Written Fantasma el Rey 

Johnny Cash and his troupe delivered two excellent Christmas specials in 1976 and 1977, during a high point of his career, still very active and touring heavily just a few years after his television show was canceled. Johnny showcased his talent and charisma, smiling and singing with old friends and family bringing into American homes a true spirit of Christmas. And now for the first time in thirty years these holiday gems are available for all to enjoy.

The 1976 special was filmed in Tennessee at Johnny’s home in Bon Aqua and his place in Hendersonville just outside Nashville, giving a country-style “home for the holidays” feel to the show. Johnny opens by singing “Wandering” while he explores some land around his farm after which he cruises over to pick up his guest Tony Orlando and the fun begins. From Johnny, June, and Tony we get to hear Tony’s “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree” and are then treated to Johnny on his own, reflecting about “Christmas As I Knew It.” The song tells of his boyhood in Dyess, Arkansas, although the tune was actually written by June and Jan Howard. The tale of youth is a captivating one as always.

To switch it up a bit, Roy Clark joins Johnny and the two country boys sing pop tunes that they heard on the radio while growing up in the south, showing the world that good music is what they loved most no matter what it was labeled. Singing their versions of “Far Away Places,” “Juke Box Saturday Night,” “That Lucky Old Sun,” and that classic “The Christmas Song,” all while Johnny strums a guitar and Roy picks his banjo. To end the first half of the special Tony joins the boys for a tribute to Stephen Foster “a man from the north who wrote such great things about the south.” Foster’s tunes “Camptown Races,” “Old Folks At Home” and Oh! Susanna” are represented well by their wonderful voices.

In the second half of the 1976 special we move to Johnny and June’s large living room for a “guitar pullin’” where everyone gathers around and is given a turn doing what they do best, whether it be singing, playing an instrument, or both. The fine voices of June, Barbara Mandrell, and Johnny’s younger brother Tommy are heard on “Follow Me,” “It’s A Beautiful Morning With You” (Barbara) and “That Christmas Feeling” respectively. Instrumentals are put into the spotlight by Barbara, who treats us to her steel-guitar skills with “Steel Guitar Rag,” and Merle Travis, displaying his guitar mastery on “Cannonball Rag.” The Carter Family, sisters Anita, Helen, and June, along with Jan Howard chime in with their sweet harmonies on “In The Pines.”