Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Ring of Fire
If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) Recorded by Johnny Cash, "Ring of Fire" was written by his wife, June Carter. Johnny's daughter Roseanne says it's about "the transformative power of their love." What's your favorite love song?

"The Sweetest Thing" (U2), and I love the video too. I mean, really...how can you not?

2) Though more than 50 years old, this song is still popular today. Country Music Television named it one of the best and most requested of all time. Are you a country music fan?

"I like both kinds of music: Country and Western!" OK, not really, but I don't mind a short round of country, or country-pop once in awhile.

3) This recording features mariachi horns, inspired by Mexican folk music. Have you ever been to Mexico?

Yes I have, about 33 years ago, when the peso exchange rate was about 25 to a dollar. So, a LOOOOOOONG time ago. I don't think we heard any mariachi music while we were there, but I grew up in the Denver area so I heard it a lot at home. Not in my home, but around. Yknow....

4) Cash's birth certificate said, "J. R. Cash," and "J.R." is what his parents always called him. When he enlisted in the Air Force, Uncle Sam refused to let him simply go by initials, so he chose the name "John." If you could choose a different name for yourself, what would it be?

I'd love to use my mother's middle name. It's a great name, but she always hated it for some reason. It was the name of an aunt of hers, whom she loved, so I've never understood her hate. And it was hate.

5) Cash and his first wife, Vivian, had their first date at a roller skating rink. Tell us about one of your first dates.

My first actual date was to see a movie, but I'm not sure I remember which one. He drove his tiny 70s-era Honda (his was reddish), and a tire went flat on the way to the theater, on a very busy four-lane boulevard in Denver. Although he was always talking about fixing cars, this particular vehicle didn't have a jack (though it did have a spare!), so I had to hold the rear of the car up while he changed out the tire. Yes. I did that. He was mortified and couldn't believe how not-upset I was. I even went out with him again!

6) Cash died in September, 2003, four months after he lost his second wife, and love of his life, June. The cause of death given was complications from diabetes, but his children believe he died of a broken heart. Do you think that's possible?

Of course I think it's possible; it's actually well-documented fact.

7) Cash was known as "The Man in Black." What color do you wear most often?

I wear an awful lot of brown and blue and other earth-ish tones.

8) There's a Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville. What's the last museum you visited?

Wow. Hmm. I can't actually remember! It's been several years, and it might have been the British Museum the last time we were in London several years ago now. No, wait, we met family at a train museum last summer. Didn't really do a lot except chit-chat though; it's mostly outdoors, and since the group included two train buffs and a small child, it was pretty easy.

9) A stretch of Tennessee Highway 31E is known as "Johnny Cash Parkway." What street in your town is named for a famous person?

I don't think anything in the town where I lived is named for anyone in particular (that I'm aware of), but there are the usual "Lincoln", "Jefferson" and "Washington" streets in the town where I work, as well as local city fathers. And one cartoonist. Because that's the way people here roll.