I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny - Paperback

by Vivian Cash (Author), Ann Sharpsteen (With)

I Walked the Line is a chronicle of first love, long-kept secrets, betrayal, forgiveness, and the truth--told at last by Vivian Liberto Cash, Johnny Cash's first wife and the mother of his four daughters.

This powerful memoir had the full support of Johnny Cash, who insisted it was time for their story to be told, despite any painful revelations or personal cost that might come to light as a result.

Many myths and contradictions regarding the life of Johnny and his family have been perpetuated for decades in film and literature. Vivian, a once-fogotten voice in music history, exposes previously untold stories involving Johnny's drug addiction, his fraught family life, and their divorce in 1968, as well as the truth behind the writing of two of Johnny's most famous songs, "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire."

Supplemented by a never-before-published archive of love letters and family photos, I Walked the Line offers a deeper look at one of the most significant artists in music history. Here, fans and readers can experience the extraordinary account of love and heartbreak between Johnny and Vivian, and come to understand Vivian's dignified silence over the years and life in Johnny's shadow. Through this elegant and revealing memoir, Vivian Cash's voice is finally heard.

Author Biography

Vivian Cash (1934-2005) was Johnny Cash's first wife and the mother of his four daughters. She met Johnny at the age of seventeen at a roller rink in San Antonio, Texas. They married three years later, after Johnny was discharged from the Air Force. Vivian accompanied Johnny throughout his early career in Memphis and Nashville. As Johnny's star soared, the family moved to California where the marriage dissolved after twelve years. After their divorce, Vivian married Dick Distin and lived in Ventura, California, where she was an active and beloved member of the community until she passed away in May 2005.