What Johnny Cash Described as “The Best 43 Days” of His Life

As one of the most iconic country artists of all time, Johnny Cash has had plenty of highs in his life—none of which, however, compare to the period of time he later described as “the best 43 days” he had ever experienced. Surprisingly, this month-and-change of good fortune had nothing to do with touring, performing, or music at all. It had everything to do with his health.

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Cash’s addiction and dependence on amphetamines and alcohol was no industry secret. Police arrested him multiple times, often because of drugs. In some vague way, his substance abuse played into his outlaw persona even more. But in reality, it was wearing down his body, mind, and spirit—not to mention sacrificing the life he wanted to lead with his partner, June Carter.

What Johnny Cash Called The Best 43 Days Of His Life

Johnny Cash struggled to curb his amphetamine and tranquilizer usage, particularly after developing a romantic relationship with June Carter, who encouraged him to stop using. But as is sadly the case for some addicts, Cash relapsed through no fault of his own. After breaking five ribs and landing in a Nashville hospital, the morphine IV that medical professionals legally administered to help Cash with the pain ended up revamping his painkiller addiction. His family staged an intervention, and Cash decided to check in to the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage for substance abuse treatment.

“The low point of my life was the day I walked into that door,” Cash recalled in a 1988 interview on Later with Bob Costas. “You know, you walk in and say, ‘I can’t handle it. So, I’m putting my life into the hands of the professionals.’ That’s a very humbling thing to do, you know. I didn’t know anything about treatment centers. The program is very intense.”

Cash’s first day at the California clinic might have been a low point, but he described the subsequent month and change as the “best 43 days I ever spent in my life. The program was 30, but I stayed 43 because I got a slow start because of having come out of the hospital and because of the business I’m in and in my past history. I just wanted to learn all I could. You get to look at yourself like you’d never have any other way in the world, and if you really want to get off of drugs and alcohol, that’s the way to do it.”

The Country Star Overcame His Addiction Through Faith And Love

Ironically, the environment that led Johnny Cash to start taking amphetamines and barbiturates in the late 1950s is the same environment that would lead Cash’s path to June Carter. Fortunately for Cash, he managed to lean on the latter discovery more heavily than the latter. Carter and their family played a huge role in Cash managing his substance abuse addiction. Unsurprisingly, his faith did, too. “The first time, in 1967, when I got in trouble with my medication, it was the love of God and the love of people like June, my mother, and close friends [that helped me],” Cash once told CBN.

“[June] is more to be desired than pearls or rubies, of which she has quite a few,” the country star continued. “She’s my anchor. She’s also my spark plug. When I’m shy, she’ll always get the conversation going. Mainly she’s the one, through her strong prayer and commitment, who keeps me on course.”