New Johnny Cash Documentary Books Theater Run

“I think of all the documentaries made about my dad, he’d be most excited about this one,” Johnny Cash’s son John Carter Cash says about the new documentary Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon.
There are multiple books, films, and documentaries on the life of Johnny Cash, but The Redemption of an American Icon focuses specifically on Cash’s life in the early 70s after he experienced a career resurgence due to the success of his live prison albums, but his demons and addictions came rushing to the forefront like never before, and how Johnny Cash used his faith to overcome them.
First appearing in book for in 2019 from pastor and bestselling author Greg Laurie, The Redemption of an American Icon is now being released as a documentary film to be shown exclusively in theaters in a limited run December 5th, 6th, and 7th all across the United States. To find a participating theater near you and to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.
“Here’s the great contradiction. Who could be friends with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Billy Graham all at the same time? The answer, Johnny Cash,” says Greg Laurie. “He was a contradiction at times, but he had a deep faith that he always returned to.”
The film recounts the period in Cash’s life around the time of the release of his album Man In Black while being stuck in a cycle of depression and drug addiction. The road to redemption for Cash came from his return to an “unshakeable faith” that would go on to influence some of his most iconic songs like “The Man Comes Around.”
The documentary was compiled from over 100 audio tapes of Cash talking about his life that have never been heard publicly. They were recorded as part of the writing of Johnny Cash’s autobiography. Greg Laurie was also the author of Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon.
Clearly, this film takes a religious tenor towards the story of The Man in Black. Similar to other recent films, as opposed to attempting to achieve wide release or immediately releasing it to streaming services, doing a limited run in theaters allows audiences to get the fully immersive experience of the film in theater form before it’s distributed online.

August 27, 2022 @ 4:36 pm
Looking forward to this new documentary, as his faith was so central to his life and his work. And the movie poster by Hatch Show Print is fabulous…beautifully done by HSP as always!
August 27, 2022 @ 6:45 pm
Contradiction best explains Johnny Cash. Never a word more befitting. This should be an interesting watch.
August 27, 2022 @ 8:40 pm
What’s wrong with being friends with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson?
August 27, 2022 @ 9:18 pm
lol. I don’t think it came out the way he meant it. I think he meant to point out that Cash traveled in wide circles and had friends among conservatives like Billy Graham and liberal folkie types who used drugs, protested the War, etc.
August 28, 2022 @ 4:43 am
Back in a time when you could be a free thinker and have true diversity of values and opinions and not just think how your party or the media wanted you to think and play along with their roles.
Cash certainly had contradictions at times and was not saint in parts of his life but he owned his own mind. Not for sale or rent to the public or press. Wish more artists, celebrities and politicians would have that mindset today and not live for tweets and in fear of speaking their true thoughts to be politically correct etc…
August 28, 2022 @ 11:11 am
Probably should have used Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson as examples. Willie is pretty liberal, Waylon definitely not. JS lol
August 28, 2022 @ 6:22 pm
I don’t know much about Waylon’s politics. He pretty much kept that to himself. But I’d say that going long-hair and using drugs in the ’70s was more associated with liberals than conservatives.
Off-hand, I can think of two songs Waylon did that bordered on political: There was a song he released in 1984 called “America” (Waylon did not write it), which was a celebration of the country but alluded to the both the good and the bad and in a way that seemed to owe as much to Pete Seeger as to Lee Greenwood. And there was a song he wrote called “I Do Believe,” which he sang on the final “Highwaymen” album released in 1995, where he speaks of his personal faith but lets on that he’s not enamored of organized religion and “Hell, fire and brimstone” preachers.
August 30, 2022 @ 11:32 am
Those 2 songs…I Do Believe and America are probably my favorite songs of anything Waylon did post “The Conversation”. I Do Believe almost perfectly sums up how I feel about “organized” religion and I always make sure to add America on my playlist for 4th of July.
August 27, 2022 @ 9:12 pm
Funny tonight I was just starting to read the book! Should be an interesting read and documentary.
Speaking of faith and country music, tonite we saw a great concert by Mo Pitney at the wonderful Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, Maine-a great venue far off the beaten track!
After meeting Mo and his wife after the show, he asked if we had any prayer needs, then said he felt the need to pray for us, and he did! What a blessing!
He is such a fine singer, songwriter, and a great down to earth person too!
August 28, 2022 @ 9:07 am
Although I’ve been a lifelong fan of Johnny Cash’s music the more I’ve learned about him as a person the more disappointed I’ve been. He is not a role model. Cash could never shake his demons especially drug abuse. His addiction caused or exacerbated most of the major problems in his life. In his book Marshall Grant, Cash’s close friend/road manager and long time Tennessee Three bass player enumerates many unhinged episodes in Cash’s life including how he often cheated on his wife June Carter. Cash fired Marshall due to drug induced paranoia. Cash also took the considerable amount of money that had been set aside with his record label for the benefit of his band member’s retirement and blew it, probably on drugs. Grant stated in his book “I Was There When It Happened” that he believed all of Cash’s health problems were rooted in his long term drug abuse.
Thanks to June the two men did reconcile shortly before Cash’s death.
Although most musicians have questionable morals Cash took it to another level when he impregnated his sister-in-law Anita Carter during an affair that occurred while his wife June was pregnant with their son. Anita’s pregnancy ended in abortion. That stunning revelation begs the question, how can a man purportedly as religious as Johnny Cash do that?
Cash’s music is to be admired. But reverence for him should probably end there. It will be interesting to see how well this new movie deals with the “dark” side of Johnny Cash.
The reality may be that he was never redeemed at all.
August 28, 2022 @ 12:43 pm
CountryFan,
Glad you were brave enough to say it. Hopefully you will not be crucified.
August 28, 2022 @ 12:41 pm
CountryFan
I have mixed feelings on all that. No, i havent read Marshall Grants book, but i have met and talked to his life-long drummer, WS Holland. Ive also watched Holland put on a tribute show about Cash, with a lot of storytelling of his history with the man. Holland isnt near as critical as Grant, and what struck me is how much respect Holland had for Cash, and they remained close friends, till Cash passed. Holland acknowledges the issues, but still saw good in him. Cash candidly talked about the duality and hypocrisy that he perceived within himself. Cash’s faith in God was very deep however, and he was a staunch believer that a sinner can find redemption in the blood of Christ. I wont judge Cash for his misdeeds, as that isnt my job. Though i can be like anyone, at times a judgemental and cantakerous fellow, i was raised to try to see the good in others, even when its hard to find. I will tell you that the more you look into your musical heroes, the more disappointed you become. In fact, the more ive read about my musical heroes, the more i realize how flawed we all are. I do agree with you that Cash was no role model, yet his musical contributions are vast, and noteworthy.
Also, not sure that im a real fan of these tell- the- dirt on someone books like Grant did, ultimately to make money. Seems a bit disengenuous. How would Grant like it if someone told about all his mis-deeds?
August 28, 2022 @ 2:17 pm
Agree with you that our musical heroes are best viewed from a distance. Long ago I came to the conclusion that the faults that make them flawed human beings are what may also foster their great creativity. Seems to be especially true for country music singers & songwriters. Happy, normal folks don’t seem to create compelling lyrics or songs.
Books about celebrities usually reveal a side that we never get to see. Some authors may have an agenda or motive while others are just telling their truth. In Marshall’s case I think it was the latter. His book mentions “a band member” that caused a lot of drama and other problems with Cash. Though he did not mention the person by name my conjecture is that it may have been Holland. For anyone that has not read his book I strongly recommend it. Grant was a stand-up guy that put up with an awful lot to keep the Cash Show on the road for many years and deserved better treatment. Especially to not have his loyalty questioned after all that he went through on Cash’s behalf. The Statler Brothers saw Grant for the man that he truly was and grabbed him immediately after his unceremonious dismissal by Cash. Grant stayed with them for the rest of his career.
Regarding Cash’s true faith in God I cannot help but be dubious. How can someone that is a truly religious God-fearing person conduct himself in the manner that Cash did? Over and over again he made terrible choices that deeply hurt those closest to him. And although he knew that he continued to do it. Hard to buy that he was ever truly sorry. The only time he may have been sorry is when his actions made the press. It brings to mind the many evangelists in recent years that have passionately preached the Word yet lived a life of sin.
Regarding your point about what if someone wrote a book about Marshall Grants mis-deeds – I would say that Grant never publicly misrepresented himself the way Cash did. If you are a believer then you know that everyone will ultimately suffer the consequences of their deeds on Judgment Day. However Grant never presented an image to the public totally at odds with reality. Sadly Cash was a Jekyll-Hyde case turbo-charged by substance abuse.
Cash’s ex-wife Vivian wrote a book worth checking out that details how Cash’s behavior affected her and their daughters. For all of her goodness June Carter could also be very heartless and cruel.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/johnny-cash-first-wife-my-darling-vivian-movie-991700/
August 28, 2022 @ 3:55 pm
“Regarding Cash’s true faith in God I cannot help but be dubious. How can someone that is a truly religious God-fearing person conduct himself in the manner that Cash did?”
Just because someone is a believer doesn’t mean they are perfect, far from it. They fall as hard and as far as anyone else (sometimes harder and farther). Look at King David, he was a man “after God’s own heart” and yet he had Bathsheba’s husband put on the frontline of the military, where he was killed, because David wanted her for himself.
The only difference between the lost and the saved is that the latter has confessed Christ. Romans 3:23-25 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
There is no excuse for any of Cash’s behaviour, but neither is there any excuse for your behaviour, or mine, or anyone else’s. We all fall down, get back up, dust ourselves off, rinse and repeat.
Cheers!
September 2, 2022 @ 3:29 pm
June Carter? Heartless and cruel? Example?
September 2, 2022 @ 3:45 pm
Read Vivian’s book.
September 3, 2022 @ 10:39 am
In other words, you don’t believe the old saying, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?” Give us the Cliff Notes version.
August 28, 2022 @ 5:46 pm
Nothing says “scholar of country music” like “pastor of Orange County mega-church”!