On This Day in 1970, Johnny Cash Defied Richard Nixon’s Song Requests During This Historic White House Performance

With his all-black ensemble, deep, rich baritone, and songs for the downtrodden, Johnny Cash personified the “outlaw country” genre that gained steam in 1970s Nashville. Beyond famously performing for a crowd of inmates at California’s San Quentin Prison, Cash also advocated tirelessly for prison reform, winning the United Nations Humanitarian Award in 1979. All that to say, the Man in Black stood on principle. Perhaps the greatest example of this came on this day (April 17) in 1970, when Cash openly defied President Richard Nixon during a legendary performance at the White House.

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Johnny Cash Refused to Perform These Two Songs

On April 17, 1970, Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, joined The Statler Brothers as Nixon’s musical guests at the White House.

Previously, Cash had openly expressed his support for the controversial commander-in-chief, primarily because he hoped Nixon would bring about the end of the Vietnam War. Likely hoping to gain favor with the broader country music audience, Nixon invited the “Ring of Fire” singer to perform in the East Room of the White House.

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Here is a rare performance never seen or heard before. In 1970 Johnny Cash performed at the White House for President Nixon. John sang my of his hits and included a new song called WHAT IS TRUTH for the President and explained how he came to write it. #johnnycash #fyp #fypage #icon #countrymusic #songwriter #storyteller #maninblack #outlaw #highwayman #viral #halloffame #america #texas #whitehouse #richardnixon #rareperformance #alamo

♬ original sound – JRC55

The president presented Cash with three song requests for the evening. Only one—the Shel Silverstein-penned “A Boy Named Sue”—was his own. Aside from that, Nixon wanted to hear Cash sing Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee,” along with Guy Drake’s “Welfare Cadillac.”

Cash agreed only to perform “A Boy Named Sue”, insisting he didn’t have enough time to learn the other two songs. That was his official reasoning, although he later wrote that the songs were “lightning rods for antihippie and antiblack sentiment.”

Haggard himself would eventually shift his perspective on “Okie From Muskogee”, which unfavorably contrasted the “hippies out in San Francisco” with the small-town Oklahomans “living right and being free.” Meanwhile, “Welfare Cadillac” tells the story of a welfare recipient who cheats the system, cashing in his government checks for a brand-new Cadillac.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1959, Johnny Cash Played His First Concert Outside the United States, Cementing His International Star Status]

He Sang These Songs Instead

While Johnny Cash refused to play those controversial tunes, he still needed another song for his White House set. So he selected “What Is Truth”, a protest song that criticized the Vietnam War.

Standing feet from the president of the United States, Cash sang, This old world’s waking to a new born day / And I solemnly swear that it’ll be their way / You better help the voice of youth find / What is truth?

While the 13-time Grammy Award winner insisted he turned down Nixon’s request due to the timing, rather than the songs’ messaging, many look to April 17, 1970, as a prime example of Johnny Cash’s rebellious spirit and principled integrity.

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