In 1969, ABC Walked the Line With ‘The Johnny Cash Show’

Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, dubbed “The Mother Church of Country Music” and “The Carnegie Hall of the South,” famously hosted the Grand Ole Opry for decades. But between between 1969 and 1971, the auditorium hosted another showcase involving a country music legend: the ABC variety show The Johnny Cash Show.

Hosted by the Man in Black himself, The Johnny Cash Show kicked off on June 7, 1969, with Johnny Cash and wife June Carter Cash welcoming high-profile guests to the Ryman stage, as you’ll see below. As we mark another anniversary of the show’s premiere, here are fascinating facts about its production and legacy.