On the Charts 56 Years Ago, Johnny Cash Was at No. 1 With an Album That Included This Grammy-Winning Duet With Wife June Carter Cash

“Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” That’s how the Man in Black famously kicked off every live performance, typically followed by one of his signature hits, “Folsom Prison Blues”. It was almost redundant, however, as Cash needed no introduction. You could call him country, rockabilly, gospel, or folk, but you always knew him by his soothing baritone and all-black wardrobe. Throughout his five-decade career, he released almost too many hits to count—some solo; others with his wife, June Carter Cash, whose star power more than rivaled his own.

Videos by American Songwriter

On this day (March 29) in 1970, Cash topped the country albums chart with Hello, I’m Johnny Cash. Named for his trademark catchphrase, the album marked the first time Cash covered the work of his good friend and fellow outlaw country trailblazer, Kris Kristofferson. It also gave us “If I Were a Carpenter”, one of his most famous duets with wife June.

Kris Kristofferson Dedicated This Song to Johnny Cash

Reaching No. 1 on the country charts and No. 6 on the pop charts, Hello, I’m Johnny Cash is also notable for being the first Cash album to feature a Kris Kristofferson composition. And fittingly, that song was “To Beat the Devil”, which Kristofferson penned in 1967 with Cash—his “great and wasted friend”—in mind.

“And I’d like to dedicate this to John and June,” Kristofferson said in the song, “who helped show me how to beat the devil.”

Cash would go on to record numerous Kristofferson songs, including “Sunday Morning Coming Down” later that year.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1967, Country Music’s Favorite Fiery Power Couple Entered the Country Chart with a Legendary Duet]

This June Carter Cash Duet Was a Cover

Folk singer-songwriter Tim Hardin wrote “If I Were a Carpenter” in the 1960s, presumably about his love for actress Susan Morss. Bobby Darin was the first to record it, sending the song to No. 8 on the Hot 100.

In 1969, Johnny Cash recorded “If I Were a Carpenter” with wife June Carter Cash, releasing it as the third single from Hello, I’m Johnny Cash. Their playful back-and-forth made the song a crossover hit, reaching No. 2 on the country chart and No. 36 on pop.

@johnnycash

55 years ago today, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash won a Grammy Award for “If I Were a Carpenter.” The song hit 2 on the Country charts and became their signature duet.

♬ original sound – Johnny Cash – Johnny Cash

The following year, Johnny and June won the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group. “If I Were a Carpenter” marked their second Grammy-winning duet after 1967’s “Jackson.”

Featured image by Frank Lennon/Toronto Star via Getty Images