1920
Valerie June Carter Is Born in Maces Spring, VA
June First Performs With The Carter Family At Age 10
The Carter Family Disbands
June’s mother Maybelle and sisters Helen and Anita form a new group, Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters
Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters’ First Performance
At WRNL-AM, Richmond, VA
Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters Move to Knoxville, TN
There, they hire a new guitarist, Chet Atkins
Moves To Springfield, MO
Mother Maybelle, The Carter Sisters and Chet Atkins move to Springfield, MO, performing regularly for KWTO-AM
First Single Credited to Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters
“Why Do You Weep Dear Willow?” is released by RCA Victor
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
Joins Grand Ole Opry
After numerous offers, Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters move to Nashville and join the Grand Ole Opry
June Marries Honky-tonk Singer Carl Smith
June and Carl’s Daughter, Rebecca Carlene, Is Born
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
Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters Support Elvis Presley
On a tour of the East Coast that runs through March
June’s First Major Acting Gig
A supporting role on an episode of Gunsmoke
June Marries Sportsman and Former Police Officer Edwin “Rip” Nix
June and Rip’s Daughter, Rosie Carter, Is Born
1960
A.P. Carter Passes
After the passing of A.P. Carter, Mother Maybelle reclaims The Carter Family name when performing with her daughters
June Plays First Date With Johnny Cash Show
At the Big ‘D’ Jamboree in the Sportatorium, Dallas
The ‘New’ Carter Family
Releases The Carter Family Album, its first ever, on Liberty Records
June Joins The Johnny Cash Tour
At the KRNT Theater in Des Moines, IA
‘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
Johnny Cash Records ‘Ring of Fire,’ Which June Co-wrote
It tops Billboard‘s country singles chart for seven weeks
June Signs To Columbia Records As A Solo Act
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
June and Rip Divorce
The Carter Family Becomes Permanent Member of Johnny Cash Touring Troupe
Johnny Cash Proposes To June
Onstage at a show in London, Ontario, Canada
June and Johnny Cash Win GRAMMY Award For ‘Jackson’
For Best Country & Western Performance, Duet, Trio Or Group
June Marries Johnny Cash in Franklin, Kentucky
June and Johnny Cash Win CMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year
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
Johnny and June’s Son, John Carter, Is Born
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash – Turn Around (The Best Of The Johnny Cash TV Show)
‘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
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
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash – No Need To Worry (Man in Black: Live in Denmark)
June and Johnny Cash Donate $12,000 to SOS Children’s Village
The money is used to create a building to house orphaned children
June Portrays Mary Magdalene
In the film The Gospel Road: A Story Of Jesus
The Carter Family win Best Country Band/Duo/Group
At the first American Music Awards
June is Named Woman and Mother of the Year
By Youth For Christ organization
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
June Writes and Publishes ‘Among My Klediments,’ Her First Memoir
1980
June Receives Nashville Community Service Award
June Appears in Documentary ‘Sunny Side Of Life’ About The Carter Family
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash – Where Did We Go Right? (Live from Austin, TX)
June Writes and Publishes ‘From The Heart,’ Her Second Memoir
The Carter Family Reunites
The Carter Family (June, her daughter Carlene, Helen and Anita) reunites and releases the album Wildwood Flower
June is First Woman Ever Named Virginian of the Year by VA Press Association
1990
June Appears in ‘Return To The Promised Land’
A follow-up to The Gospel Road. The accompanying soundtrack is released in 2000
June Appears In ‘Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman’
June makes her first of three appearances as Sister Ruth McKenzie in CBS’ Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
June Appears In ‘The Apostle’
June portrays Momma Dewey in The Apostle alongside Robert Duvall, who also wrote and directed
2000
June Wins GRAMMY Award For ‘Press On’
For Best Traditional Folk Album
June Carter Cash Dies in Nashville, TN, Surrounded By Her Family
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’ 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
