other country music icons, like Cathy Twitty of Conway Twitty, Patsy Lynn of Loretta Lynn, and Georgette Jones of Tammy Wynette, Cindy was a member of the group “The Next Generation” in the past.
Cindy toured with a group called Next Generation and she also performed with her dad. It was in the late 1980s, and it was a lot of fun and taught me very much.
Additionally, Cindy had an appearance in the movies Johnny Cash’s America (2008), My Darling Vivian (2020), and The Cradle Will Fall (1983).
Tara Joan Cash
Tara Joan Cash was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on August 24, 1961. She is the youngest of four daughters.
She has appeared in several films on her well-known father, most notably Johnny Cash. These include The Life and Times of the Cash Family (1999), The Man, His World, His Music (1969), and the Johnny Cash Memorial Tribute (2003).
In the 1981 television drama The Pride of Jesse Hallam, directed by Gary Nelson and featuring Johnny Cash, Brenda Vaccaro, and Eli Wallach, Tara played a student. Her work as a costume designer may be seen in two films: Tennessee Waltz (1989) and Bernard L. Kowalski’s Nashville Beat (1989).
My Darling Vivian, a biographical documentary film about her mother Vivian Liberto’s love and tragic journey, was co-produced by Tara in 2020.
Along with her nephew Dustin Tittle and Dustin’s spouse Matt Riddlehoover, she co-produced the documentary. The movie earned positive reviews from reviewers after its Austin, Texas, premiere at the 2020 South by Southwest Film Festival.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the list of songs by Rosanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny Cash.
| Song Name | Album Name | Releasing Year |
| Tennessee Flat Top Box | King’s Record Shop | 1987 |
| Seven Year Ache | Seven Year Ache | 1981 |
| I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me | Rhythm & Romance | 1985 |
| Blue Moon With Heartache | Seven Year Ache | 1981 |
| Sea of Heartbreak | The List | 2009 |
| The Way We Make a Broken Heart | King’s Record Shop | 1987 |
| September When It Comes | Rules of Travel | 2002 |
| If You Change Your Mind | King’s Record Shop | 1987 |
| Runway Train | King’s Record Shop | 1987 |
| What We Really Want | Interiors | 1990 |
Conclusion
- Rosanne Cash, Kathy Cash, Cindy Cash, and Tara Cash were the four daughters born to Johnny Cash’s two marriages.
- Johnny Cash had a large family, and every one of his children had to deal with his legacy in some manner.
- As one of country music’s most recognizable voices, Johnny Cash’s legacy has had an impact not only on the rest of the genre but also on his own children.
- Each of Johnny Cash’s five children had to choose their own career path, but some of them joined him in music.
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