After Memphis Patrick and I headed to Nashville, the last city in our whirlwind Tennessee trip. The Music City has a lot to offer, including countless bars, BBQ joints, and museums. Many are located along Broadway, the neon filled street bustling with honky tonks, and just off it is the Johnny Cash Museum, showcasing the life of the Man in Black himself.

Like many of Johnny Cash’s contemporaries, Cash came from humble beginnings, born amid the Great Depression to sharecroppers in Arkansas. He lost his brother at a young age, and despite deep running faith, the family never recovered. After serving in the Air Force, he made his way to Memphis and Sun Records. What followed was an extraordinary career that spanned six decades, but his personal life was filled with ups and downs. His first marriage ended in divorce, and he struggled with drugs and alcohol, but with the help of June Carter, a music legend in her own right, Cash beat his demons and later married Carter. The pair is hands down one of the most influential couples in country music.

The Johnny Cash Museum showcases Cash’s life with personal belongings, costumes, and many audio elements. There are of course a handful of garments worn by Carter too. The museum also embraces the 2005 biopic Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix as Cash, and Reese Witherspoon as Carter. Despite being relatively small, Cash fans could spend quite a lot of time here!

Some of the highlights were learning about Cash’s push for prison reform, and that he is one of the few artists to have had his music released on 78, 45, 33 1/3 rpm records, reel-to-reel, 4 track, 8-track, cassette, CD, and Mp3 during his lifetime. A small and silly highlight for me was seeing the hat he wore on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, a show I adored growing up.

Depending on your level of interest in Cash, you could spend anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours here, due to the amount of audio exhibits. Soon the museum will expand, and I hope that it will include more about June Carter. Learn more about the Man in Black at the Johnny Cash Museum at 119 3rd Avenue South, in Nashville. Get more details and purchase tickets on their website.

What’s Nearby?

Ryman Auditorium