Search - June Carter Cash :: Keep On the Sunny Side: Her Life in Music

Michael L. (Popmeister) from READING, PA
Reviewed on 3/10/2010...

Excellent... I enjoyed this even more than I thought I would!

Wonderful recording Legacy from The Wildwood flower

B. M Peters | Powell River B.C | 08/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"June Carter-Cash is a star. Sadly not much of her early material is available. This album spans 1939-2003. The first cd starts with The original Family + Janette + The Carter Sisters (Helen, June & Anita) singing their show stopper "Keep on the sunnyside". This version is short only an intro. "Oh Susannah" sung by a 10 year old June is impressive.She is already showing promise as a first class vocalist & entertainer at such a tender age. She shows the confidence of a future star."Root,toot, or Die" is one of her earliest recordings recorded in 1949. She has already established that trademark growl, (a growl that one can hear in singer Patsy Cline & other contemporary country singers.) the growl that set June apart from her entire family.
Though her voice was in a lower key than her mother and sisters June had very similar tone and stylings to her mother and sisters, but once that gutsy growl is heard there is no mistaking who is singing.This recording is also a fine hybrid of early Country and blue grass.
"Baby it's cold outside" is a really interesting cover, most other versions are done in Jazz or Broadway vein, June, Homer and Jethro sing this song with a gusto; Harmonizing almost simliarly to The Kingston trio, and features an unforgetable country shuffle."Country Girl", is a song that reminds me of a Hank Williams song,it has that shuffle that many have associated with his upbeat tunes. June does a spoken intro & some other spoken segments throughout the song.It demonstrates the theatrics that June incorporated & carried with her until last album, the magnificent "Wild Wood Flower"
The old Carter standard "Foggy mountain top" is given an updating my Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.Wonderful harmonizing by the girls with each singer alternating lead,Harmonies are tight and sweet. Maybelle's guitar work is amazing.The tune ends with harmonized Yodeling, very impressive to the ear.This is the first time I have ever heard this type of singing."Fair and tender ladies" another Carter standard given an impressive updating from the girls. Tight Harmonies which could have only come from a life time of practice & performing, highlight this wonderful version, along with Junes seasoned Auto-harping.Anita's hauntingly beautiful soprano is very prominent throughout the Carter sisters recordings. Her clear perfect pitch and tone give the quartet it's signature sound.
"Solid Gone" is given a more modern country reading from the girls. "Juke Box Blues" is the most modern sounding country records up until this point on cd #1.The Song is a playful shuffle, sounds like something Patsy Cline or Hank Williams would sing.This song is highlighted by Junes ever maturing voice, and trademark growl. A fun walzing tune."No swallering place" is country/blue grass tune, but decidedly more blue grass, June takes deep theatical breaths, to excentuate her breakneck speed singing."Love oh Crazy Love" a duet with Carl Smith,is a country duet with a comical twist, June shows off her hillbilly histarical humour, by telling a joke right in the middle of the song! Carl plays around a little too.
The blue grassy "He went slippin around" and "Well I guess I told you off" kind of reminds me of the Maguire sisters,but tighter and not such a novelty act. The latter gives a clapping hillbilly ho-down segment.Giving this song a comical quality.
June does a mid tempo ballad, Called "Strange woman" With great country style.Backed by her sisters and mother June Sings with a country soul & enthusiasm that only a Carter can project.Her voice has also matured much over the past few years, gaining more control.Clearer,more full toned singing.
"The heel" is a really cool record.June really outdid herself with this one.It's so unique, very Johnny Cash, almost has C.W. McCalls "Convoy" type of feel feel. This song is done in a kind of Country rap,done by men typically.June tackles it, with confidence, & attitude. Making her fans think "what could have been?" had she really did more albums during her marriage to Johnny Cash.I believe Patsy, Loretta, and Tammy would have had some heavy competition.
"How did you get away from me" features a young Johnny Cash, fortelling in my opinion of their future relationship.
"Tall lover man" a heavy country ballad,has great vocals & guitar work by June, with the trade mark sound of the Carter Sisters singing pleasently behind June."Without a love to call my own" is absolutly beautiful.June's energy is always nice to hear, but her Kittenish side is rarely heard.So when she sings a tender song like this it is a real treat for the listener. She sings this song with a lot of heart and county soul.A calming, haunting performance. Definatly my favorite on CD#1.
"Ring of Fire" (a song June wrote) is sang by the sisters.
This version is a hybrid of Johnny's and Anita's version (Anita was the original singer)
The Carter Family recorded an updated version of their old classic again in 1964. This new version of "Keep on the sunnyside" has vocals from Maybelle,Johnny Cash and future wife and June, this a truly amazing,rare and historicle recording.3 of country musics most important figures on one record. A Wonderful conclusion of Cd#1. CD#2 Starts with June and Johnny's unique, Grammy award winning, hit version of "Jackson".This version is a staple in Country musics history. June is in great vocal form & tackles her end of the duet with pizzaz.She has matured a lot since the 50's as a vocalistand performer(though singing & performing were never a problem).She gives her usual passionate growling attitude driven deliverly.
"If I were a carpenter" has been covered by many. June & Johnny covered it in their typical soulful mannor. This song won June and Johnny another grammy in 1970.
"The loving gift" is a ballad duet. June & Johnnny sing this tender love song with the intensity that only people who are truly in love can bring forth. This song was basically was a testiment of their near fairy tale marriage, & devotion to one another.
"A good man" is a solo venture by June. A funky upbeat country with religous references throughout.This is song by June Produced my Johnny.It has wonderful guitar work, & a pounding tamberine.In my opinion it had a lot of hit potential. It still vex's me why June did not record more albums. An amazing artist.
June Gets down and country with the heavy kickin blue grass recording "Ole Slewfoot" she is backed up by daughters Carlene Carter (Junes hit making daughter who inherited her mothers vocal tone & stlye. She had a big hit in the early 1990's with "Every little thing" one listen to this song & there is no doubt who is her mother.), Rosie Carter Nix(though she is less known than her sisters she is star in her own right), and Roseanne Cash(Johnny Cash's daughter with Vivian)
and of course Johnny Cash himself.
"Losin you" from her amazing "Appalachian Pride" album is yet again heavy blue grass.(though this is a 10 I prefer her version on the 1999 album "Press on"
"The Shadow of a lady" is more country than "losin you" fine instrumental work from June.
"Gatsbys Restaurant" is a hillbilly ho-down, bluegrass recording, with amazing pickers, and great banjo work. (Personally I think I like the version found on her "Press on album" from 1999 better)
"Once before I die"(a duet with Jerry Hensley) is a really really beautiful record.Jerry has one of the most beautiful agile voices in country music.Silky smooth and oh so soulful.June and Jerry blend perfectly together."The L&N don't stop here anymore" not one of my favorites, reminds me of cheezy country theme."East virginia blues" a kickin country song, that tradional country fans are bound to love.
"Gone" is a beautiful recording by June, who would record a more exciting version for her "Wild Wood Flower" album(though it was renamed "Alcatraz"in 2003 for the grammy awards winning swan album "Wildwood flower" in the 2003 version she changes the tempo several times making it a little more dynamic)True she may be in prime vocal form here,and her 2003 version may sound a little more ragged, she none the less gave the 2003 version her all, soul, guts and attitude, in tact though her health may not have been.
"Appalachian Pride" blue grass country features some great accordion work."I love you sweetheart" is ballad/upbeat love song.Touching lyrics, and great storytelling which country is famous for, are the highlights of this album. The next standout on the album is "Song to John" a beautiful ode to June's husband.Spoken intro, and many spoken segments throughout this ballad.You could sense the intense love and spiritual connection that June & Johnny had.
"Far side banks of Jordan" is perhaps my favorite duet June and Johnny ever did. This is one of the most hauntingly beautful songs I've ever heard. I do however prefer her version from her 1999 album Press on.Their bodies were aging, and their health was ailing, the 1999 version seems to almost make their version a little more urgent and soulful. Almost as if they were telling the world they will be together always in spirit.
"Diamond in the rough" an old Carter Family tune on which June is accompanied by the Nitty Gritty dirt Band,long time friends & admirers of the Carters (in particular June & Mother Maybelle) As cd#2 comes to an end, one song from the amazing "Press on" album,is the gospel tune by the original family "Will the circle be unboken" given a down home reading by June.Sadly most of the Original family had boarded that old gospel ship in passing years.AP in '60, Maybelle in '78, Sara in'79,Helen in '98, and Anita in '99. So June did the song solo.
Only cousin Janette and Joe (d. March 2/05)were alive.)
The Album would win June her first solo grammy for "best traditional folk album" in 1999.
The Cd concludes with her amazing version of "Keep on the Sunny side" June voice has a unique smokey mountain soul in it here. She would win a grammy in 2003 for Best country vocal female for"Keep on the sunnyside" beating reigning divas Shania twain, Martina Mcbride and Patti Loveless among others. She proved to the world that a singer does not have to be singing all over the scale, belting constantly or have over the top productions.She has proven that much of the time less is more.Her cool, soulful vocals, & the understated production are what make her record stand out among all the over the top singers, albums and songs of today.She proved that there is was and there will always be only one original.
That same evening she would win Best tradtional folk album for "Wild Wood flower"
The grammy foundation never forgot June Carter-Cash, and the entertainer she was. Lets remember her too."

Eye-opening 2-CD career retrospective

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 02/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carter's family legacies are well-known, both as a daughter of the legendary Carter clan, and as the mother of Carlene Carter, step-mother of Rosanne Cash, and of course, as the wife of Johnny Cash. Her duets with Cash still turn up now and again on radio and compilation CDs, but her lengthy career as part of the Carter Family's second edition (which was comprised of June, her sisters, and her mother Maybelle), as well as her solo work, have long been overshadowed. This 2-CD career retrospective certainly helps set the record straight, covering everything from her earlier recordings with the original Carter Family in 1939, through her last solo LP, 2003's Grammy(tm) winning "Wildwood Flower." The picture that emerges is of a very talented singer whose comedic flair became a distinguishing trademark among the distinguished company of her family.



Carter Cash's career started early, as exemplified by a pair of 1939 radio transcriptions of a 10-year old singing the Carter family classic "Keep on the Sunny Side" and Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susannah." As she grows, she clowns with Homer & Jethro on a parody of "Baby, It's Cold Outside," sings from the A.P. Carter songbook with her mother and sisters, and duets with both her first husband Carl Smith, and her second, Johnny Cash. Highlights include the Carter Family's sisterly harmonies on "Ring of Fire," Johnny Cash's resonant baritone underlining Maybelle and her daughters on "Keep on the Sunny Side," and a trio of duets with Cash that crackle with the electricity of their relationship.



Anthologist Gregg Geller has tracked down key singles from the early-50s through the mid-70s, including the socially acute 1971 original "A Good Man." Also included are Carter Cash's first solo album, 1975's "Appalachian Pride," and a pair of tracks from her later solo albums, 1999's "Press On" and 2003's swan-song, "Wildwood Flower." Though there's only one previously unreleased track (1975's "Song to John"), the scarcity of all of this material in reissue effectively makes a great deal of this set equivalent to unreleased. This is a long overdue look at one of the Carter Family's second generation of musical legends: a daughter, a mother, a wife, a singer, and a star. [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]"