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Timeline

1920

1929
June Carter
June 23, 1929

Valerie June Carter Is Born in Maces Spring, VA

1939
1939

June First Performs With The Carter Family At Age 10

1943
March 1943

The Carter Family Disbands

June’s mother Maybelle and sisters Helen and Anita form a new group, Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters

June 01, 1943

Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters’ First Performance

At WRNL-AM, Richmond, VA

1948
1948

Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters Move to Knoxville, TN

There, they hire a new guitarist, Chet Atkins

1949
1949

Moves To Springfield, MO

Mother Maybelle, The Carter Sisters and Chet Atkins move to Springfield, MO, performing regularly for KWTO-AM

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February 03, 1949

First Single Credited to Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters

“Why Do You Weep Dear Willow?” is released by RCA Victor

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August 27, 1949

June Duets With Country Comedy Duo Homer & Jethro

On a version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” that reached No. 9 on the Billboard country chart

1950

1950
June 01, 1950

Joins Grand Ole Opry

After numerous offers, Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters move to Nashville and join the Grand Ole Opry

1952
July 09, 1952

June Marries Honky-tonk Singer Carl Smith

1955
June Carter and daughter Carlene in 1956
September 26, 1955

June and Carl’s Daughter, Rebecca Carlene, Is Born

1956
1956

June and Carl Divorce

Director Elia Kazan encourages June to act; she studies under Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City

19560205_jcc_elvis_poster
February 05, 1956

Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters Support Elvis Presley

On a tour of the East Coast that runs through March

1957
June 15, 1957

June’s First Major Acting Gig

A supporting role on an episode of Gunsmoke

November 11, 1957

June Marries Sportsman and Former Police Officer Edwin “Rip” Nix

1958
Rosie Carter
July 13, 1958

June and Rip’s Daughter, Rosie Carter, Is Born

1960

1960
November 07, 1960

A.P. Carter Passes

After the passing of A.P. Carter, Mother Maybelle reclaims The Carter Family name when performing with her daughters

1961
December 09, 1961

June Plays First Date With Johnny Cash Show

At the Big ‘D’ Jamboree in the Sportatorium, Dallas

1962
19620101_carterfamalbum
1962

The ‘New’ Carter Family

Releases The Carter Family Album, its first ever, on Liberty Records

June Carter joins Johnny Cash tour January 28, 1962
January 28, 1962

June Joins The Johnny Cash Tour

At the KRNT Theater in Des Moines, IA

19620627_bloodsweattears
June 27, 1962

‘The Legend Of John Henry’s Hammer’

June and Johnny Cash write and record a song together with The Carter Family. “The Legend Of John Henry’s Hammer” is the lead track from 1963’s Blood, Sweat and Tears

1963
19630325_ringoffire
March 25, 1963

Johnny Cash Records ‘Ring of Fire,’ Which June Co-wrote

It tops Billboard‘s country singles chart for seven weeks

June 15, 1963

June Signs To Columbia Records As A Solo Act

1964
ItAintMeBabe
August 27, 1964

June Duets For The First Time On A Johnny Cash Single

His cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe.” It reaches No. 4 on Billboard‘s country singles chart

1966
1966

June and Rip Divorce

September 13, 1966

The Carter Family Becomes Permanent Member of Johnny Cash Touring Troupe

JohnnyJuneProposal
February 22, 1968

Johnny Cash Proposes To June

Onstage at a show in London, Ontario, Canada

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February 29, 1968

June and Johnny Cash Win GRAMMY Award For ‘Jackson’

For Best Country & Western Performance, Duet, Trio Or Group

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash wedding March 1, 1968
March 01, 1968

June Marries Johnny Cash in Franklin, Kentucky

October 15, 1969

June and Johnny Cash Win CMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year

1970

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February 28, 1970

‘If I Were a Carpenter’ On Country Singles Chart

Johnny Cash and June Carter’s “If I Were a Carpenter” reaches No. 2 on the Billboard country singles chart

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March 03, 1970

Johnny and June’s Son, John Carter, Is Born

1971
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1971

‘A Song To Mama’ Is Written By June, Helen and Anita

The Carters’ first-ever charting single, reaching the Billboard country singles chart Top 40

jcash_ifiwereacarpenter
March 16, 1971

June and Johnny Cash Win GRAMMY Award For ‘If I Were a Carpenter’

For Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal

1973
1973

June and Johnny Cash Donate $12,000 to SOS Children’s Village

The money is used to create a building to house orphaned children

GospelRoad_AStoryOfJesus
March 31, 1973

June Portrays Mary Magdalene

In the film The Gospel Road: A Story Of Jesus

1974
February 18, 1974

The Carter Family win Best Country Band/Duo/Group

At the first American Music Awards

May 08, 1974

June is Named Woman and Mother of the Year

By Youth For Christ organization

cover-62
September 01, 1974

Featured Vocalist On ‘The Junkie and The Juicehead Minus Me’

Along with her daughters Carlene and Rosey and stepdaughter Rosanne, June is a featured vocalist on Johnny Cash’s The Junkie and The Juicehead Minus Me

1979
19790101_amongmyklediments
1979

June Writes and Publishes ‘Among My Klediments,’ Her First Memoir

1980

1980
April 29, 1980

June Receives Nashville Community Service Award

1985
1985

June Appears in Documentary ‘Sunny Side Of Life’ About The Carter Family

19870501_fromtheheart
May 01, 1987

June Writes and Publishes ‘From The Heart,’ Her Second Memoir

1988
19880101_family_wildwoodflower
1988

The Carter Family Reunites

The Carter Family (June, her daughter Carlene, Helen and Anita) reunites and releases the album Wildwood Flower

1989
July 22, 1989

June is First Woman Ever Named Virginian of the Year by VA Press Association

1990

1992
19920101_returnpromisedland
1992

June Appears in ‘Return To The Promised Land’

A follow-up to The Gospel Road. The accompanying soundtrack is released in 2000

1993
November 13, 1993

June Appears In ‘Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman’

June makes her first of three appearances as Sister Ruth McKenzie in CBS’ Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

1997
19971217_theapostle
December 17, 1997

June Appears In ‘The Apostle’

June portrays Momma Dewey in The Apostle alongside Robert Duvall, who also wrote and directed

2000

2000
June Carter Cash - Press On
February 23, 2000

June Wins GRAMMY Award For ‘Press On’

For Best Traditional Folk Album

May 15, 2003

June Carter Cash Dies in Nashville, TN, Surrounded By Her Family

2004
20030909_wildwoodflower
February 08, 2004

June Wins Two GRAMMY Awards For ‘Wildwood Flower’

For Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “Keep On The Sunny Side”

Walk The Line movie poster
November 18, 2005

Walk The Line’ Film Released

Walk The Line, a film based on Johnny Cash and June Carter’s relationship, is released. Reese Witherspoon wins an Academy Award for her portrayal of June

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