Johnny Cash’s first wife, the late Vivian Liberto Distin, will have her book I Walked the Line: My Life With Johnny posthumously released on Sept. 4 by Scribner Books. Before her death in 2005, Vivian told her story to TV producer Ann Sharpsteen, who shares an author credit on the book.

Vivian describes Cash’s early career, how June Carter entered their life and Vivian and Johnny’s divorce in 1966. Vivian is the mother of Cash’s four daughters. One of the daughters, Kathy Cash, says, “This book is the greatest part of my mother’s legacy as a wife, a grandmother, a matriarch, a mother and, most important, a woman in love.”

The book is based on thousands of letters exchanged by the couple before their marriage while he was overseas with the Air Force, co-writer Ann Sharpsteen said.

“The letters really reveal the real man, unclouded by drugs. Letters were his dreams, fears, a variety of subjects, fidelity, alcohol, faith. It’s like reading someone’s diary,” Sharpsteen said.
Kathy Cash, one of Johnny and Vivian’s daughters, said her mother visited her father in 2003 to tell him she wanted to do the book.

“He said, ‘Vivian, if anyone on this whole earth should write a book it should be you,”’ Kathy Cash said.

Distin was portrayed by Ginnifer Goodwin in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line. According to Kathy, the portrayal was inaccurate and unfair to her mother. John Carter Cash, Kathleen’s half-brother and executive producer of the film, responded that he understood her concerns

So I finally held my nose and watched my recording of the suck fest that is the Country Music Television Awards show (you can tell right there how objective this is going to be) and it as predictable and unpleasant as July heat in Dallas.

A Dixie Chicks and Stonewall Jackson slam already. Nice Foxworthy. You’re an ass.

There was a new category, the Wide open Country Video of the Year. It seems like it was a stab at irreverence. But with Jimmy Buffet and Sheryl Crow and Sting as nominees it was more like “Let’s see what we can get by with.” The Johnny Cash video for “God Going To Cut You Down.” Jack Ingram won. Not a great start for the new category.

Everyone that won robotically thanks CMT in their speeches. I mean what are the odds that every winning artist felt truly compelled to thank a network? Tools…

There was a moment of true grace and emotion on the program, but it had nothing to do with the three-ring pyrotechnic circus of bland performances by Toby Keith and Rascal Flatts. It was when Rosanne Cash presented Kris Kristofferson the Johnny Cash Visionary Award. Kritofferson was visibly moved, gracious and his amazing life and legacy was briefly detailed before he accepted. It was a brief moment of sincerity in an otherwise facile showcase of mediocrity.

Rascal Flatts stacks the deck on the Group Video of the Year with two nominations and beats out the crowd favorite The Dixie Chicks. Just joshin.

Foxwothy is giving the last 25% of morons that don’t see Iraq as a fiasco and people who worship a sky god a sloppy one. He’s like the reverse Natalie Maines with less talent.

There, that’s all I can stand. Another year, a lot of make-up and $200 denim and precious little country music.

Oh and Kenny Chesney is a girl.

from Billboard - June 16, 2006, 10:45 AM ET
Phyllis Stark, Nashville
tops the nominees for the fifth annual Americana Honors & Awards, announced yesterday (June 15) in Nashville. McMurtry earned three nominations for album, artist and song of the year.

Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell and Marty Stuart each earned two nominations. Cash and Crowell were separately nominated for both artist and song of the year and Stuart got nods for artist and album of the year, the latter for his “Soul’s Chapel” set (Superlatone/Universal South).

The nominees were announced by recording artists Steve Earle and Allison Moorer at a reception hosted by BMI. Other nominees include the Dixie Chicks, Delbert McClinton and Neil Young.

The Americana Honors and Awards show is set for Sept. 22 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It will be hosted once again by artist Jim Lauderdale and will feature an all-star house band led by Buddy Miller.

The show will air on both Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, as well as on BBC Radio 2 and Voice of America around the world.

Here is a complete list of nominees:

Artist of the Year:
Rosanne Cash
James McMurtry
Marty Stuart
Neil Young

Album of the Year:
“Childish Things,” James McMurtry (Compadre)
“Cost of Living,” Delbert McClinton (New West)
“Souls’ Chapel,” Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives (Superlatone/Universal South)
“The Outsider,” Rodney Crowell (Columbia)

Duo/Group of the Year:
Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell
The Drive-By Truckers
Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplin
Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez

Instrumentalist of the Year:
Jerry Douglas
Tim O’Brien
Bryan Sutton
Kenny Vaughan

New/Emerging Artist of the Year:
The Greencards
James Hunter
Robinella
Uncle Earl

Song of the Year (presented to songwriter):
“Black Cadillac,” Rosanne Cash; appears on “Black Cadillac” by Rosanne Cash (Capitol)
“Don’t Get Me Started,” Rodney Crowell; appears on “The Outsider” by Rodney Crowell (Columbia)
“Not Ready To Make Nice,” Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson; appears on “Taking The Long Way” by the Dixie Chicks (Open Wide/Columbia)
“We Can’t Make It Here,” James McMurtry; appears on “Childish Things” by James McMurtry (Compadre)